On 25 April 2001 a representative of the Romanian Helsinki Committee stated the following:

The Law regulating identification of individuals in Romania is Law No.105 of 1995.

Identity cards are required. Every individual gets an ID from the police at the age of 14. This is valid for a period of 10 years. The owner of the ID has the obligation to renew it every time until the age of 55. After this limit, the ID is valid indefinitely.

Changing residence: any person staying at a different address for more than 15 days has to go to the police station for registration. The same applies in case of moving to a new address. He has to show only his ID and to state the new address. Apart from the police formalities, each person who stays more than 5 days at an address different from the permanent one, must register with the administrator of the building (for calculation of tenants' shares of building expenses).

Nothing in the law mentions a possibility for the local authorities in the new town to contact the authorities in the person's previous town. However, it would not surprise anyone if the police from the new town of residence checks with the police of the previous town.

There are no restrictions for a Romanian citizen to move around the country. The only restriction could be imposed - in accordance with the Criminal Code - by a magistrate or court decision, and only when investigations/trial relate to a serious crime.

The fact that all Romanians must have an identity card was corroborated by an official at the Romanian Embassy in Ottawa on 24 April 2001. The official added that a new format identity card is beginning to be issued in Romania, which is a single-sheet laminated card, larger than a credit card. However, most Romanians still have the old identity document, which is in the format of a small booklet. When a person changes residence the new address is indicated in the pages of the document.

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 to refugee status or asylum.

Embassy of Romania, Ottawa. 24 April 2001. Telephone interview with an official.

Romanian Helsinki Committee, Bucharest. 25 April 2001. Correspondence.