From 1 July 2010, most of the people who return
voluntarily will be offered graded reintegration support. This offer will
apply until the end of the year. The idea is that the reintegration support
will not just motivate people to return voluntarily, but that it will also
motivate people to return sooner.
- We believe that the offer of extra financial
support will result in more people choosing to return earlier than is the
case today, says Head of Department, Anne Siri Rustad of the Directorate of
Immigration (UDI).
Support can be doubled
Under the old system, the amount offered in
support was NOK 10,000, while the new, extended return programme offers up
to NOK 20,000. The condition is that people apply for voluntary return
before the deadline the police set for leaving Norway.
Re-establishment in the home country
Reintegration support is intended for asylum
seekers and persons without legal residence in Norway. The support is
intended to make it easier for those who do not have a residence permit in
Norway to return voluntarily by giving them financial assistance to
re-establish themselves in their home country.
So far this year, 532 people have returned
voluntarily.
Graded support
The new scheme works as follows:
1. NOK 20,000 is granted to persons who apply
for voluntary return before the deadline for leaving Norway. This group also
includes persons who apply before they have been given a deadline to leave
Norway.
2. NOK 15,000 is granted to persons who apply
for voluntary return no later than two months after the expiry of the
deadline for leaving Norway.
3. NOK 10,000 is granted to persons who wait
longer than this.
There are separate return and reintegration
programmes that offer more financial support for nationals of Afghanistan
and Iraq.
