In 2023, Moldova introduced temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine. A UNHCR record documents a “long queue” during registration. Applicants pre-registered online, attended a short interview and received a card confirming protected status.
Digital processing moved data entry earlier, but it did not eliminate identity checks and card issuance. A Moldovan phone number, proof of residence and an in-person interview remained stages in the process, while initial demand converged on registration offices.
This queue shows online and face-to-face systems working as successive parts of one procedure. Even after applying on a screen, legal status was granted through an ordered encounter between applicant and official.