UDI will still require passports from Afghan asylum children

asylum seekers july - UDI familyThe Norwegian Department of Immigration (UDI). Photo Norway Today Media

Directorate of Immigration (UDI) maintains their requirement that  unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan who have come to Norway , have to obtain passports themselves.

–   The reson that  more unaccompanied minors now are granted residence on humanitarian grounds rather than being granted protection status,is that we have changed our assessment of the security situation in different areas of Afghanistan,  Director  of the Directorate of  Immigration, Frode Forfang said.
NTB mentioned last week how increasing numbers of unaccompanied asylum children, some of them only 12 years of age, are granted a so-called “residence with restrictions”, ie a one-year residence permit without rights because they do not have passports. This particularly applies to minors from Afghanistan.
So far this year, 85 children have been granted this kind of residence permit.
– Difficult situation
The limited residence permit means that children do not get to be a resident, but must remain in reception centers and are not allowed to follow  Norwegian courses or introductory courses. Only when they can show their passports, they can overturn the decision.
Both lawyers, Save the Children and the Association of Guardians has reacted to the new practice, which they believe puts minors in a very difficult situation. The reason for this is that few of the children are in possesion of the documentation required to obtain a passport.
– Several who have received this type of residence permit, struggling terribly. It’s very difficult for them to get passports. This is a hidden introduction of additional measures for tightening the policy, the leader of the Association of Guardians, Hilde Krogh stated to NTB.
A passport also costs  1.200 kroner, which must be paid by credit card, according to the website of the Embassy of Afghanistan. How asylum children, who are paid 14 kroner per day, are to afford this, is also unclear.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today