In the period from May 2016 until of June 2018 IOM has helped 268 migrants to return to their homeland. Numbers of returs have increased comparing with previous years.

Implementation of the reintegration project "Reintegration in homeland" has started

Since 14 of October 2016 IOM has started reintegration project "Reintegration in homeland" for third-country nationals, which will complement the already existing voluntary return project. Third-country nationals who used the AVR can receive support for reintegration. Reintegration assistance is always available after return to the country of origin, is provided in kind other than cash (by paying for the necessary goods and / or services directly to suppliers) and is aimed at income generating activities.

For more information please contact us by avr@iom.lt

Project is financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and from the state budget of Lithuanian Republic. Project will last from October 2016 until October 2018.

The programme is financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and from the state budget of LR. Project will last from March 2016 until March of 2019.

The aim of the project is to promot and to offer voluntary return assistance for third-country nationals or stateless persons staying in Lithuania ensuring their safe and dignified return to their countries of origin and to increase the awareness of the program by reducing the scale of illegal migration in Lithuania.

The project is intended for any third-country nationals or stateless persons who use any form of protection in Lithuania, e.g. refugees and those who have submitted applications for any form of protection, but has not received a final negative decision on their application. By implementing voluntary return operations third country nationals are safely returned to their country of origin. Before departure they shall have an assistance most appropriate to their individual needs.  

On 29 May the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the State Border Guard Services have signed the Memorandum of Understanding that seeks to ensure a safe, dignified, prompt and effective return of third-country nationals illegally staying in the Republic of Lithuania to their home countries. The aim of the Agreement is be to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism and obligations of the parties in returning third country nationals voluntarily.

The IOM will provide Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration in compliance with its own rules and guidelines. A return decision is considered to be voluntary if it is taken by free will, in the absence of any psychical or psychological pressure and having regard to all objective circumstances necessary to take such a decision.

The IOM reminds that the Directive of 2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council emphasizes that voluntary return shall be prioritized over expulsion. The IOM does not take part in forced return procedures. 

IOM Vilnius office is about to host the final conference “Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme in Lithuania in the period 2010-2015“ of the project “Return home VI”.

The conference will overview the development of the voluntary return and reintegration programme in Lithuania in the period 2010-2015 and will explore the future perspectives and trends. During the conference the guest speaker from European Migration Network Return Expert Group will present the aims of the European Commission in the field as well as the development of the assisted voluntary return and reintegration programme in Europe. Furthermore, the representative from the Ministry of Social Security and Labour will introduce the upcoming changes and perspectives during the new EU financial period of 2014-2020, its directions and preliminary start dates for the projects.  Eventually, the expert from IOM Headquarters will present the research conducted by Maastricht University on the effectiveness of assisted voluntary return and reintegration programme including the factors that influence the migrant decisions to return home and the long-term global impact on the persons that have returned to their home countries.

The conference will be attended by the representatives of the institutions of the Republic of Lithuania that are in charge of migration policy development and implementation, the specialists working in the returns field, the representatives of non-governmental organisations, diplomatic representations as well as scholar community.

The conference will take place at the Amberton Hotel (L. Stuokos-Gucevičiaus g. 1) on 8 June 2015.

The registration to the event can be done via phone (8 5) 240 44 89, e-mail: ievak@iom.lt or fax: (8 5) 261 by Thursday, 4^th of June, 5 p.m. 

The conference is implemented in the framework of the project “Return Home VI” co-funded by the Republic of Lithuania and European Return Fund (the value of the project – 100706,70 Eur). 

New IOM awareness campaign about human trafficking is being launched in Bangkok.  The main purpose of this new campaign is to help to learn more about Counter-Trafficking. It also invites everybody to take an action to help stop trafficking and exploitation. And one of the best tools at your disposal to help stop human trafficking is sharing what you learnt with others in your community. For more information, please visit the website.

IOM office in Tunisia, commemorating the International Migrants' Day 2014 selected 20 young Tunisians  between 15 and 25 years  from Tunis, Sfax, Gabes and Sidi Bouzid tought  them of film making. Then they made their own short films on irregular migration and its alternatives during the summer of 2014.

Link to the videos: http://tiny.cc/ys23qx  

Projects Return Home VI (value - 347 720.09 LTL) and Voluntary Return of Vulnerable Persons VI (value - 113 460.20 LTL) for the help of third-country nationals  (not) meeting the conditions of entry or stay in Lithuania, return to their country of origin.

Reintegration: The future in homeland III (value - 188 267.88 LTL) offers voluntary returnees to establish themselves in their home country and acts as a prevention of illegal and / or unsuccessful migration.

European Return Fund is also funding activities that are designed to enhance cooperation between the  competent authorities involved in the process of voluntary return, and to deepen the knowledge and skills of the representatives involved in the voluntary return process. These activities are implemented under the project "Capacity Building Practitioners IV", for the implementation of 144 415.61 LTL.

All projects are funded by the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania.

Commemorating the International Migrants Day, IOM Director General releases an article designed to focus on the most delicate problems of migration. Specifically he urges the international community to take more responsibility for saving the lives of the thousands of migrants - men, women and children - who undertake dangerous journeys in small boats on rough seas, and on foot across deserts and mountains.

IOM Vilnius Office shares the electronic version of the article:

We also invite you to visit a new website made by IOM which was created in order to commemorate International Migrants Day. Here you can find new data and infographics for the Missing Migrants project, special videos from the IOM Council, and IOM’s new “Global Migration Trends” paper produced by the Migration Research Division: http://mmp.iom.int/Migrantsday

The International Organization for Migration the Netherlands Office published a digital publication which was developed under the project “Measures to Enhance the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Migrants with a Chronic Medical Condition Residing in the EU (AVRR-MC)”. It reviews the challenges in the reintegration of return migrants with chronic medical conditions.

Link of the publication: http://www.iom-nederland.nl/images/AVR-MC/Country_Assessments_Report_online.pdf

Currently, the International Organization for Migration on the precarious situation in the countries does not carry out voluntary returns to Syria, South and Central Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic, North Korea.

We would like to share very emotional video made by IOM the Netherlands, which gives a realistic view on the situation of migrants and the choices open to them. To watch it click here.

By implementing the European Return Fund year 2012 annual program project “Reintegration: future in homeland II” a final conference is organized, during which the results of implemented activities will be presented, the problems encountered and success cases discussed.

Conference is taking it’s place on 17^th of June at 10am in Europa Royal Vilnius hotel (Ausros Vartu g. 6, Vilnius). Experts from the Netherlands and Afghanistan are invited to share their best practices, a citizen of Moldova, who has received help from IOM Vilnius in 2010, is invited to share his experience.

To commemorate Africa Day, celebrate African unity and promote peace and cultural diversity of South Africa, the International Organization for Migration released a music video "I am a Migrant" ("I am a migrant). Video clip can be viewed here.