Foreign Fighters to be denied return to Norway

The Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Emergency Planning sends instructions to the Police Security Service (PST) and the Directorate of Foreign Affairs (UDI) on how to deal with issues concerning basic national interests in connection with foreigners (foreign fighters) from the conflict areas in Syria and Iraq.

“Foreign persons with a residence permit in Norway – who have left Norway and participated in ISIL – are not welcomed back to Norway. Basic national interests indicate that these persons – who have travelled to, and stayed in, conflict areas in Syria and Iraq in connection with the conflict – shall be prevented from returning to Norway,” Norwegian Minister of Justice and Immigration, Jøran Kallmyr (FrP), states.

“Norwegian citizens who have left Norway – and made an active choice to support ISIL – must expect to be prosecuted if they try to return to Norway,” the Minister of Justice adds.

Family reunion

The Police Security Service (PST) shall notify the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) of all cases they identify concerning foreigners who have been in the conflict areas in Syria or Iraq in connection with the conflict, and who are affiliated with Norway through previous stays or family. This applies both to those who have participated in the fighting and those who have had a civil role, for example, women who have been responsible for children and homes. This, furthermore, also applies to those who have disappeared, as long as it is not established with certainty that they are dead.

The UDI shall submit the relevant cases to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in accordance with standard routines.

“Non-Norwegian Foreign Fighters, will not be granted family reunion with children who are Norwegian citizens. We will not give them the opportunity to travel to Norway,” Kallmyr concludes.

Additional scope

The submission of the UDI to the MFA must also include an assessment of whether other legal entities – other than basic national interests – are applicable to refuse residence.

This may, in particular, include:

Revocation of temporary residence permit
Decision on expiry of a permanent residence permit
Revocation of a residence permit as a refugee
Expulsion according to provisions for the expulsion of a person who falls under the exclusion provisions of the refugee convention
Expulsion pursuant to provisions on expulsion of a foreigner who has violated Chapter 18 of the Norwegian Criminal Code
Revocation of travel documents