UNE and UDI suspend duty to return to Lebanon
The Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) made the decision to suspend the duty to leave on 31 October 2024, and the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) agrees with the decision.
The background is that there is great uncertainty related to how the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and the security and humanitarian situation in Lebanon will develop, according to a press release from UNE. UNE will assess the return situation within six months and whether the suspension should be extended or lifted.
Who is covered by the suspension?
The suspension of the duty to leave means that everyone who has previously received a final decision to return to Lebanon are, for the time being, not obliged to comply with the decision to leave the country. The decision applies both to former asylum seekers and to persons who have a duty to leave following the rejection of an application for residency pursuant to other parts of the regulatory framework.
Cases are put on hold
UNE has also decided to put the cases that could involve a return to Lebanon on hold. This means that both UNE and UDI will wait to process these cases.
Cases where it is clear that the outcome of the assessment will be that a residence permit will be granted regardless of the security situation are not be put on hold, but processed on a regular basis.
Dublin cases are not covered
Persons with cases covered by the Dublin III Regulation or the first asylum country rule are not covered by the suspension. They must still return to the first European country within the Schengen area in which they applied for protection, which will process the case and assess whether they need protection.
The National Police Immigration Service has been notified
The National Police Immigration Service (PU) has also been notified that no persons covered by the suspension are to be returned to Lebanon now.
You can read UNE's press release here (external website) [in Norwegian only].
You can read instructions from UDI to the police here (external website) [in Norwegian only].