Denmark Plans Daily Check-ins For Migrants Without The Right To Stay

Copenhagen is moving to tighten reporting rules (‘meldepligt’) truthful that foreigners without lawful residence must coming themselves to nan authorities each day.

A draught rule tabled by nan authorities would switch nan existent norm of 3 check-ins a week pinch regular reporting for anyone taxable to power obligations nether Denmark’s Return Act.

The connection targets criminal foreigners who person been ordered to leave, rejected asylum seekers who do not cooperate pinch removal, and others housed astatine return centres. Breaching nan rules would still transportation fines aliases prison, rising to arsenic overmuch arsenic 4 years successful aggravated cases.

Denmark’s migration and integration minister, Kaare Dybvad Bek, put it bluntly: Denmark, he said, cannot let group ‘to unrecorded their lives illegally’. Until they depart, ‘we want to cognize wherever they are’. He added that stricter rules whitethorn besides motivate much group to spell home.

If passed by nan Folketing, nan rule is slated to return effect January, 1, 2026.

What precisely would change?

Under nan Return Act, immoderate foreigners without support to enactment tin already beryllium required to registry their beingness astatine an accommodation tract (typically a return centre). Today nan baseline is:

• Daily reporting for group connected tålt ophold (‘tolerated stay’),
• Three times a week for astir different groups astatine return centres (such arsenic criminally expelled foreigners and rejected asylum seekers who are not assisting removal).

The measure would assistance everyone to nan regular standard. In applicable terms, that intends 7 check-ins a week for anyone nether power obligations—no matter nan category.

Who would it affect?

Authorities opportunity nan alteration would use to foreigners who are:

• Criminally expelled by nan courts;
• Rejected asylum seekers who do not cooperate pinch their departure;
• Other residents of Denmark’s return centres who autumn nether power obligations.

People not covered by nan Return Act—or migrants pinch lawful status—are unaffected.

Penalties, authorities and nan roadworthy ahead

Failing to meet reporting duties will stay a criminal matter. As now, non-compliance tin bring fines aliases jail, pinch up to 4 years successful particularly superior cases (for illustration repeated, deliberate breaches).

The authorities argues nan tougher authorities will tighten oversight, reassure nan nationalist and trim absconding. Critics are apt to raise questions astir proportionality, resources (daily sign-ins require staffing) and nan effect connected group who cannot beryllium removed quickly owed to conditions successful their location countries.

Either way, nan guidance of recreation is clear: much predominant interaction pinch nan authorities for those who person nary correct to remain—until they time off Denmark.

Stay tuned pinch Euro Weekly News for much news from Denmark