If you are staying in Norway without a legal residence permit, you must return to your home country or another country where you have a residence permit. You can apply for support to return home and start a new life. This is called assisted return.
Who are you?
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Adult
You are eligible to apply for return if
- your application for protection (asylum) or for a residence permit has been rejected
- you are waiting for a decision on your application for protection (asylum)
- you do not have legal residency and you do not have an application registered with UDI
Not all applications will be approved.
What kind of support is available?
- a plane ticket to your home country
- health checks and necessary vaccinations
- help to obtain a passport and travel documents. This requires your cooperation.
- help to plan your journey
- a financial grant
Financial grant
You have to apply early to receive as much money as possible.
- If you apply before your deadline for leaving the country, or before a deadline has been set, you will receive a total of NOK 15 000 in cash through IOM. You will receive NOK 7 500 when you arrive in Afghanistan and NOK 7 500 after 3 months.
- If you apply after your deadline for leaving the country, you will receive a total of NOK 13 000 in cash through IOM. You will receive NOK 6 500 when you arrive in Afghanistan and NOK 6 500 after 3 months.
In addition, you will receive NOK 2 000 when you arrive in Kabul, which you can spend on temporary accommodation, and transport to your final destination in Afghanistan, if relevant.
How will your return be organised?
- You will be told in advance when you are to leave, and you will travel as an standard passenger on a scheduled flight.
- You can receive help during the journey and in connection with stopovers.
How to apply?
- You must create a user account and fill in the UDI application form for assisted return.
- IOM, the asylum reception centre where you live and the UDI regional office can help you to apply.
You can get reintegration assistance
In addition to assisted return with IOM, you are offered an individually tailored reintegration programme with the organisation, Seefar. This offer applies to Afghan applicants of all ages.
If you returned to Afghanistan and are unable to take advantage of the offer due to limited reading/writing skills or the woman's role in society or the like, Seefar may consider offering the programme to another family member instead. Here you can read more about Seefar's reintegration program and find their contact information. (pdf, 382 kB)
If your application for assisted return is rejected
- If you disagree with the decision from UDI you can write an appeal. When you appeal, you should explain why the decision is wrong. You should also submit any new information or new documents, if applicable.
- You can submit your appeal on Appealing a decision (external website), or by post to:
UDI Returenheten – VARP
Postboks 2098 Vika
NO-0125 Oslo
Norway- If UDI does not reverse its decision after considering your appeal, it will be assessed again by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
- You still have the obligation to leave Norway. If your deadline for departing Norway has passed, you do not have the right to stay in Norway while your appeal is being processed.
- If you leave Norway while your appeal is being processed, please send us an email at Varp@udi.no with your contact information, so that we can get in touch with you.
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return, you must notify UDI by email: varp@udi.no, or by phone: +47 23 35 16 00.
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Family with children under the age of 18
Who can apply for assisted return?
- families with children whose application for protection (asylum) or another application for residence has been rejected
- families with children who are waiting for a decision on their application for protection (asylum)
- families with children who do not have legal residence and have not previously been registered with a case with UDI
Not everyone will have their application granted. You can contact the IOM for advice (external website).
What kind of support will you be given?
- a plane ticket to your home country
- health checks and necessary vaccinations
- help to obtain a passport and travel documents. You must cooperate with the authorities on this.
- help to plan your journey
- a financial grant
Financial grant
You have to apply early to receive as much money as possible.
- If you apply before your deadline for leaving the country has expired, or before you are given a deadline for leaving, you will receive a total of NOK 15 000 per adult and NOK 25 000 per child who was under the age of 18 when you applied for assisted return. You will be paid the money in cash through the IOM. You will get half of the money when you arrive in Afghanistan, and the rest of the money after three months.
- If you apply after your deadline for leaving the country has expired, you will receive a total of NOK 13 000 per adult and NOK 13 000 per child. You will be paid the money in cash through the IOM. You will get half of the money when you arrive in Afghanistan, and the rest of the money after three months.
In addition, you will receive NOK 2 000 per person when you arrive in Kabul, which you can spend on temporary accommodation, and transport to your final destination in Afghanistan, if relevant.
How will your return be organised?
- You will be told in advance when you are to leave, and you will travel as an ordinary passenger on a scheduled flight.
- You can receive help during the journey and in connection with stopovers.
How to apply?
- You must create a user account and fill in the UDI application form for assisted return.
- You must fill in one form per person, also for children. You can use the same user account.
- IOM, the asylum reception centre where you live and the UDI regional office can help you to apply.
- Normally, both parents and all their children in Norway who are under the age of 18 must apply at the same time. Contact the IOM for advice if all of you do not plan to apply.
If your application for assisted return is rejected
- If you disagree with the decision from UDI you can write an appeal. When you appeal, you should explain why the decision is wrong. You should also submit any new information or new documents, if applicable.
- You can submit your appeal on Appealing a decision (external website), or by post to:
UDI Returenheten – VARP
Postboks 2098 Vika
NO-0125 Oslo
Norway- If UDI does not reverse its decision after considering your appeal, it will be assessed again by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
- You still have the obligation to leave Norway. If your deadline for departing Norway has passed, you do not have the right to stay in Norway while your appeal is being processed.
- If you leave Norway while your appeal is being processed, please send us an email at Varp@udi.no with your contact information, so that we can get in touch with you.
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return, you must notify UDI by email: varp@udi.no, or by phone: +47 23 35 16 00.
-
Unaccompanied minor
Who can apply for assisted return?
- you whose application for protection (asylum) or another application for residence has been rejected.
- you who are waiting for a decision on your application for protection (asylum)
- you who have a temporary residence permit in Norway that is valid until you are 18 years old
What kind of support will you be given?
- a plane ticket to your home country
- health checks and necessary vaccinations
- help to obtain travel documents
- NOK 42 000 in cash. You will receive NOK 12 000 when you arrive in Afghanistan and NOK 10 000 after two months, NOK 10 000 after four months and the remainding NOK 10 000 after six months.
- NOK 10 000 in cash for caregivers in Afghanistan if they cooperate for assisted return
- NOK 2000 when you arrive in Kabul, which you can spend on temporary accommodation, and transport to your final destination in Afghanistan, if relevant.
What do you have to do before you leave Norway?
- You must inform us in the application form of who you are going to live with and where they live
- Your family must confirm that they will meet you when you arrive
- You must make a plan for how you will use your financial support. UDI must approve your plan.
What will happen when you are travelling?
- You will be told in advance when you are to leave, and you will be helped to the airport in Oslo
- You will be followed from Oslo to Kabul, where you will meet your family
- You and your family will receive transportation to you home.
How to apply?
- You must create a user account and fill in the UDI application form for assisted return.
- IOM, the asylum reception centre where you live and the UDI regional office can help you to apply.
If your application for assisted return is rejected
- If you disagree with the decision from UDI you can write an appeal. When you appeal, you should explain why the decision is wrong. You should also submit any new information or new documents, if applicable.
- You can submit your appeal on Appealing a decision (external website), or by post to:
UDI Returenheten – VARP
Postboks 2098 Vika
NO-0125 Oslo
Norway- If UDI does not reverse its decision after considering your appeal, it will be assessed again by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
- You still have the obligation to leave Norway. If your deadline for departing Norway has passed, you do not have the right to stay in Norway while your appeal is being processed.
- If you leave Norway while your appeal is being processed, please send us an email at Varp@udi.no with your contact information, so that we can get in touch with you.
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return
If you wish to withdraw your application for assisted return, you must notify UDI by email: varp@udi.no, or by phone: +47 23 35 16 00.