Receiving a rejection of an application for protection is often difficult. The worst thing for many people is leaving family and friends they have made here in Norway. In addition, the situation in the home country may also be difficult. 

Although, many also have family and friends in their home country. By taking advantage of assisted return, the person travelling gets the opportunity to say goodbye to family and friends in Norway in a dignified manner and the opportunity to plan the return journey. The majority also receive a financial grant for the return, which may help give them a good start in their home country.

How to reach out to people eligible for the return scheme?

It is hard to reach people without legal residence, in particular those who do not live in an asylum centre. Many of them live at unknown addresses and avoid any contact with the authorities.

The UDI cooperates with voluntary organisations, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), immigrant organisations, and the municipalities. Our goal is to ensure that as many as possible receive information about the options for assisted return to their home country, and to avoid expulsion and deportation by the police. 

Read more about eligibility for the return scheme and how to apply here.

Understanding the decision

Everyone who applies for protection (asylum), will receive a decision from the UDI. If they want to appeal the decision from the UDI, they receive assistance from a lawyer to do so. They then receive a new decision from the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE). The lawyer helps the asylum seeker to understand the decision. 

You can read more about what a rejection from UNE means here.

It is also possible for the applicant or appellant to contact organisations that help asylum seekers, such as NOAS or SEIF.

Being familiar with the grant schemes

As a support worker, you are often the first person to establish contact with the people who meet the criteria for assisted return to their home country. It is, therefore, important that you are familiar with the grant schemes and the rules that apply to returns. Not everybody knows that they receive financial assistance to travel and start a new life in their home country. Many migrants may have questions that you must know the answer to.

What might the migrant want to know?

When someone is considering returning home through the assisted return scheme, they might need to know more about

• the deadline for leaving the country
• expulsion (consequences of the decision)
• family reunification. The main rule is that applications for family reunification must be submitted from the home country, and not from Norway
• the difference between expulsion and deportation
• when the police implements deportation (forced return) (external website)
• the difference between assisted return and deportation
• which rules apply if the person is what is known as a ‘Dubliner’ (search for the relevant home country to see the rules that apply)
• films and information about rejection of applications for protection (asylum) and return adapted to children in families and unaccompanied minors are available on asylbarn.no (external website) in 15 languages.
• information on rejection of applications for protection (asylum) and return adapted to adults is available on asylinfo.no (external website) in 11 languages.

When someone receives a final rejection of their application for protection (asylum), he or she can continue to stay at a reception centre, but will receive less money than previously. 

In the event of a final rejection, he or she also lose a number of rights to healthcare and medical assistance. Read more about the rights that apply to asylum seekers here. (external website)

If you have had a work permit, you lose it when you receive the final rejection of the application for protection (asylum). You can read  more about the rules for work for asylum seekers here. (external website)