Access to procedure entails several opportunities to interact with the applicant. The phased approach allows you to deliver information at different times during access to procedure, without overwhelming the applicant with too much information or overly detailed information at the same time. It also allows you to repeat core information to the applicant several times and to build on the core information with more details each time that you interact with the applicant.
Besides phased information provision, information can be made available to applicants at all times through digital platforms and printed materials. For more information refer to the topics How to distribute information.
Procedural steps during access to procedure
Procedural steps that happen during access to procedure refer to activities conducted by authorities in order to register applications for international protection. In accordance with Article 6 APD (recast), there are three steps in access to procedure: making, registering of the making and lodging.
Making of an application refers to the act of expressing to an authority the wish to apply for international protection. After this step, the applicant is considered to be an asylum seeker and enjoys the rights and obligations attached to this status.
Registering of the making means establishing a record of the applicant’s intention to seek protection, thus noting down that the applicant is an applicant for international protection. In some national settings basic data is also collected from the applicant during the registration step.
Registration should happen within certain time limits after the application is made (Article 6 APD (recast):
- maximum 3 working days for applications made to the authorities responsible for registering them;
- maximum 6 working days for applications made to other authorities that are not responsible for registering them;
- maximum 10 working days for simultaneous large numbers of applications that make it very difficult to respect a 3 or 6-day time limit.
Lodging completes the registration procedure. The examination procedure of the application starts at this stage.
Lodging typically refers to a stage when more comprehensive data is collected from applicants to complete the registration. Afterwards, the application is submitted to the determining authority and its examination starts.
These procedural steps do not necessarily reflect three segregated phases. The making can occur before or at the same time as the registration, and several EU+ countries combine the steps of the registration and lodging into one phase. The procedural steps provide an opportunity to deliver information, particularly on the procedure to follow and the rights and obligations of the applicant. Authorities often conduct these steps while at the same time providing information to the applicant and explaining procedural information to them in practical terms. The procedural steps often require that the applicant presents themself in person and offer the opportunity to provide information to the applicant orally. As basic information is often collected from applicants during registration, this allows the message to be tailored to the personal situation of each applicant, for example on topics such as the available support in relation to potential special procedural or reception needs, or a special examination procedure to follow if the application is channelled to a particular procedure. These steps also provide an opportunity to verify understanding and allow the applicant to ask questions and clarify any doubts.
Other opportunities during access to procedure
Access to procedure offers several opportunities to deliver information to the applicant besides during the procedural steps of access to procedure itself. These opportunities include the following:
- arrival context, including activities during first contact at the border;
- medical screening;
- fingerprinting;
- meeting with legal counsellor or guardian;
- referral to specialised actors for second-line support;
- receiving support services.
These opportunities allow you to provide more detailed information on the step at hand, for example, what the medical screening entails or what can be expected from second-line support.
In addition to the above, you can deliver any information related to the asylum procedure, including general procedural information or information that focuses on a particular topic during:
- intake in the reception centre;
- community activities.
You can use these opportunities to complement the information provided during the procedural steps, and to repeat and explore further previously shared information.
Figure 1 shows different opportunities that may allow interaction with the applicant during access to procedure. In your national setting, the procedural steps can take place concurrently, and other opportunities to provide information may arise in a different order, not occur at all, or there could be additional opportunities.
Figure 1. Different opportunities that may allow interaction with the applicant
Practical tip on making information available at all times during access to procedure
Next to these opportunities for delivering information in person, information should be made available to the applicant at all times through different communication channels. See the topic ‘How to communicate information’ for further details.
In the information provision process, it is recommended to distinguish between:
- when you need to provide core information;
- when you can provide further detailed information.
As information can be delivered in a phased manner, you can first deliver basic information on each topic and then complement it with further details, as follows:
- identify the core messages related to each information topic;
- repeat the core messages during the different steps of the procedure;
- each time, accompany the core message(s) with further details.