Asylum reception centres: the various types of facilities in Norway

The National arrival centre is the primary location for people to register an application for protection in Norway. Applicants live at the centre until they have completed all the steps involved in applying for protection in Norway.

Arrival centre process:

• Registration with the police.
• Registration in the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration's (UDI) asylum reception centre system.
• Mandatory tuberculosis testing and medical examination.
• Information from Caritas about the further asylum process.
• Some asylum seekers will have their asylum interview and receive a decision on their applications while staying at the centre.

The anticipated length of stay at an arrival centre is up to 21 days.

Temporary accommodation provided for asylum seekers while they wait to move on to an ordinary reception centre, private housing or to leave Norway.

Temporary accommodation provided to unaccompanied minor asylum seekers between the ages of 15 and 18 while they wait to move on to an ordinary reception centre, private housing or to leave Norway.

Asylum seekers are accommodated in ordinary reception centres after their asylum interview with the UDI.

Asylum seekers stay in these centres while their application is being processed.

Unaccompanied minor asylum seekers between the ages of 15 and 18 receive an offer of accommodation in separate centres or units adapted to their needs.

Unaccompanied minor asylum seekers under the age of 15 are placed in special care centres that are the responsibility of the Norwegian Children, Youth and Family Affairs Service (Bufetat) (external website).

Accommodation tailored for asylum seekers who need

• extra care/assistance in connection with their physical and/or mental health
• help to cope with everyday life

Customised care units are staffed 24 hours with stricter competence requirements compared to ordinary reception centres.

Accommodation for adult asylum seekers who face behavioural challenges considered by UDI to represent a potential threat for their surroundings and who, therefore, are not suited for an ordinary reception centre. Staffed 24 hours.

The facility is not institutional and does not involve healthcare from municipal and specialist health services. 

Accommodation for those whose needs for extensive medical attention or care cannot be met in any of the other types of centres/facilities.

The main target group is adults.

This initiative seeks to provide the necessary care services to its residents and to help them to gain access to the healthcare they need. 

Specialist health services and municipal health services are responsible for the healthcare of all residents.

Temporary lodging that is offered when sufficient capacity cannot be provided quickly enough in ordinary reception centres to accommodate a large number or a sudden influx of asylum seekers. Emergency accommodations offer modest, temporary lodging to meet residents' basic needs and ensure their safety and security.

If there is a large number of asylum seekers and/or a sudden influx of arrivals,  the police may offer temporary lodging for people waiting to register an application for protection (asylum).