Residence permits
1. Beneficiaries of international protection shall have the right to a residence permit for as long as they hold refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
2. A residence permit shall be issued as soon as possible after refugee status or subsidiary protection status has been granted, and at the latest 90 days from the notification of the decision to grant international protection, using the uniform format laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002.
3. A residence permit shall be issued free of charge or for a fee not exceeding the fee payable by nationals of the Member State concerned for the issuing of identity cards.
4. A residence permit shall have an initial period of validity of at least three years for beneficiaries of refugee status and at least one year for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status.
On expiry, residence permits shall be renewed for at least three years for beneficiaries of refugee status and for at least two years for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status.
The renewal of residence permits shall be organised in such a way as to ensure continuity of the period of permitted residence, with no interruption between the period covered by the lapsing of the permit and the renewed permit, provided that the beneficiary of international protection acts in accordance with relevant national law providing for the administrative formalities for renewal.
5. The competent authorities may revoke or refuse to renew a residence permit only where they have withdrawn refugee status in accordance with Article 14 or subsidiary protection status in accordance with Article 19.
Travel document
1. Unless compelling reasons of national security or public policy related to a beneficiary of refugee status require otherwise, competent authorities shall issue travel documents in the form set out in the Schedule to the Geneva Convention and which comply with the minimum standards for security features and biometrics outlined in Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 to beneficiaries of refugee status. Such travel documents shall be valid for more than one year.
2. Unless compelling reasons of national security or public policy related to a beneficiary of subsidiary protection require otherwise, competent authorities shall issue travel documents which comply with the minimum standards for security features and biometrics outlined in Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status who are unable to obtain or renew a national passport. Such travel documents shall be valid for more than one year.
3. In the exercise of their obligations pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the competent authorities of Member States which do not take part in the Schengen acquis shall issue travel documents in the form set out in the Schedule to the Geneva Convention and which comply with minimum standards for security features and biometrics equivalent to those outlined in Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 to beneficiaries of refugee status, taking into account the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, in particular those set out in Document 9303 on machine readable travel documents.
In the exercise of their obligations pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the competent authorities of Member States which do not take part in the Schengen acquis shall issue travel documents that comply with minimum standards for security features and biometrics equivalent to those outlined in Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status who are unable to obtain or renew a national passport, taking into account the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, in particular those set out in Document 9303 on machine readable travel documents.
Freedom of movement within the Member State
Beneficiaries of international protection shall enjoy freedom of movement within the territory of the Member State that granted them international protection, including the right to choose their place of residence in that territory, under the same conditions and restrictions as those provided for other third-country nationals legally resident in their territories who are generally in the same circumstances.
Movement within the Union
Beneficiaries of international protection shall not have the right to reside in a Member State other than the Member State that granted them international protection. This is without prejudice to their right to:
(a)
apply and be admitted to reside in another Member State pursuant to that Member State’s national law or pursuant to relevant provisions of Union law or of international agreements;
(b)
move freely in accordance with the conditions of Article 21 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
