Norway - Yesterday, IOM Norway held a seminar with 40 ambassadors and embassy staff and the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration in Oslo to exchange experiences and improve collaboration to better assist migrants who wish to return home voluntarily with IOM assistance.

Around 3,000 migrants apply every year for IOM voluntary return assistance, but about 1,000 drop out during the process at some stage.

“In order to make sure that as many migrants as possible benefit from IOM Norway’s services it is imperative that IOM Norway finds how to make the application process as smooth as possible with embassies and consulates,” said Joost van der Aalst, IOM Norway Chief of Mission.

Some migrants have at times misunderstandings on the kind of identification documents required by embassies and authorities. The workshop was based on real cases and experiences related to assisted voluntary return to improve the situation.

Thousands of migrants are living in an irregular situation in Norway. For many, their situation leads to insecurity, anxiety and poverty. For them, returning to their home countries is seen as a chance to start a new life.

Each year, around 2,000 migrants travel with IOM from Norway to their home countries. Many of these people are irregular migrants living in a desperate situation in Norway, who, if they wish, can benefit from IOM’s services of travel assistance, financial support to return and other forms of support.

In order for the system to work, IOM relies on a strong and close relationship with embassies for identity verification, travel documents and authentication of passports. Last year, IOM Norway assisted almost 72 per cent of the migrants returning home voluntarily, obtaining either travel documents or valid passports from various embassies and consulates.

“An indispensable part of IOM’s operations is our close cooperation with embassies and consulates. Facilitating migrants who have made an informed decision to return to their home countries is one of IOM Norway’s key activities. It is therefore important to discuss and engage with colleagues on the various steps and issues that migrants wishing to return may go through,” said Joost van der Aalst.

For more information, please contact

Sigurd Tvete
Tel: +47 40674986/ +47 22396178/  +47 23105320
Email: stvete@iom.int