In 2010, 1,444 people returned to their home countries with support from the Norwegian authorities. This represents an increase of 30 per cent.
Everyone who has received a final rejection of their application for asylum or is staying illegally in Norway is obliged to leave Norway.
‘The increase could be due to the fact that many asylum seekers came to Norway in 2008 and 2009, that we increased the focus on measures relating to return and that more people were forcibly returned,’ says Head of Department Anne Siri Rustad of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
Support doubled
The Norwegian authorities would like more individuals to choose to return home voluntarily. That is why the financial support offered to people from most countries was doubled to up to NOK 20,000 in 2010. The new, increased support is structured so that those who apply for voluntary return soon after their applications have been rejected receive more financial support than those who apply after the deadline for leaving the country has expired. The support is intended to make life easier in the initial period after returning.
Help and assistance
To obtain help with travel to their home countries, people can apply for assistance for voluntary return. People who return voluntarily do not have to pay the cost of the trip and will as a rule not be escorted by the police.
The independent organisation International Organization for Migration (IOM) offers information and advice. This includes help to obtain travel documents, organise the return journey and practical assistance when they arrive in their home country. Since the programme for voluntary return started in 2002, more than 7,500 people have availed themselves of the offer.
One out of three to Iraq
In 2010, the IOM helped people of more than 70 different nationalities to return to their home countries, but, of those who returned, Iraqis were by far the largest group. A separate return programme has been developed for Iraq, and an increasing number of persons chose to avail themselves of this offer.
In 2010, 495 Iraqis returned voluntarily, compared with 370 in 2009. Since the programme started in 2008, 1,000 Iraqis have returned home as a part of this scheme.
The programme involves up to NOK 25,000 in financial support for reintegration in their home country and NOK 10,000 in cash upon arrival in Iraq. In addition, it is possible to apply for housing support of up to NOK 20,000, which is given to a limited number of returnees.
Many also decided to return voluntarily to Kosovo, Russia and Serbia.
Nationality | Number |
Iraq | 495 |
Kosovo | 167 |
Russia | 127 |
Serbia | 90 |
Stateless | 64 |
Nepal | 56 |
Afghanistan | 44 |
Nigeria | 43 |
Ethiopia | 29 |
Sri Lanka | 24 |
Other countries | 241 Norwegian Directorate of Immigration |
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