In urgent cases, UDI makes a decision within 48 hours. The Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) tries to get a Norwegian municipality to make a decision to accept the refugee within the next 48 hours. UDI asks the relevant foreign service mission and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) do to their utmost to ensure that the applicant can come to Norway at the time the municipality has agreed to accept him/her.

About 20 of the resettlement refugees who come to Norway every year have a life-threatening health problem that cannot be treated in the country they are leaving. In these cases, UDI obtains professional health advice from Oslo University Hospital before making a decision.

The settlement municipality’s health service is responsible for all medical follow-up after the refugees have arrived in Norway. Some of the medical cases are processed in accordance with the procedure for urgent cases, for example if the applicant’s life depends on receiving swift treatment in Norway.