From 22 January 2026, UNE lifts the suspension of return to Syria. This decision means that people who have received a final decision requiring them to leave Norway and return to Syria must leave the country. The police may also carry out enforced returns to Syria.
Background
Following the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, UNE decided on 28 April 2011 to suspend the duty to return to Syria for Syrian nationals who had received a final rejection of their application.
This general suspension has been maintained since then.
Reasons for lifting the suspension
On 24 June 2025, the suspension was extended due to the unclear and uncertain security situation in Syria following the change of regime in December 2024.
UNE now considers that there is sufficient information about the situation in the country. The suspension of the duty to leave Norway and return to Syria is therefore lifted.
Cases involving an assesment of return to Syria, will be decided on the basis of the situation in the country at the time the decision is made.
The suspension of the duty to return mainly applied to Syrian nationals who received a final decision requiring return to Syria before the suspension was introduced in 2011.
It is assumed that these individuals have regularised their stay in Norway since then. UNE is not aware of any such cases.
Requesting a new assessment
If there are still individuals in Norway with a final decision requiring return to Syria, they may request a new assessment of their case (request for reversal) if they believe there are grounds for this.
In such cases, UNE may grant a temporary suspension of enforcement until a new decision has been made.
Further information
Here you can find more information about how to request reversal and how UNE processes such requests.
Read more about the decision to resume the processing of cases concerning Syrian nationals