legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...

SOCIAL CONDITIONS FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS
Accommodation
Persons seeking asylum in Norway are initially accommodated in transit reception centres for
asylum seekers, where the police conduct interviews and health screening can take place.
Accommodation in these transit centres is compulsory for all asylum seekers until these
interviews have taken place, although in practice exceptions are made for asylum seekers who
already have other housing and who wish to stay there. As long as the applicant stays outside of
the designated transit reception centre, he/she does not enjoy the right to any financial benefits.
There are seven regional transit reception centres, financed by the UDI but run by the local
authorities and NGOs.
After spending approximately one month in a transit reception centre, asylum seekers are
allocated to ordinary reception centres. Two factors taken into consideration at this point are the
asylum seeker's state of health and whether they already have any relatives or friends living in
Norway. In such cases, they are usually allowed to stay in a reception centre located in the same
area where the relatives or friends live.
There are currently about 130 ordinary reception centres for asylum seekers in Norway, most of
which allow residents to cook their own meals.
Although this varies a great deal from centre to centre, there are usually specific accommodation
for families with children but none for single males and females.
Financial assistance
Asylum seekers living in reception centres receive a basic monthly allowance, which is supposed
to cover all minor personal expenses, such as transport, telephone calls, leisure activities, etc.
This is allocated as follows:
Adult over 18 NOK 900 EUR 111
Child NOK 600 EUR 74
Single parent NOK 300 (additional) EUR 37
For asylum seekers provided with free lodging but who do not receive meals, the allowance rates
are as follows:
Single adult NOK 2,500 EUR 308
Couple (married or cohabiting)* NOK 4,200 EUR 518
Child (0-18 years) NOK 1,100 EUR 136
Single parent NOK 1,500 (additional) EUR 185
* to receive this allowance, unmarried partners must be heterosexual, over 18 years of age, have
lived together for at least two years and fully intend to continue their relationship.
Asylum seekers may also receive extra financial assistance in the form of a one-off payment for:
– bedding: NOK 1,000 [EUR 123] per adult and NOK 750 [EUR 92.5] per child;
– kitchen equipment: NOK 1,250 [EUR 154] for basic utensils, and NOK 500 [EUR 62] for
additional furniture;
– clothing: up to a total of NOK 1,700 [EUR 210];
– travel expenses to and from Norwegian language classes.
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Norway