About UDI Who does what in the immigration administration?
UDI's task
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is the central agency in the Norwegian immigration administration. UDI implements and helps to develop the government’s immigration and refugee policy.
UDI is tasked with facilitating lawful and desirable immigration and ensuring that those who meet the requirements are given an opportunity to come to Norway. At the same time, however, our role is to check the validity of information provided in immigration/asylum cases and we are tasked with preventing abuse of the system.
We process applications for protection (asylum), visitor visas, family immigration, residence permits for work and study purposes, citizenship, permanent residence permits and travel documents. We also make decisions on rejection and expulsion. UDI considers the cases that the Foreign Service and the police are not authorised to decide and cases where it is uncertain whether a residence permit should be granted. As the superior expert body, UDI instructs the police and foreign service missions in immigration cases.
In addition, we are responsible for ensuring that all asylum seekers are offered somewhere to stay while waiting for us to process their applications and for finding good solutions for those who wish to return to their home countries.
The other players in the immigration administration
(Click on the image for a larger version).
The Storting (the Norwegian Parliament)
Sets out the framework for refugee, immigration and integration policy.
The Storting also sets out the framework for integration work in the municipalities through the Norwegian Introduction Act and by deciding the size of the integration grants that municipalities receive in connection with the settlement of refugees.
www.stortinget.no (external website)
The Ministry of Justice and Public Security
Responsible for refugee and immigration policy and governs UDI and UNE through laws and regulations, budgets and allocation letters.
Ministry of Justice and Public Security (external website)
The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi)
Implements the government's refugee settlement policy. IMDi follows up the Introduction Act, the right and obligation to participate in training in the Norwegian language, and Report No 49 to the Storting (2003–2004) 'Diversity through inclusion and participation – Responsibility and freedom'.
The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (external website)
The Immigration Appeals Board (UNE)
The Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) is an independent and court-like body that handles immigration and citizenship case appeals. Independent boards or board chairs make decisions in each case. All cases processed by UNE have first been processed by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
The Immigration Appeals Board (external website)
Landinfo – the Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre
Obtains and analyses information about social conditions and human rights in countries that UDI and UNE need information about. Landinfo is an independent expert body, but is administratively affiliated to UDI.
Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre (external website)
The National Police Immigration Service (PU)
Registers asylum seekers, investigates asylum seekers' travel routes, ascertains their identities, and prepares and implements final rejections in asylum cases. PU coordinates and quality assures all deportations from Norway.
The National Police Immigration Service (PU) (external website)
The police districts
The police districts receive and prepare applications for residence and work permits.
The police process a great deal of the applications themselves, but they cannot reject applications. Cases that they cannot process themselves are sent to UDI.
In addition, the police open expulsion cases to be decided by UDI. They can also make decisions on rejection.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
Has the overall responsibility for integration policy.
In the ministry, the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion is responsible for the Government's policy relating to the labour market, the working environment, inclusion, pensions and welfare.
Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion (external website)
The Foreign Service
The first-line service for immigrants who want to visit or move to Norway. The Foreign Service provides information about regulations and procedures and processes applications for visitor visas.
Cases that the foreign service missions cannot process themselves are sent to UDI.
The foreign service missions in the countries from which asylum seekers come report to Landinfo about the human rights situation in these countries. If necessary, the foreign service missions verify concrete information in asylum cases on behalf of UDI and UNE.
www.norway.no/ (external website)
The municipal sector
The municipalities settle refugees in cooperation with IMDi. Under the Introduction Act, the municipal sector is responsible for ensuring that refugees and their families receive individual training in the Norwegian language and social studies.
Municipalities must also implement measures that prepare refugees for the labour market, and ensure that the general municipal services are adapted to a multicultural population.
Service Centres for Foreign Workers (SUA)
The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, the police, the Norwegian Tax Administration and UDI cooperate on the running of service centres for foreign workers in Norway.
These centres provide guidance to both employers and employees, and process their applications. There are SUA offices in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger and Kirkenes.
www.sua.no/en/ (external website)