Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

Operational Steps for Voluntary Return
Voluntary Return of Migrants Stranded in Baltic Countries
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LATVIA
Programme Services
Pre-departure counselling;
Verification of the voluntary nature of return;
Information on the possibilities for safe returns in cooperation with IOM missions in receiving
countries;
Assistance with travel documentation;
Arrangements for transit assistance, if applicable;
Reintegration assistance;
Provision of escorts, including specialized medical escort for sick and vulnerable migrants;
Coordination between national authorities, international organizations and NGOs.
The amount of reintegration assistance granted to each migrant is US$ 50 per adult and US$ 25
for persons under the age of 18. This allowance may be increased to US$ 70 where necessary. In
practice it is almost always US$ 50, where some vulnerable cases with children have received
US$ 100.
IOM endeavours to facilitate returns as soon as possible in order to meet the demands of the
migrants and provide dignified returns. However, the process is dependent on other factors such
as the existing caseload and the availability of travel documents.
All returns are carried out on regular flights and often require transit through a third country,
usually Russia (Moscow). For convenience, migrants are returned in groups of five to ten, with
escort services provided by IOM, where possible. Where group returns are not possible,
migrants return alone, with transit assistance from IOM offices in Moscow, Kiev, Prague and
Vienna.
Framework Agreements with Countries of Origin and Transit
See section on involuntary return.
2.3 STATISTICS ON VOLUNTARY RETURN
Between 15 October 1998 and 31 December 2001, 208 persons returned voluntarily under the
framework of the IOM operated project. The principal countries of return included Russia,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, China, Ukraine, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Small numbers of
returns (involving less than ten people) were also carried out, among others, to Viet Nam,
Kazakhstan, Belarus, Nigeria, Angola, Moldova and Morocco.
The majority of returnees were male, usually aged under 30, due to the small proportion of
women and children held in the reception centres in Latvia.