All UDI’s asylum interviews have been canceled

The Directorate of Immigration has canceled all asylum interviews, while the Immigration Board (UNE) now only decides on cases in which the committee leader can make decisions on his own.

So far this year, 496 people have applied for asylum in Norway. Those who come now are all sent straight to the Arrival Center Østfold, to quarantine for 14 days, writes Vårt Land.

So far, no one has tested positive for Coronavirus. For now, they only have to wait at the arrival center. UDI states that “All asylum interviews are canceled” because infection prevention measures prevent physical encounters.

– “This is disruptive, because these are people who have long lived with uncertainty about their futures. Now everything is becoming even more uncertain,” says Secretary General Ann-Magrit Austenå of the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers (NOAS).

Although the borders of Europe and Norway are closed, asylum seekers still remain. 87 of the 496 who arrived this year came to Norway in the first three weeks of March. But in the last two weeks, UDI has only received 20 asylum applications in total. Usually around 50 asylum seekers come to Norway weekly.

On March 30, 2,500 asylum seekers were staying at Norwegian reception centers.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today