A beneficiary of international protection (BIP) is a person who has been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection status.
A new study published by the European Migration Network (EMN) offers a comparative overview of the experiences and existing practices in 24 EU Member States*, Norway and Switzerland regarding beneficiaries of international protection who travel back to their country of origin, or who have contact with authorities from these countries. The study also examines the motivations of the individuals in question, and how such cases would be assessed by the national authorities in the countries that granted them refugee status.
The key findings are set out below:
- All countries participating in the study reported informing beneficiaries of international protection of the possible consequences of either travelling to or contacting authorities in their country of origin;
- Countries faced challenges in assessing cases where such beneficiaries did travel to their country of origin and its impact on the international protection status, due to the complexity in obtaining evidence and to verifying the reasons;
- The most common reason to travel stated by BIPs related to family-related issues, followed by marriage in the country of origin and business activities;
- In all States, the withdrawal of protection status can have consequences for the right of residence of a (former) beneficiary of international protection, depending in most cases on the individual circumstances of the person concerned, and may also affect the protection status and right to residence of family members and dependants.
For further information : https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/content/emn-study-beneficiaries-international-protection-travelling-their-country-origin_en