Contents
List of abbreviations................................................................................................................................................6
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Statelessness across the globe.......................................................................................................................9
1.1.1 Defining “a stateless person”..........................................................................................................................9
1.1.2 Causes of statelessness................................................................................................................................. 10
1.1.3 Consequences of statelessness.................................................................................................................. 11
1.2 The international and regional legal framework................................................................................... 11
2. The face of statelessness in Estonia........................................................................................................ 14
2.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................... 14
2.1.1 Historical background................................................................................................................................... 14
2.1.2 Applicable legal standards........................................................................................................................... 17
2.2 A statistical overview of the stateless population in Estonia............................................................ 22
2.2.1 Specifics of the data used............................................................................................................................. 22
2.2.2 The target population................................................................................................................................... 24
2.2.2.1 Groups covered by administrative data........................................................................................... 26
2.2.2.2 Groups not covered by administrative data................................................................................... 34
2.3 Qualitative analysis of “persons with undetermined citizenship”................................................... 36
2.3.1 Background and methodology................................................................................................................... 36
2.3.2 Perceptions of application process for obtaining a residence permit and alien’s
passport....................................................................................................................................................................... 38
2.3.3 The human face of statelessness............................................................................................................... 39
2.3.4 Prison inmate questionnaires: methodology.......................................................................................... 45
2.3.4 Prison inmate responses: an overview...................................................................................................... 45
2.3.5 Hopes and expectations for the future..................................................................................................... 47
2.4 Conclusions and recommendations.......................................................................................................... 49
3. Determination of statelessness and rights attached to the status....................................... 53
3.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................... 53
3.2 National legal framework............................................................................................................................. 55
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M A P P I N G S TAT E L E S S N E S S I N E S TO N I A