The unresolved legal status had a considerable impact on the lives of stateless persons. Falling into an irregular situation and being undocumented prevented stateless persons from accessing the job market, which consequently affected their self-reliance and increased the risk of losing their housing. Stateless persons were often dependent on irregular work, lived in temporary accommodation or became homeless. While working irregularly, they were vulnerable to exploitation and poor working conditions. These undesirable circumstances were further exacerbated by the lack of legal protection. Furthermore, the lives of stateless persons were significantly affected by the lack of personal documents and the inability to prove their identity. This was an obstacle to accessing a number of rights and even basic services including, for example, the delivery of official correspondence. Stateless persons interviewed for this study who were without a stable residence permit were prone to being repeatedly deprived of their liberty as part of the authorities’ unsuccessful efforts to expel them from the country. Several stateless persons interviewed in this study described situations where, due to the impossibility to resolve their legal status, they fell into a vicious circle of receiving an administrative expulsion order, being detained or eventually being sentenced to expulsion and placed into custody with a view to removal. As a consequence, they lived in a constant fear of detention and/or removal. The uncertain situation had a significant and often distressing effect on the private and family lives of stateless persons. This translated into tensions arising in relationships, permanent concerns, living in fear and an impossibility to plan for the future. The basic life strategies of most stateless persons interviewed during the research revolved around efforts to provide for their basic needs and to have secure housing. Other aspirations became secondary. They postponed starting a family. Other individual and social needs often remained unfulfilled as well. The study revealed that, combined, these circumstances presented a significant psychological burden. Many of the interviewed persons struggled with stress and anxiety, insomnia and other symptoms. The fact that a person is stateless created barriers to forming social relationships. Some interviewed persons perceived their status as a stigma and avoided talking to others and explaining their situation as they were usually met with misunderstanding. Long-term exposure to this situation ultimately had a negative impact on the selfperception and identity of some of the interviewed stateless persons. Persons interviewed throughout the study described their feelings of exclusion, marginalisation, invisibility and a lack of support in life. They found it difficult to access their rights and perceived the unfairness of the situation they happened to be in and which they had not caused. UNHCR Czech Republic 9