The information on this page will be up to date at all times, which means that any and all guidelines from UNE to the National Police Immigration Service (NPIS) in relation to the implementation of negative decisions will be published on this page.
When the duty to return is temporarily suspended for a defined and limited group, it is called a 'suspension of the duty to return'. One example is if events in an appellant's country of origin indicate that new information should be obtained or that restraint should be shown pending developments. A suspension of the duty to return will then apply regardless of whether a request for reversal has been submitted following a previous rejection, meaning that it covers more factors than just the question of whether to grant deferred implementation in connection with the consideration of submitted requests for reversal.
When UNE refrains from making a decision in a defined and limited type of cases, it is called to 'put on hold'. A case can be put on hold pending new or updated information, or because the Government has issued instructions to that effect because it is considering whether to make changes to rules that may have a bearing on this type of cases.
People who are not obliged to return voluntarily will not be forcibly returned. The opposite is not always true, however, because it may be inadvisable to implement forced returns even if the duty to return voluntarily has not been suspended.
Gaza:
The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) has decided to temporarily suspend applicants' duty to return to Gaza after receiving a rejection of their application for a residence permit. The temporary suspension lasts until 18 September 2025.
The decision applies both to former asylum seekers and to persons who have a duty to return following the rejection of an application for residence pursuant to other parts of the regulatory framework. You can read the statement here.
EU/EEA:
With effect from May 15, 2023, the Government has instructed the UDI, POD and UNE to put cases on hold where certain types of family members of EEA nationals in Norway have applied for either:
- Residence card
- Permanent residence certificate or permanent residence card
- To preserve the right of residence in Norway
You can read our statement here. The instruction from the government can be found at regjeringen.no (Norwegian only).
The family members this applies to are those mentioned in section 19-7 of the Immigrant Regulation. We can still process cases where the current conditions are clearly met, or where there is clear abuse of the EEA rules. The instruction apply to cases we have started processing as well as future cases.
Libya (suspension of returns to other parts of Libya except Tripoli)
The suspension of return applies to all parts of Libya, except Tripoli. The suspension of the duty to return for persons from Tripoli in Libya was reversed on September 15, 2015; read the statement here. This means that all persons who have previously received, or who from now on receive a final decision requiring them to return to Tripoli are obliged to leave Norway. The police can resume the implementation of forced returns to Tripoli.
Syria:
Suspension of case proscessing
The Ministry of Justice and Public Security has, with effect from 24 June 2025, decided to suspend the processing of applications for protection (asylum) from Syrian nationals and stateless individuals from Syria for up to six months, until 24 December 2025.
Suspension of the obligation to return
Since 28 April 2011, UNE has had a general suspension of the obligation to return for Syrian nationals. Following a new assessment, we have decided to maintain this suspension, which as a general rule will remain in effect until 24 December 2025.
This means that Syrian nationals who have received a final rejection of their application and who do not have a new application under consideration are still not required to return to Syria. The decision applies both to individuals who have applied for protection and to those who are under an obligation to leave the country following the rejection of a residence application under other parts of the immigration legislation.