Unknown figures of how many are in Norway illegally

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

No authoritative body knows how many people are living in Norway without legal residence permits. Each month, 100 asylum seekers are told to leave, and disappear without providing a new address.

The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) have confirmed to Nettavisen that no one knows exactly how many people are living illegally in Norway despite the fact that they have been obliged by law to leave.

UDI, however, have figures on how many have have been given the duty of making departures from Norwegian territory who have not provided a new address. Since January last year until March this year, it amounts to 1,508 people. How many of those were later forcibly evicted from the country by the police, the UDI agency does not know.

‘They may, for example, have left the immigrant reception center, but have since been arrested during an immigration control’, said UDI, and pointed out that many may also have left the country voluntarily.

The Police Immigration Service (PU) have no statistics on how many forced expulsions were performed because the people concerned have disappeared.

But they have a register showing that around 9,500 had been in Norway after their deadline to leave had expired. For around 2,000 of those, it was because it was difficult for them to return.

There are also old cases, where one may assume that many had traveled on their own initiative, said PU.

In 2006, and 2010, it was estimated that around 18,000 foreigners lived without legal residence permits in Norway, but there was great uncertainty about the exact figures.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today