UNHCR mobile registration missions bring documentation and protection to refugees in Mosul

At UNHCR’s Community Centre in Mosul, Fatma Igab, a 25-year-old Syrian and single mother, waits patiently alongside other asylum-seekers. They have come to renew their UNHCR certificates or newly register with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. For Fatma, this process means more than just paperwork. It is key to access government documentation and other services, including education and health.

“We need legal documents. This is our right, not just for me, but for my children’s future,” she says, as she moves through the registration process during a UNHCR registration outreach mission in Mosul Governorate.

A widow and mother of four, Fatma is also a skilled hairdresser who once spent her days styling clients in Qamishli. She fled her hometown in Syria when escalating violence forced her to abandon everything and seek refuge in Iraq. Since then, she has worked as a hairdresser to support her family. Without proper registration, however, life has been extremely difficult.

“Even when I was giving birth to my daughter, I struggled to access public healthcare because I did not have documents,” she recalls.

In Iraq, UNHCR operates permanent registration centres in Erbil, Dohuk, Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad governorates. For refugees and asylum seekers living outside these areas, mobile registration missions like the one in Mosul offer a vital opportunity to obtain the documentation they need.

The registration process culminates in the issuance of the UNHCR certificate—a document that represents far more than just a piece of paper. For many asylum seekers in Iraq who lack any form of identification, it serves as vital proof of identity. This certificate also enables refugees and asylum seekers to approach government authorities to obtain official residency documents. In turn, this access opens the door to essential public services such as healthcare and education, as well as helps UNHCR identify and support the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers

“I am very, very happy that the registration service is available in Mosul,” Fatma says, “A relative told me about this Centre where I could complete everything in just one visit. That changed everything for me. I have been waiting for this moment.”

Still, she knows the journey is not over. “There is still a long way to go before all my documents are complete,” she adds, referring to the next steps in obtaining her government-issued documents to refugees and asylum seekers, for which the UNHCR certificate is a prerequisite. “But this is the start. It gives me hope.”

As the sole provider for her family, Fatma also hopes registration will eventually allow her to run her hairdressing shop, without fear of penalties or being shut down. Registration is her first step toward making that possible. “This is how I make a living. With the right papers, I can work and support my children better,” she adds

UNHCR’s mobile registration missions are designed to aid the documentation of asylum seekers and refugees, primarily Syrians, who are seeking international protection in Iraq. Currently, UNHCR registration teams visit Mosul once every week to respond to the registration needs.

Ari Habeeb Ahmed, UNHCR Assistant Registration and Identity Management Officer, explains, “Refugees and asylum seekers can request appointments online via UNHCR’s help site. The platform allows refugees and asylum seekers in Ninewa to request UNHCR registration appointments online using their mobile phones. UNHCR will then schedule the applicants for the nearest registration appointment.”

In addition to new registrations and renewals of expired certificates, these missions allow refugees to update their records with key life events such as births, marriages, divorces, and deaths.

“They are helping us feel seen and welcomed,” Fatma adds.

For many refugees, the UNHCR certificate is not only a document - it is a step towards dignity, stability, and a sense of belonging.

For Fatma, it is also about protecting the future of her children. “I want my kids to go to school just like the local Iraqi children,” she says. “I want them to have the chance for a better life.”

Though returning to Syria remains a distant hope, her new asylum-seeker certificate offers a sense of stability for now. “Until the day I can return to Syria safely, I want to live with dignity and protect my children here,” she says.

With funds received from generous donors like EU Humanitarian Aid, UNHCR aims to newly register and renew the documents of 150,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Iraq in 2025.

Lilly Carlisle contributed reporting to this story.