“Support for Migration and
Asylum Management in Ukraine”
(IMMIS)

About the project

The project "Support to Migration and Asylum Management in Ukraine" (IMMIS) is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine. It is the EU's largest migration management project for a single Eastern Partnership country with a total budget of EUR 27.2 million.

Its goal is to improve the management of migration processes in Ukraine in line with the best international and European practices

Project tasks:

To analyse the work processes of the State Migration Service of Ukraine and the State Border Service of Ukraine in the field of migration management in order to optimise them further

To improve the regulatory framework in the field of migration, in particular in terms of collecting and processing biometric data

To automate several working processes of the State Migration Service and the State Border Service of Ukraine related to migration management

To provide IT infrastructure and implement integrated IT solutions, thanks to which project beneficiaries will be able to exchange data in real time and carry out quick identification of foreigners and stateless persons according to their biometric data

The project's duration: December 2016 - March 2021

Project beneficiaries

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Forms migration policy and coordinates activities of the State Migration Service, the State Border Service and the National Police of Ukraine.

The State Migration Service of Ukraine

The main agency in charge of the implementation of migration policy in Ukraine, which controls the stay of foreigners inside the country. In particular, the State Migration Service issues documents for temporary or permanent residence in Ukraine, decides on the recognition of foreigners and stateless persons as refugees or persons in need of additional protection, decides on the loss of such status, on voluntary or forced return of foreigners to countries of their origin, on readmission of people, is responsible for some aspects of the procedure of acquiring Ukrainian citizenship, ensures that those who violate migration legislation are brought to administrative responsibility, etc.*

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Protects the state border, carries out border control and manages the passage through the state border of Ukraine of persons, vehicles and cargoes, simultaneously detecting and preventing their illegal traffic. Among other things, the State Border Service checks data of persons crossing the border, detains persons who have committed offences at checkpoints, carries out operational and investigative measures against foreigners who violated the procedure of crossing the border or the rules of stay in Ukraine, etc.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Through consular offices abroad, it provides visas for foreigners and stateless persons for their travel to Ukraine and transit through its territory.

The National Police of Ukraine

Supervises the observance of certain rules of stay in Ukraine by foreigners and stateless persons.

* Only those functions that relate to the scope of the project are listed for beneficiaries.

Results

A thorough analysis of the work processes of the State Migration Service and the State Border Guard Service regarding migration management has been conducted. Recommendations were developed, and technical assistance was provided (more details below) to create a modern, efficient and orderly management system for migration processes, which in turn will significantly increase the level of security in Ukraine and improve the country's image in the international arena. All decisions are made based on international and European experience.

The legal framework in the field of migration has been improved. Abill has been prepared with the participation of IMMIS lawyers that obliges foreigners and stateless persons to submit biometric data for entry visas to Ukraine. The adoption of this bill will simplify the procedure of identification of foreigners during and after their entry into the territory of Ukraine and will make it impossible to use forged documents. The project also took part in developing a bill that will provide a comprehensive solution to identifying Ukrainian citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons using their biometric data.

Work processes have been automated and modernised in Ukrainian consulates where foreigners apply for visas to Ukraine, at border checkpoints through which foreigners enter Ukraine, as well as in the migration service departments within the country where foreigners apply for permission for temporary/permanent residence or for obtaining the status of a refugee or a person in need of additional protection. Modern IT solutions have replaced the paper routine and significantly improved the quality of services provided to both citizens of Ukraine, foreigners and stateless persons. The opportunities for corruption have significantly decreased.

Rapid automated data exchange among the State Border Service, the State Migration Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Police of Ukraine has been established. A serious modernisation of the Arkan interdepartmental information system has allowed an instant exchange of operational information among government agencies involved in migration and border management. This considerably increases the security level in Ukraine, as it allows for proper operational control over persons entering Ukraine, leaving the territory or planning to stay here, and taking immediate action where necessary.

Modern and reliable storage of personal data of Ukrainian citizens and foreigners has been provided. The project has upgraded main data centres for the State Migration Service and the State Border Service, as well as back-up data centres for these agencies with a total cost of over EUR 9 million. This guarantees smooth and round-the-clock operation of all implemented IT solutions, as well as data retention in case of emergencies.

Technical capabilities of the State Migration Service, the State Border Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collect and process biometric data of foreigners and stateless persons, as well as to provide access to authorised government officials to the identification of foreigners and stateless persons using their biometric data have been significantly expanded. The use of biometrics provides accurate identification and makes it virtually impossible for individuals to use forged documents. Such data are protected and impersonal because they are stored in the form of mathematical models. All technical solutions have been successfully tested, but the full launch of identification requests using biometric data depends on adopting the relevant law, the draft of which is currently being finalised by government agencies.

The processes of issuing permits to foreigners for permanent/temporary residence, issuing permits to refugees, stateless persons and accounting for unregulated migration in Ukraine have been automated. Besides, a technical capability has been created for these processes to collect and process applicants' biometric data. Foreigners living in Ukraine currently receive a secure temporary or permanent residence permit that contains a chip with biometric data. It is a convenient compact document well protected against counterfeiting, which meets international standards. Certain legislation needs to be adopted in order to issue biometric IDs for refugees and stateless persons.

Technical capacity for collecting biometric data of foreigners when issuing Ukrainian visas abroad has been ensured. After the adoption of the relevant law (bill №3630 is currently in the Verkhovna Rada), consular staff will be able to collect biometric data (fingerprints) from foreign citizens applying for a Ukrainian visa. The developed system can gather the obtained biometric data, as well as compare them with the biometric data of foreigners in the databases of state agencies of Ukraine to prevent the entry of offenders into the territory of Ukraine. The project also ensured the functioning of the Visa Information System in the offline mode. From now on, consulates can process visa applications even without a stable Internet connection.

A pilot project on face recognition has been implemented at Boryspil Airport. The system allows border guards to take a "live" picture of a foreigner and instantly automatically compares it with a photo in their passport and, in the case of a biometric passport with a photo in its electronic chip. This deprives a person of the opportunity to use another person's passport to enter Ukraine if two people resemble each other. The system recognises even identical twins. The project has shown promising results. There are plans for its further implementation along the whole length of the border.

The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) has been improved. As soon as a person in another country has registered for a flight to Ukraine, Ukrainian border guards already have information about their name, passport data and route. The modernised system makes it possible to automatically check passengers in the databases of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Interpol and, if it detects a problem, to prepare to meet the offender properly.

The registration of persons who have acquired or terminated the citizenship of Ukraine, which was previously carried out in paper form, has been automated, and technical capacity for collecting and processing biometric data of applicants has been provided.

The process of registration of irregular migrants and refugees has been automated, as well as the process of their accommodation and registration in the facilities for the temporary stay of foreigners and stateless persons illegally staying in Ukraine and the facilities for temporary accommodation of refugees.

The system of control over violations of migration legislation in the State Border Service ("Gart-5") has been modernised, and an automated register of administrative offences has been introduced in the State Migration Service, which has significantly increased the level of detection and identification of offenders, improved the process of registration and significantly reduced potential corruption risks.

An electronic platform to record requests for transit and readmission (mutual obligations of states to take back their own citizens and foreigners who have illegally entered the territory of another state from the territory of such a country or lost the grounds for legal stay) has been launched. Previously, this process took place in paper format. Testing of the platform with EU countries is underway.

A human resources management system has been introduced in the State Migration Service in accordance with EU best practices. Currently, the State Migration Service makes extensive use of modern human resource management tools, including in hiring and teaching new employees, evaluating staff performance, as well as training and professional development. Every month, about 1,000 of its staff take courses on an online learning platform developed by the project to improve their professional skills. An extensive network of internal trainers prepared as part of the project conducts trainings for their colleagues in each regional office of the service.

Important! All provided IT solutions are based on the principles of reliable protection of personal data, namely: only certain persons have access to information; the list of data that can be issued is clearly defined by protocols concluded between state agencies; IT systems keep track of all requests, which prevents fraud and impunity for the abuse of office.