In a telephone interview on 6 November 2006, a consular official from the Embassy of Iraq to Canada stated that an individual can obtain or renew a national identity card only by going to his or her city of birth and confirming his/her "family origins." A consular official from the Embassy of Iraq to the United States corroborated this information and added that a person must go to the town where their parents reside and present an original copy of their birth certificate to authorities (8 Nov. 2006). According to the United States Department of State International Religious Freedom Report 2005, the national identity card, also known as the "jentsia," clearly indicates a person's religion (8 Nov. 2005). No other information could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Iraq. 8 November 2006. Embassy of Iraq to the United States, Washington, DC. Telephone interview with a consular official.

_____. 6 November 2006. Embassy of Iraq to Canada, Ottawa. Telephone interview with a consular official.

United States (US). 8 November 2005. Department of State. International Religious Freedom Report 2005. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51600.htm [Accessed 7 Nov. 2006]

Internet sites, including: Coalition Provisional Authority, Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in London, Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Stockholm, Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iraq Ministry of Interior (Web site under construction), Keesing's, President of Iraq, Prime Minister of Iraq, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) REFWORLD, United States Department of State Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder.