Losing the Right to Stay: Revocation of immigrant residence permits and citizenship in Norway — Experiences and effects

Abstract

In recent years, the Directorate of Immigration’s (UDI) handling of so-called revocation cases has received increased attention. These are cases where the authorities first grant residence permits and citizenship to migrants but later consider revoking these. Immigrants can have their right to stay in Norway revoked for a range of reasons, including having provided incorrect information when they were granted permits and in the case of refugees, because conditions improve in their home country. This report describes how those affected experience the process of revocation. The report is based on multiple data sources: statistics from the UDI’s data base; interviews with affected individuals from Afghanistan and Somalia, including representatives of their communities in Norway; and interviews with employees of the UDI and the police. After presenting descriptive statistics, we describe how the informants experienced the revocation process, including the effects of the revocation process on integration. Furthermore, we analyze how revocation affects the outlook and life strategies of those interviewed. This report provides a number of recommendations for improving the government’s handling of revocation, including developing a coherent communication strategy and reducing case processing time.