Key Points
- Norway to prevent family reunification with unaccompanied minors if it’s not in the child’s best interest.
- Restrict reunification for children who have established their own families or if parents have multiple spouses.
- Implementing regulations to prevent bigamy.
New tougher and stricter rules are to be adopted for the family immigration rules in Norway. On 17 June 2024, the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness put forward a proposal to tighten the rules in the Immigration Act concerning family immigration.
“Parents who cannot provide proper care or who pose a threat to their children should not be allowed family reunification in Norway. By making this clear in the Immigration Act, I want to ensure that we prioritize the safety and well-being of these vulnerable children.”
“Bigamy is not permitted in Norway. Our regulations mustn’t enable parents to live with multiple spouses in Norway after being reunited with their children,”
Stated Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness Emilie Enger Mehl.
Tougher rules for family reunification
The new key changes include preventing family reunification with unaccompanied minor children in Norway if it’s not in the child’s best interest. The new rules and amendments aim to prevent situations that could lead to child abduction or the practice of bigamy within the country.
As per the currently implemented rules, the parents and underage siblings of unaccompanied minors granted asylum in Norway can be granted residence. However, the Directorate of Immigration has observed that some children do not wish to live with their parents upon arriving in Norway due to many reasons.
Ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children
Though the best interests of the child are a fundamental consideration in all cases involving children, there are concerns that this principle is not adequately prioritized when it could lead to a refusal of reunification.
Furthermore, the proposed regulations also stipulate that children who have established their own family in Norway through marriage or cohabitation at the time of the decision cannot bring their parents to Norway.
Moreover, it is proposed that both parents must consent when reuniting minor siblings in the Schengen country Norway. The right to reunification with unaccompanied minor children will cease if the parents have two spouses in Norway at the time of reunification.