Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

Return Migration: Policies and Practices
originally established to assist Russian-speaking migrants to return to their home country, and it
is now administered by the Citizenship and Migration Department.
In addition to assistance provided under this Fund, the Estonian authorities have worked with
IOM to facilitate the voluntary return of irregular migrants and rejected asylum seekers. Past
programmes have included the Voluntary Return of Stranded Migrants in Transit, which has also
operated in the other two Baltic countries, Lithuania and Latvia, since 1998.
There is no specific legal basis for assisted voluntary return programmes, although there is some
scope to provide assistance for unaccompanied minors to be reunited with members of their
family in the country of origin.
According to Section 67, paragraph 2 of the 1992 Child Protection Act, the Social Services
Department has an obligation to look for a child’s parents or other family and determine the
child’s possibilities for return to the home country. However, there is no experience of returning
unaccompanied minors using this mechanism.
2.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS
Institutions Responsible for Voluntary Return
The Citizenship and Migration Department administers the Migration Fund, which provides
financial assistance to irregular migrants wishing to return to their country of origin.
Until 2002, IOM operated a separate assisted voluntary return programme for rejected asylum
seekers and stranded migrants in transit, in close consultation with the migration authorities and
NGOs. A total of 17 migrants were thus assisted between 1999 and 2001.
IOM has also established contacts with concerned local and international organizations, such as
the Estonian Red Cross and UNHCR, in order to create a network of IOM partners in Estonia.
Operational Steps for Voluntary Return
Programme Services
Pre-departure counselling; verification of the voluntary nature of return; assistance with travel
documentation; arrangements for return travel, transit assistance if applicable; reintegration assistance;
escorts, including medical escort for sick migrants; and coordination between national
authorities, international organizations and NGOs. In particular, cooperation with the Population
Movement Coordinator of the Estonian Red Cross was quite successful in ensuring the
efficient delivery of travel and counselling services to returning migrants.
The amount of reintegration assistance granted to each migrant was US$ 50, children included
(maximum of two per family). This allowance could be increased to US$ 70 where necessary.
IOM endeavoured to facilitate return travel as quickly as possible.
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