(a) Belong to vulnerable groups, insofar as they are under a “restriction of liberty” measure in the
context of Reception and Identification procedures;
(b) Fall under the scope of the Border Procedure;
(c) Are likely to fall within the Dublin Procedure;
(d) Have cases which may be considered as manifestly unfounded;
(e) Represent a threat to national security or public order; or
(f) File a Subsequent Application;
(g) Come from a First Country of Asylum or a Safe Third Country;
(h) Have cases reasonably believed to be well-founded.
From 2014 up until the first half of 2021, Syrians and stateless persons were eligible to a fast-track
procedure examining their cases and often resulting in the granting of refugee status. This also applied
to those who formerly resided in Syria who could provide original documents such as passports, or who
had been identified as Syrians/persons with a former residence in Syria within the scope of the Reception
and Identification Procedure, provided that the EU-Türkiye Statement and the fast-track border procedure
did not apply in their cases.356 The specific fast-track procedure (examination in the merits) is still
applicable to this day, though admissibility proceedings may precede it.
However, since December 2021, pursuant to Joint Ministerial Decision 458568/2021 and the subsequent
relevant JMDs designating Türkiye as a safe third country for applicants from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Somalia,357 applications by these nationalities are firstly channelled through the
admissibility procedure to assess whether Türkiye is a safe third country for them or if their cases are
admissible and should therefore be examined on the merits (for more details, see also Safe Third
Country).
1.3.
Personal interview
Indicators: Regular Procedure: Personal Interview
1. Is a personal interview of the asylum applicant in most cases conducted in practice in the regular
procedure?
Yes
No
❖ If so, are interpreters available in practice, for interviews?
Yes
No
2. In the regular procedure, is the interview conducted by the authority responsible for making the
decision?
Yes
No
3. Are interviews conducted through video conferencing?
Frequently
Rarely
Never
4. Can the asylum applicant request the interviewer and the interpreter to be of a specific gender?
Yes
No
❖ If so, is this applied in practice, for interviews?
Yes
No
According to the Asylum Code, the personal interview with the applicant may be omitted where: 358
(a) The Asylum Service is able to issue a positive decision on the basis of available evidence.
(b) It is not practically feasible, in particular when the applicant is declared by a medical professional
as unfit or unable to be interviewed due to enduring circumstances beyond their control.
Moreover, the law foresees that when the applicant is not in a position to continue the interview for reasons
attributable to them, “the interview is concluded”. In this case, the applicant is provided with the opportunity
to submit a written memo and supplementary evidence within five days. 359 According to the Asylum Code,
356
357
358
359
Information provided by the Asylum Service, 31 March 2021.
JMD 458568/2021, Gov. Gazette Β' 5949/16-12-2021.
Article 82(7) Asylum Code.
Article 82(7) Asylum Code.
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