May be only until they reach 18 years – Clear Voice

Norway

Many children come alone to Norway to seek asylum. In recent months, the Immigration Directorate (UDI) made a change. Now you get a lot of kids just stay in Norway for a specific period. That means they must leave Norway when they turn 18. Then they must fend for themselves, Dagsavisen.

The scheme called for time limited licenses. Such temporary residence can be granted to persons who are between 16 and 18 years old. UDI mean these people are not entitled to protection. The permit can not be renewed after it expired.

Such permits are increasingly used for asylum children of Afghanistan.

– I no longer expect that children from Afghanistan are granted residence in Norway. UDI believes several areas in Afghanistan are safe. They spend more time limited licenses than before, says Therese Einarsson Dagsavisen. She works as a guardian and helps asylum children.

She has been the guardian of a 15 year old Afghan boy. He waited for an application for asylum his 13 months. He was 16 years old when he finally got an answer. He’ll just stay in Norway until he is 18 years old.

– He’s devastated. He just crying. He says he might as well die now. For if he is sent back, he still manages to die. He knows none. He has no one to stay with in Afghanistan, says Einarsson.