Norway extends border control measures again

In a short statement, the government said that passengers on all ferry arrivals from Denmark, Sweden and Germany would be subject to personal checks through May 12th, at which point another determination will be made. 

 

Norway first implemented controls on its inner Schengen borders on November 26th and Justice Minister Anders Anundsen said that they have been successful.

 

“The control measures have a good preventive effect and that there is no indication that the controls have created significant inconvenience to normal travellers,” he said. 

 

Scandinavian neighbours Denmark and Sweden have also implemented and repeatedly extended border controls. Asylum claims in all three countries have dropped significantly since the border controls were put in place. 

 

A total of 35,358 asylum seekers arrived in Norway in 2015, compared with just 11,480 in the previous year. Figures released by the Norwegian Immigration Directorate last week showed that 942 people have sought asylum through the first three months of 2016. That is down from 1,670 in the same period last year. 

 

In addition to the checks on its Schengen borders, Norway has also been immediately rejecting asylum seekers at its Storskog border station north of the Arctic Circle if they have been residing in Russia.