Data needs in an operation will evolve over time – protection and assistance programming may expand or change focus, or durable solutions may become available. It is, therefore, essential that the Registration and Identity Management Officer consults other functional units and protection partners on a regular basis regarding data requirements, as data collected previously during initial registration may no longer be sufficient or adapted to a changing protection and solutions environment or revised case processing methodology.

While the collection of a minimum set of core data is required, the Registration and Identity Management Officer may be guided by the following questions when considering additional data elements:

• What individual data is needed to effectively pursue the protection and solutions strategy in place?
  • Consult widely¹³ to ensure clear visibility on existing and anticipated protection and assistance programmes and the corresponding data requirements. What are data needs? What are the current gaps in data?
• What are the data needs of stakeholders, including the host government, sister agencies and other partners?
  • In order to minimize duplication of data collection, a commonly agreed data set is indispensable.
• What is the purpose of additional data elements?
  • Ensure there is a legitimate, fair and specified purpose to the collection of data.
  • Ensure the collection of data is necessary and proportionate to the purpose for which the data is to be collected.
  • In a merged REG-RSD processing context, additional RSD-relevant data fields can be built in to whichever individual data set is applied, for the purposes of determining refugee status.
• Is there time and capacity to collect additional data at registration interview?
  • Carefully consider processing capacity when identifying data needs. Where necessary, consider how other actors can support data collection, or whether other forms of data collection, for example, surveys, may be preferable.

13 Including country specific objectives in FOCUS

The Registration and Identity Management Officer should consider which of the below data sets best suits the operational context, and determine whether additional data elements should be built in to the selected data set.

Group or household pre-registration¹⁴ is the collection of core data at the group level. A Registration Group is one or more individuals who are registered together. Group pre-registration is not accepted as formal registration, which must be conducted at the individual level. A group pre-registration interview with a family of five is estimated to take approximately 3 minutes. For guidance on group pre-registration in non-emergency contexts, see here. For emergency contexts, see here.

14 In the 2003 edition of the Handbook on Registration this was referred to as “Level 1 registration”.

Individual Emergency Registration is the collection of seven core data elements for each individual within a group. IER is the recommended minimum data to be collected at registration during a large refugee influx, for the purposes of facilitating protection and programming in an emergency. IER should generally not be conducted in non-emergency situations, although there may be exceptional reasons for doing so on a temporary basis. An IER interview with a family of five is estimated to take approximately 15 minutes. Collection of biometrics (iris only) for a family of five takes an additional 4 minutes, while collection of both irises and fingerprints takes an additional 10 minutes.

Individual basic registration¹⁶ is the collection of basic biographical data relating to each individual within a group. IBR can be used in situations where individual comprehensive registration cannot be initially completed due to insufficient capacity or where case management is not being conducted in the operation. An IBR interview with a family of five is estimated to take approximately 25 minutes. Collection of biometrics (iris only) for a family of five takes an additional 4 minutes, while collection of both irises and fingerprints takes an additional 10 minutes.

15 E.g. head of household

16 In the 2003 edition of the Handbook on Registration this was referred to as “Level 2 registration”.

Individual Comprehensive Registration¹⁷ is the collection of the complete set of biographical data on each individual within a group. ICR is the preferred data set for registration, including in prima facie contexts. ICR facilitates case management including RSD processing, resettlement and other solutions activities. An ICR interview with a family of five is estimated to take approximately 50 minutes. Collection of biometrics (iris only) for a family of five takes an additional 4 minutes, while collection of both irises and finger prints takes an additional 10 minutes.

17 In the 2003 edition of the Handbook on Registration this was referred to as “Level 3 registration”.

IEhR refers to the collection by registration staff of certain data elements in addition to the individual comprehensive registration data elements. It is not about asking the greatest number of questions but rather nuancing the data set to meet particular data needs. Such registration data can have a number of different purposes in the context of a multi-functional case management approach, whereby individuals may be channeled to a diverse range of protection or programming interventions in a systematized process. Individual enhanced registration could include additional data relevant to targeting for assistance, a specific protection intervention, birth registration, RSD processing,¹⁸ resettlement, return or local integration. An IEhR interview with a family of five is estimated to take anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the volume of additional data to be collected.

18 IEhR does not of itself result in a recognition of refugee status, unless conducted in the context of a merged Registration – RSD processing methodology.

A specific need is an attribute or situation that requires particular notice, intervention or follow-up. UNHCR has developed 71 SNC, organized into categories. Of the 71 SNC, only 11¹⁹ can be identified with minimal training. When defining the data set in certain initial registration contexts, the Registration and Identity Management Officer, in consultation with protection colleagues, may decide to select a shorter list of SNC to increase efficiencies at registration.

Registration staff are not expected to identify specific needs that normally require specialized knowledge and interviewing skills. See module 5 for further guidance on identifying, recording and updating SNC at registration, and referral mechanisms.

19 LCR-CO (Child parent), CR-CS (Child Spouse); CR-TP (Teenage pregnancy); SC-CH (Child-headed household); ER-NF (Single older person); ER-MC (Older person with children); SP-PT (Single HR parent); SP-GP (Single HR grandparent); DS-BD (Visual impairment); DS-DF (Heading impairment); DS-PM (Physical disability – moderate).

Registration activities present a unique opportunity to learn about the population and engage with all individuals in a community. Other colleagues, partners or even researchers may wish to use registration as an entry point for conducting surveys and questionnaires, vaccination exercises, malnutrition screening or other activity. Registration and Identity Management Officers should consider the necessity and proportionality of proposed data collection activities, whether they seem feasible under the circumstances, or whether they would unreasonably add to processing time or impact registration resources. A key consideration will be the extent to which the proposed additional activity benefits the population of concern.