Author
An applicant with special reception needs is a vulnerable person according to Article 5^1 of the Asylum Act, who needs special guarantees to enjoy their rights and fulfil their obligations under the law.[1] Article 5^1(2) lists the following categories of vulnerable persons: minors, unaccompanied minors, disabled people, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, victims of human trafficking, persons suffering from serious illnesses, people with mental disorders and persons who have been subjected to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence, or persons in other special circumstances.
The law does not prescribe actual mechanisms or methods for the identification of vulnerable persons. The Asylum law only states that specialised personnel of IGI-DAI cooperate with UNHCR and relevant NGOs to identify asylum applicants who may fall within in the category of vulnerable persons referred for the identification of vulnerable cases, IGI has a SOP applied by all reception centres and staff interacting with asylum applicants from the moment of their arrival and during the whole asylum procedure. In order to assess the vulnerability of asylum applicants, specialists within IGI-DAI, where appropriate together with experts from other institutions and authorities competent in the field, to make an assessment of the special needs of foreigners. Depending on the specific need of each asylum applicant identified as vulnerable person, IGI-DAI notifies and cooperates with authorities and specialised agencies in order to provide necessary assistance. IGI-DAI may collaborate with NGOs to assist asylum applicants identified as vulnerable.[2]
Psychosocial specialists of the ICAR Foundation who carry out activities in the Regional Centres first seek to identify asylum applicants, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups (families in difficulty, elderly people, people with chronic illness, unaccompanied children, victims of physical and mental violence) and their needs. Subsequent tests are conducted to assess the general health status of newly arrived asylum applicants, while general practitioners provide weekly medical consultations (see Health Care).[3]
According to the Asylum Act, asylum applicants with special needs have the right to benefit from adapted accommodation and assistance conditions in the Regional Centres.[4] During a visit in the regional centre of Timișoara in 2021, the Ombudsman noticed that an asylum applicant who had walking difficulties due to an accident, struggled to use the toilet and recommended that the management build a toilet for persons with special needs.[5] IGI-DAI stated that all regional centres are ramps for persons with disabilities.[6] More recent monitoring visits carried out by the Romanian Ombudsman in 2025 did not identify specific shortcomings regarding access to reception centres or accommodation conditions for asylum applicants with reduced mobility. While the presence of persons with locomotor disabilities was noted, for example in Galați, the reports indicate that adapted accommodation and access infrastructure, including ramps and sanitary facilities, were available. No specific challenges comparable to those identified in previous years were reported.[7]
The house rules of the Regional Centres stipulate that, in order to deal with situations of sexual or gender-based violence, the Director of the Centre shall:[8]
- Inform the persons accommodated in the centre about sexual or gender-based violence and the consequences of such acts;
- In case of such situations occurring during the period of accommodation in the centre, notify the competent public authorities and institutions and, depending on the seriousness of the deed, gradually apply one of the sanctions provided in Article 47 ROI (see Reduction or Withdrawal of Reception Conditions);
- Cooperate with national and international NGOs, as well as with public authorities and institutions competent in this field to assist victims while they are accommodated in the Regional Centre.
As far as known by the authors of the report, there were no reports of cases of sexual or gender-based violence in the reception centres in 2023 or 2024. IGI-DAI states that that if such cases would exist, the centre would immediately notify the police and the competent judicial authorities to investigate.[9] There were no public reports of cases of sexual or gender-based violence in reception centres for 2025.
In 2024, IGI-DAI stated that the Regional Centres managed by IGI have spaces suitable for accommodating vulnerable persons. This was confirmed for 2025, as IGI-DAI indicated that the Regional Centres for Accommodation and Procedures for Asylum applicants continue to have spaces suitable for accommodating vulnerable persons.[10]
In 2024 according to CNRR, each applicant’s file, contains an observation sheet documenting key personal details—such as age, gender, family status (e.g., single parenthood, risk of gender-based violence, old age), pregnancy, health conditions, disabilities, substance use, or past experiences of torture or trafficking. Emotional or behavioural concerns like agitation or frequent crying are also recorded. This information is gathered throughout the asylum process: at application, during accommodation, the preliminary questionnaire, interview, or court proceedings. Medical staff at each centre conduct regular check-ups for individuals identified as having special needs to ensure their health and well-being are properly managed [11] This remained true for 2025. According to CNRR, each applicant’s file includes an observation sheet indicating information declared by the applicant regarding age, gender, family situation (e.g. single-parent family, risk of gender-based violence, elderly persons alone), pregnancy, physical or mental health problems, disabilities, substance abuse, as well as indications of being a victim of torture or trafficking and other concerns (e.g. difficulty concentrating, emotional distress, agitation). The information is collected at different stages of the asylum procedure, including at the time of submission of the asylum application, during accommodation, the preliminary questionnaire, the personal interview or the court phase. In addition, medical staff in each Regional Centre conduct regular check-ups of persons identified as having special needs.[12]
In 2025, IOM provided assistance to several categories of vulnerable persons accommodated in reception centres, including families with children, single-parent families, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, persons suffering from serious medical conditions and unaccompanied minors. Support included information and counselling services, material assistance, medical support, Romanian language courses and socio-recreational activities. According to IOM’s observations, several structural challenges affecting vulnerable persons remain within the reception system. These include the lack of adequate infrastructure for persons with reduced mobility (such as the absence of lifts in some centres), occasional interruptions in the provision of hot water, limited interpretation and translation services provided by authorities, and insufficiently clear information provided to beneficiaries regarding the National Integration Plan and their rights and obligations. In some centres, such as Maramureș, although interpreters are present, beneficiaries do not always fully understand the information provided, which often requires additional clarification by IOM counsellors. IOM also reported operational challenges affecting reception conditions, including high utility costs in some centres and occasional interruptions in the supply of hot water. According to the organisation, beneficiaries often experience difficulties understanding the measures included in the National Integration Plan as well as their rights and obligations after obtaining international protection. In several cases, IOM counsellors intervened to clarify information provided by reception centre staff, particularly regarding integration measures, family reunification procedures and access to employment.[13]
In 2025, LOGS also provided in Timisoara support to several categories of persons with special reception needs, including families with children, victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities and LGBTI persons. The assistance provided included social counselling and information regarding available rights and services, support in obtaining documents and accessing social benefits, mediation with public institutions and service providers, assistance in accessing medical and psychological services, as well as emergency material support such as food, hygiene products and clothing. In addition, LOGS organised integration and community activities, including intercultural events, art therapy activities, educational camps and volunteer programmes.[14]
Reception of unaccompanied children
Unaccompanied children below the age of 16
Unaccompanied children below the age of 16 are accommodated in a centre managed by DGASPC or an authorised private body.[15] If they have relatives residing in a Regional Centre, DGASPC decides where they will be accommodated, taking into consideration their best interests. In case of unaccompanied children who have siblings under or above the age of 16, when taking a decision regarding their accommodation, IGI-DAI shall consult their legal representative, observe the principle of family unity and take into account the age and maturity of the older sibling.[16] The opinion of the unaccompanied child regarding the place where they will be accommodated is considered and given due importance, taking into account their age and degree of maturity.[17]
As regards the conditions in DGASPC facilities, Save the Children stated that the facilities are decent but there are no interpreters; thus, interaction with these children is limited until they learn Romanian. In most cases the staff is not trained to work with foreign children, the services provided are not adapted to their needs.
IGI-DAI mentioned that in 2024, unaccompanied minors were generally accommodated in centres managed by the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection. IGI-DAI mentioned that, when accommodated in the Regional Centres managed by IGI, the accommodation of unaccompanied minors is arranged by gender, in rooms separate from adults. As of 31 December 2024, two unaccompanied minors were accommodated in the Regional Centres managed by IGI. [18] This situation remained unchanged in 2025. According to IGI-DAI, unaccompanied minors continued to be accommodated, as a rule, in centres managed by DGASPC, while those over the age of 16 could remain in the Regional Centres managed by IGI, where they were accommodated separately from adults, by gender. As of 31 December 2025, two unaccompanied minors were accommodated in the Regional Centres managed by IGI.[19]
In 2024, Child Protection Bucharest (DGASMB) stated that there were no reception centres, accommodation places, or unaccompanied minors housed in reception centres at the end of the year.[20]
Additionally, they reported four specialized reception centres in Bucharest:[21]
- For victims of domestic violence (2 centres):
- Emergency Reception Centre for Victims of Severe Domestic Violence “Theodor Pallady”
- Emergency Reception Centre for Female Victims of Domestic Violence
- For homeless adults (2 centres) in Bucharest:
- Integrated Social Services Complex for Adults – St. Ioan
- Filaret Community Assistance Centre.
In 2025, the situation of unaccompanied foreign minors varied across counties, with differences in both the number of cases and the availability of services. According to DGASPC Timiș, a total of 12 unaccompanied foreign children were taken over and placed under special protection measures (emergency placement), representing a decrease compared to 39 cases in 2024. Furthermore, DGASPC Timiș reported that one dedicated centre for unaccompanied minors was operational, with a capacity of 8 places, of which 2 were occupied at the end of 2025.[22] In practice, unaccompanied minors in Timiș benefited from a range of services provided within the Emergency Social Services Complex in Timișoara, including accommodation (day and night shelter), medical services (initial assessment, treatment, dental care, and periodic evaluations), educational support (including Romanian language courses and access to the education system), and psychological counselling.[23]
By contrast, other counties reported no cases of unaccompanied foreign children during 2025. According to DGASPC Galați, no unaccompanied foreign children (asylum applicants or beneficiaries of international protection) were taken under their responsibility, accommodated, or placed in residential services during the year. DGASPC Galați further indicated that, in the absence of such cases, no interpretation services or specialised support (such as psychological counselling, medical assistance, or educational services) were provided, and no specialised staff for working with foreign minors was available. DGASPC Galați also reported that the average time between notification by the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) and the takeover of minors was 0 days, although one case was recorded in which a minor left the IGI reception centre before being taken over by the child protection authorities. No cases were reported of minors leaving DGASPC centres after the appointment of a legal representative (DGASPC Galați).[24]
Similarly, according to the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection Giurgiu (DGASPC Giurgiu), no unaccompanied foreign minors were taken over or accommodated in 2025. DGASPC Giurgiu noted that, although a family-type residential house (“Albastră”) with a capacity of 7 places exists and had 4 occupied places at the end of the year, none of these were unaccompanied foreign minors, and no such minors were accommodated in any structure under its authority during 2025.[25]
Unaccompanied children aged 16 or more
Unaccompanied children, who have reached the age of 16 and do not have the necessary material resources to ensure their subsistence, are accommodated in the Regional Centres. IGI-DAI[26] states that unaccompanied minors can be accommodated in separated rooms in the centres and that the principle of the best interest of the child is taken into account.
In 2024, IGI-DAI mentioned that unaccompanied minors over the age of 16 were allowed to remain in the Regional Centres managed by IGI. At the national level, IGI administers six reception centres.[27]
Children may remain in the reception centre if they are accompanied by an adult or if they are unaccompanied and over the age of 16. In cases where unaccompanied children are under the age of 16, the Child Protection Authority is promptly contacted. However, the duration of their stay is typically short, either due to family reunification processes or, in some cases, irregular onward movement, after which the children may no longer be traceable.[28]
Reception of families
Efforts are made to ensure that nuclear families can stay together during the asylum procedure. Families are accommodated in separate rooms. In 2023, according with IGI-DAI, families are accommodated separately in all centres.[29] This practice was observed also in 2024 and 2025.[30]
Beyond the Regional Centres managed by IGI-DAI, AIDRom used to run two Accommodation Centres: one Accommodation Centre in Timișoara, which has operated without interruption since August 2012 with a capacity of 15 places; and one Accommodation Centre in Bucharest, which has operated since 2015 with 18 places.
These centres accommodate vulnerable persons, especially single parents with children (mothers with children). The AIDRom centres are located within these cities, funded partially by AMIF and partially by external donors. Asylum applicants housed in these centres have access to social assistance, cultural activities and cultural orientation.
In 2025, according to the Romanian Ombudsman, vulnerable persons were present in the Regional Centers for Accommodation and Procedures for Asylum applicants in Bucharest and Galați, including families with children, single-parent families, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and victims of trafficking. In the Bucharest center, the Ombudsman identified a significant number of vulnerable cases, including minors, elderly persons, persons with disabilities and victims of trafficking, as well as families and single-parent households. In the Galați center, vulnerable persons included minors, single-parent families, persons with disabilities and beneficiaries of international protection, with the authorities ensuring their inclusion in the relevant protection mechanisms.[31]
During the monitoring visits, non-governmental organizations were involved in providing support to vulnerable persons. In the Bucharest center, Save the Children provided assistance aimed at covering basic needs, educational support and access to services for families with children, while AIDRom provided support including material assistance, Romanian language courses and activities facilitating access to services. In the Galați center, AIDRom implemented activities including counselling, Romanian language courses and material assistance, including for vulnerable persons accommodated in the center.[32]
In 2024, Save the Children focuses on supporting children with families, unaccompanied minors, and single women present in the Timisoara reception centre. Typically, families with children do not remain in the reception centre for long periods. AIDRom provides social assistance, including services such as family reunification and the distribution of school supplies, also extending their support to beneficiaries of international protection.[33]
In 2024, according to CNRR from the practice encountered, the most common are verbal and written explanations and warnings regarding internal regulation. In the Regional Centers, information sessions are organized for those accommodated, sessions attended not only by integration officers and NGO representatives but also by medical assistants, officers and contract employees from the Logistics department, PCA officers, the psychologist, EUAA interpreters, in which topics such as: hygiene and sanitary rules, financial aid received from the GII, room re-compartmentation, etc. are addressed.[34]
As of 31 December 2025, DGASPC Galați provided residential child protection services through 8 apartments (48 places), 7 family-type houses (84 places), 1 emergency reception centre (8 places), and 1 maternal centre (capacity for 5 mother–child pairs). No places were specifically designated for unaccompanied foreign minors; such cases would be accommodated in available places within existing child protection facilities in accordance with legal provisions.[35]
DGASPC Galați reported the existence of facilities for other vulnerable groups, including a protected dwelling for victims of domestic violence (capacity 6 places), several centres for adults with disabilities (capacities ranging from 4 to 50 places), and protected housing for elderly persons (capacity 18 places). However, no foreign persons were accommodated in these centres in 2025.[36]
DGASPC Giurgiu reported the existence of a protected dwelling for victims of domestic violence and a maternal centre; however, in 2025 no foreign individuals were accommodated in these residential structures.[37]
DGASPC Giurgiu also operates residential structures for adults with disabilities. In 2025, only two admissions were recorded in these centres, consisting of transfers from residential structures for children to adult services, in line with Law No. 7/2023 on the acceleration of the deinstitutionalisation process and prevention of institutionalisation.[38]
According to DGASPC Timiș, accommodation for persons with special needs is ensured either within the same centre or in other centres within the institution, depending on the specific needs and type of services required.[39]
[1] Article 2(1)(b^2) Asylum Act.
[2] Article 5(1)-(4) Asylum Decree.
[3] AIDRom, Adapted and accessible health services for asylum seekers in Romania, available here.
[4] Article 17(1)(l) Asylum Act.
[5] Ombudsman, Report, 2021, p.7, available in Romanian here.
[6] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.
[7] Romanian Ombudsman, Reports on Migrant Centers 2025, available here.
[8] Article 60 ROI.
[9] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.
[10] ibid., 02 March 2026.
[11] Information provided by CNRR in February 2025.
[12] Information provided by CNRR, 03 February 2026
[13] Information provided by IOM, 25 February 2026.
[14] Information provided by LOGS, 16 February 2026.
[15] Article 58(3) Asylum Decree, in conjunction with Article 78(1) Child Protection Act.
[16] Article 58(3^1) Asylum Decree.
[17] ibid. Article 58(4).
[18] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 23 January 2025.
[19] ibid., 02 March 2026.
[20] Information provided by DGASMB, 17 January 2025 available here.
[21] ibid.
[22] Information provided by DGASPC Timis, 25 February 2026.
[23] ibid.
[24] Information provided by DGASPC Galați, 23 February 2026.
[25] Information provided by DGASPC Giurgiu, 27 February 2026.
[26] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.
[27] ibid., 23 January 2025.
[28] Information provided by IGI during ECRE fact-finding visit at the Timisoara Reception Centre, 20 March 2025.
[29] Information provided by IGI-DAI, 18 January 2024.
[30] Observed by JRS Romania. Information provided April 2026.
[31] Romanian Ombudsman, Reports on Migrant Centers 2025, available here.
[32] ibid.
[33] Information provided by IGI during ECRE fact-finding visit at the Timisoara Reception Centre, 20 March 2025.
[34] Information provided by CNRR, February 2025.
[35] Information provided by DGASPC Galați, 23 February 2026.
[36] ibid.
[37] Information provided by DGASPC Giurgiu, 27 February 2026.
[38] Information provided by DGASPC Giurgiu, 27 February 2026
[39] Information provided by DGASPC Timis, 24 February 2026