A new framework for providing free legal guidance to asylum seekers has been established through a Joint Ministerial Decision by the Ministries of National Economy and Finance, Justice, and Migration and Asylum. The decision regulates the process of service delivery, the creation of a Legal Guidance Lawyer Registry, the conditions for lawyer participation, and the fee structure. Issued following the implementation of new legislation, the decision stipulates that legal guidance is provided free of charge upon request, after the screening check or the submission of an international protection application. It is not available for subsequent applications or when the applicant is already legally represented.
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What the new framework for asylum seekers provides
The legal guidance covers information on the asylum procedure, the rights and obligations of applicants, procedural guarantees, deadlines, and available legal remedies. It does not include interview preparation or document drafting.
Special provisions also apply to applicants from countries with an international protection recognition rate below 20%, who are informed — among other things — of the consequences of entry and stay, as well as the possibility of enrolling in voluntary return programs.
The service will be assigned to lawyers registered in a dedicated Legal Guidance Lawyer Registry. A minimum of three years of legal practice is among the requirements for registration. Sessions will be conducted remotely, with the participation of an interpreter, in groups of up to 15 people — though in cases of mass arrivals, that number may reach up to 50.
The base fee for participating lawyers is set at €160 plus VAT per session. An additional bonus of €250 plus VAT is also established for cases where an applicant subject to a border procedure, who does not hold a strong refugee profile, completes the voluntary departure process. This additional compensation is paid only upon the completion of the return procedure. Finally, a conflict-of-interest clause applies: lawyers providing free legal guidance are prohibited from subsequently taking on private legal representation of the same applicant.
