Information for lawyers and representatives
If you have a client whose application for protection has been rejected, you must inform them about the obligation to return to their home country and the possibility of applying for assisted return.
Who can apply?
- people whose application for protection (asylum) or another application for residency has been rejected
- people waiting for an answer to their application for protection (asylum)
- people staying in Norway without legal residency who have no previous case registered with UDI
- people who — having been issued a decision about transferring to another country in accordance with the Dublin Regulations — wish to return to their home country instead
Not everyone will have their application granted, including applicants from countries where we process applications for protection within 48 hours, among others.
What happens is someone does not return voluntarily?
People who have received a final rejection of their application for protection must leave Norway. If they do not leave Norway by the stipulated deadline for departure, they will be forcibly returned by the police and expelled from Norway and the Schengen area for 1–5 years. Anyone forcibly returned will also owe the cost of the travel expenses to the Norwegian authorities.
As a general rule, people who apply for assisted return before their deadline for departure, and who are subsequently granted assisted return, will not be expelled from Norway.
Resources for lawyers
- Guidelines to work on assisted return and country programmes for assisted return (UDI Regulations) (external website)
- The Return Directive (external website)
- Information for applicants
Information for guardians
- Vergehåndboka ('The guardian handbook' – in Norwegian only) (external website). The guardian handbook contains information about how you can help a minor asylum-seeker who is going to return to his or her home country. The book can be ordered from Norwegian People's Aid (external website).
- Information for applicants