Number of staff and nature of the first instance authority

Author

Human Rights League

The determining authority competent to take decisions on asylum applications at first instance is the Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (migračný úrad Ministerstva vnútra Slovenskej Republiky (MO) (hereinafter also Migration Office or determining authority). The MO was established by the Governmental resolution no. 501/1993 dated 13 July 1993 to perform duties in migration policy. The MO has fully replaced the former Secretariat of the Slovak Government’s Commissioner for Refugees (SSV SR for Refugees), appointed to the position from 1 June 1991. The MO is managed by the director, who is under the authority of the First State Secretary of the MoI. The MO is divided into:

• Organisational and Legal Department: responsible for drafting legislation governing asylum matters, transposition of EU legislation into national law and legal representation of the MoI before the courts in international protection matters;
• Procedural Department: responsible for asylum-related administrative procedures, including examination of asylum applications;
• Migration and Integration Department: responsible for cooperation with competent government authorities, local governments and non-governmental organisations in the integration of beneficiaries of international protection into society, in particular regarding access to accommodation, employment, social security and education;
• Dublin Centre: responsible for the implementation of the Dublin Regulation and determining the EU Member State responsible for examining an asylum application;
• Department of Documentation and International Cooperation: responsible for documenting activities and providing information and analysis about the countries of origin of asylum seekers;
• Asylum Facilities Department: managing, coordinating and supporting the asylum facilities, the integration centre and the international airports;[1]
• Migration Assistance Facility (formerly the Foreigners’ Services Centre): individual counselling and assistance to international university students, highly qualified workers and their family members, as well as returnees (Slovak citizens) returning to the territory of the Slovak Republic from abroad and their family members, in matters relating to residence, employment, integration, and navigation of the public services system.[2]

The MO is also responsible for asylum facilities – Humenné Reception Centre, Accommodation Centre in Opatovská Nová Ves dedicated for vulnerable persons and Accommodation Centre in Rohovce dedicated for single men.

[1] MoI, The Migration Office of The Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic: 25 years (1993-2018) 2018, available here.

[2] MoI, MAP – Migračný asistenčný priestor, available (in Slovak) here.