Ministry of Justice seeks to remove right to free legal aid to those refused residence permits

Oslo.Police.Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB scanpix
The Ministry of Justice is to remove the right to free legal aid for foreigners who don’t leave Norway within the deadline after their residence application is refused.
In addition, the process of expulsion of foreigners who haven’t left by the deadline will be simplified.
Currently, advance notice of expulsion is given if the police or Immigration Department (UDI) become aware that a foreign national hasn’t left Norway by their due date.
The new proposal states that it is considered sufficient that the foreigner be notified in the rejection decision  that they face forcible expulsion if they don’t depart from Norway within the deadline given.
‘In the Immigration Regulations, it is proposed that such a scheme be introduced, but this hasn’t been done so far. A more effective expulsion policy will hopefully cause more people to leave Norway when they are due to go’, said Per Sandberg, Deputy Immigration and Integration Minister.
Today there are three hours of free legal advice available in connection with advance notice. This, we have proposed to be removed. Instead, the number of hours of free legal advice in connection with a complaint will be increased from one to three hours.
The consultation deadline has been set for September the 15th, 2017.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today