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The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) has acknowledged the challenges faced by applicants experiencing significant delays in the processing of residency permits. The response follows reports from foreign nationals in Norway who have cited mental health struggles, prolonged family separation, and financial instability as consequences of the current administrative backlog.
Nikos Rippis, head of the Department for Residence at the UDI, stated that the agency is aware of the difficulties caused when application processing exceeds expected timeframes. He attributed the delays to the high volume of applications handled by the agency, which include requests for family immigration, study stays, protection, and work permits.
According to the UDI, waiting times are not uniform and fluctuate based on the type of application, the applicant’s nationality, the status of the reference person in Norway, and individual circumstances such as marital status or the presence of children. The agency also noted that the processing order does not strictly adhere to a first-come, first-served basis.
Rippis explained that the UDI is required by political leadership to prioritize specific cases, which results in varying wait times across different application categories. Furthermore, he noted that many applications involve coordination with other public entities, including the police and Norwegian foreign missions, which can influence processing speeds.
Regarding efforts to address the backlog, the UDI stated that it is working to reduce wait times through a long-term modernization project. The initiative, which involves the UDI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), and the police, aims to digitize application processes and implement automated processing. The project is scheduled to span six years.
The UDI did not provide specific details regarding the criteria used for prioritizing applications or the specific operational changes intended to resolve current bottlenecks. For applicants currently awaiting decisions, the agency indicated that there is no immediate change to the existing processing framework.
Article and image source: thelocal.no
