Ersan proudly showing his ID card, January 2025 ©UNHCR/Dragan Mitić
Ersan and his family know all too well what life without personal documents is like. Although he was born in Serbia, his mother did not have personal documents and Ersan inherited her fate. For the next 20 years, Ersan spent without personal documents.
As part of the process of obtaining them, he was officially given a personal name, received a birth certificate and obtained citizenship confirmation. By the end of 2024, he successfully registered his personal residence—an essential step to acquiring an ID card, which he now proudly holds.
Ersan’s mother grew up without documents, which deeply affected her life. The day she finally received her ID card was a moment she will never forget. Overwhelmed with relief, she cried: “It felt like someone had, for the first time, given me the proof that I exist.”
However, the family’s struggle with legal invisibility is not over. Ersan’s sister, Ajmona, and her children are still waiting. Ersan’s younger sister Minavera and brother Mirsad, have also been unable to obtain documents. “I can’t help them as much as I’d like to, but we won’t give up until all of us have our documents,” says Ersan.
Minavera, Mirsad and Ajmona in front of their family home, January 2025 ©UNHCR/Dragan Mitić
His brother Mirsad, a passionate athlete, also feels the consequences of living without personal documents. He has been training in boxing for years, but without an ID or a passport, he cannot travel to competitions.
“I got the chance to compete and prove myself, but there’s no place for me,” he says with disappointment.
One of the biggest problems with the risk of statelessness is that it can be passed down through generations. Because of this, Ajmona’s three children have not yet been registered at birth. She wishes for her children to be vaccinated, to attend school like other children and to lead a normal life.
With the personal documents he finally obtained, Ersan has started thinking about his future in a way he never could before. “I’d love to take out a loan and build a home of my own. To finally have something that belongs to us, so we don’t have to rent anymore,” he says.
Ersan’s two sisters and brother have now started the complex legal process of obtaining their documents and hope to succeed soon.
For nearly two decades, UNHCR Serbia, together with the NGO Praxis, has been working to eradicate the risk of statelessness in Serbia. Through legal aid and support, tens of thousands of people have been able to secure their legal rights. Despite these significant advances, many people in Serbia are still unable to obtain citizenship and identity documents without legal assistance.
Ersan fixing his motorcycle, January 2025 ©UNHCR/Dragan Mitić
Ersan’s journey is not over. “My story will only be complete when they also get their documents. Then, we will all finally be able to breathe freely and to belong.”
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