Hungarian Voluntary Return, Reintegration and Information Programme (2018-2020)

(AMIF-3.2.1/5-2018-00001; RT.1454)

Geographical Coverage: Hungary and various countries of origin

Duration: 01 September 2018 – 30 September 2020 (35 months)

Donor: AMIF (national allocation)

Status: Completed

Summary: IOM started operations in Hungary in 1993 and the first voluntary return project was among the first activities to begin. To date IOM Budapest has assisted more than 8,000 returnees. The current project responds to Activity 3.2.1 of the Hungarian Working Document (2017-18) prepared for the implementation of the national allocation of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), and is implemented in partnership with the Immigration and Asylum Office (BMH), the National Police Headquarters (ORFK) and the Child Protection Authority of the Government Office of Budapest (BFKH), and NGOs active in the field migrant assistance.

The purpose of the program is 1) to provide up-to-date, easily accessible and reliable information about voluntary return and reintegration assistance to potential beneficiaries through a dedicated website (www.volret.hu) and a toll-free hotline (06 80 20 50 18), additionally, in the frame of counseling sessions, 2) to facilitate the voluntary and orderly return of up to 88 beneficiaries, 3) to help up to six vulnerable returnees¹ and returnees with chronic medical conditions during their reintegration in their countries of origin, 4) to provide complex reintegration support for six returnees² to their countries of origin in order to facilitate income-generating activities, 5) to help four (additional) eligible beneficiaries with both reintegration and complex reintegration assistance, and 6) to collect and analyze the feedback of beneficiaries with regards to the services.

The project consists of four components: 1) The information component uses various means of communication to reach the potential beneficiaries, as well as inform the staff of the various facilities about the project activities; 2) The return component seeks to assist 88 beneficiaries by arranging their voluntary return by providing pre-departure assistance, and pre-departure cash allowance (30 EUR) to facilitate onward transportation in the countries of origin, obtaining travel documentation, organizing fit-to-travel medical examination, providing escorts (if necessary), purchasing travel tickets and travel insurance, providing departure, transit and arrival assistance, etc.; 3) The reintegration component consists of two parts - It seeks to a.) assist six vulnerable returnees³ and returnees with chronic medical conditions with their reintegration in the country of origin, by offering – based on a needs assessment – reintegration counselling and a reintegration grant from which the beneficiary can finance the various activities of a pre-defined reintegration plan; and b.) expand the scope of reintegration available to returnees by offering in-kind reintegration grants to six beneficiaries to facilitate direct or indirect engagement in income-generating activities in the country of origin under any of the four reintegration schemes below:

• Business Start-up: The beneficiary can decide to use the reintegration grant to start his/her own business by submitting a business plan
• Business Partnership: The beneficiary can use the reintegration grant to enter in a partnership with an already existing company.
• Salary Subsidy: The beneficiary can use the reintegration grant to have his or her salary subsidized while working as an employee at an already existing and functioning company. The applicant will be expected to describe the relevance of his/her previous work experience and training in the proposed employment.
• Vocational Training, Language Training: The returnees can apply for the reintegration grant by submitting an education plan. It has to be clearly demonstrated that the training will improve the beneficiary’s ability to find employment and consequently to generate income.

Four additional vulnerable returnees and returnees with chronic medical conditions receive both reintegration and complex reintegration assistance. 4) The evaluation component includes a post-arrival questionnaire with beneficiaries who benefitted from reintegration assistance in the countries of origin. The answers will be analyzed and transformed into recommendations, based on which the program can be further improved.

The toll-free hotline (06 80 20 50 18) is available in English, German, Spanish, Urdu, Russian, Pashto, Hungarian, Farsi, and Dari.

Contacts:

IOM Budapest Operations
Phone: +36 1 472 2505 or +36 1 472 2500
Hotline: 06 80 20 50 18
Email: iombudapestops@iom.int
Web: www.volret.hu

Download: Poster

[1] Such as children, unaccompanied children, disabled people, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, and persons who have been subjected to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence as well as returnees with chronic medical conditions.

[2] Eligible being returnees also eligible for support for vulnerable returnees as well as those returnees that are not eligible for other type of reintegration support.

[3] Such as children, unaccompanied children, disabled people, elderly people, pregnant women, single parents with minor children, and persons who have been subjected to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence as well as returnees with chronic medical conditions.