Norway announces new Asylum rules on Facebook

The Norwegian government has announced a tightening of its asylum and family immigration policy

The government is going to reduce benefits for asylum seekers and introduce tighter rules for asylum and family immigration," says Minister of Justice and Public Security Anders Anundsen (Progress Party – FrP).

To stem the flow of asylum seekers to Norway, the government is going to:

1. Reduce benefits for people living in reception centres by 20%; benefits for families with children will be reduced by 10%.

2. Change the period of residence to become eligible for permanent residence from 3 to 5 years.

3. Issue temporary residence permits and facilitate return if the situation in the country of habitual residence changes.

4. Use integration criteria for the granting of applications for permanent residence. 

5. Limit family reunification and family establishment rights for refugees:
- maintain the subsistence requirement in applications for renewal of a permit in cases where the initial permit included a subsistence requirement
- introduce subsistence requirements for refugees in cases where exceptions are currently made, but where family life can be exercised in a country other than Norway
- establish criteria for family reunification in cases where the family has residence in another safe area
- introduce stricter rules for family reunification for parents of unaccompanied minors who can return to their country of habitual residence

6. Conduct dialogue with the Eritrean authorities to get diplomatic assurances from the Eritrean authorities that enable return.

7. Collaborate with the Iraqi authorities to establish structures for return to safe areas of Iraq, so that Iraqis and internal refugees in Iraq who have been ordered to leave Norway can be referred for internal flight.

 Regjeringen.no