Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Jump to content

Visa policy of Svalbard: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Fixed typo: in force to enforced
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Line 27: Line 27:
[[Category:Tourism in Svalbard]]
[[Category:Tourism in Svalbard]]
[[Category:Immigration|Svalbard]]
[[Category:Immigration|Svalbard]]
[[Category:Refugees|Svalbard]]
[[Category:Visa policies in Europe‎|Svalbard]]
[[Category:Right of asylum|Svalbard]]

Revision as of 22:30, 19 December 2019

Uniquely, the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is an entirely visa-free zone. Everybody may live and work in Svalbard indefinitely regardless of country of citizenship. The Svalbard Treaty grants treaty nationals equal right of abode as Norwegian nationals. Non-treaty nationals may live and work indefinitely visa-free as well. Per Sefland, then Governor of Svalbard, said "It has been a chosen policy so far that we haven't made any difference between the treaty citizens and those from outside the treaty".[1] "Regulations concerning rejection and expulsion from Svalbard" are enforced on a non-discriminatory basis. Grounds for exclusion include lack of means of support, and violation of laws or regulations.[2][3]

Hans-Henrik Hartmann, then head of the legal unit at the Norwegian government's immigration department, said, "If an asylum seeker is refused residence in Norway he can settle in Svalbard so long as he can get there and is able to pay for himself."[1] "In the past, immigrants who have been refused a visa for mainland Norway have moved to Longyearbyen, lived there for seven years and been awarded Norwegian citizenship."[1] Svalbard has a high living cost, but only limited welfare system. Welfare and health care is available only for Norwegians and for workers employed by a Norwegian company.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Immigrants warmly welcomed". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  2. ^ "Entry and residence". Governor of Svalbard. Governor of Svalbard. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  3. ^ http://www.sysselmannen.no/Documents/Sysselmannen_dok/English/Regulations/Regulations_relating_to_rejection_and_expulsion_of_persons_from_Svalbard_Me16t.pdf
  4. ^ Information for foreign citizens in Longyearbyen