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Hungarian Voluntary Return, Reintegration, And Information Programme
Hungarian Assisted Voluntary Return, Reintegration, And Information Programme (MMIA-3.2.1/9-2020-00001; RR.0208)
Geographical Coverage: Hungary and various countries of origin
Duration: 01 May 2021 - 31 December 2023 (32 months)
Budget: 323,901,084 HUF
Donor: AMIF (national allocation)
Status: Closed
Summary:
IOM started its 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 is co-funded by the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) of the EU and by the Ministry of Interior of Hungary and is implemented in partnership with the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF), the National Police Headquarters (ORFK), the Child Protection Authority of the Government Office of Budapest (BFKH) and NGOs active in the field of migrant assistance.
The purpose of the programme 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 (https://volret.hu) and a toll-free hotline (06 80 20 50 18), as well as in the frame of counseling sessions, 2) to facilitate the voluntary and orderly return of up to 310 beneficiaries, 3) to provide individual needs assessment and reintegration counseling for returnees, 4) to provide complex reintegration support for returnees2 in order to facilitate income-generating activities, as well as to help vulnerable returnees1 and returnees with chronic medical conditions during their reintegration in their countries of origin (a total of 50 individuals will receive such reintegration support), 4) to collect and analyze the feedback of beneficiaries with regards to the services.
The project consists of four components:
- 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.
- The return component seeks to assist 310 beneficiaries by arranging their voluntary return, including providing pre-departure assistance and pre-departure cash allowance (50 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.
- The reintegration component seeks to help 50 returnees, including vulnerable returnees and returnees with chronic medical conditions during their reintegration in their countries of origin. The complex reintegration support includes individual needs assessment and reintegration counseling, as well as a reintegration grant to be used by beneficiaries to finance various activities included in their pre-defined reintegration plans. Some of the most common activities to be supported within the framework of the programme include:
- Business startups: The beneficiary might decide to use the reintegration grant to start his/her own business by submitting a business plan.
- Business Partnership: The beneficiary might use the reintegration grant to enter in a partnership with an already existing company.
- Salary Subsidy: The beneficiary might use the reintegration grant to have his/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 must be clearly demonstrated that the training will improve the beneficiary’s ability to find employment and consequently to generate income.
The evaluation component includes a post-arrival questionnaire beneficiaries who benefitted from reintegration assistance in the countries of origin. The answers will be analyzed and transformed into recommendations, based on which the programme can be further improved.
The toll-free hotline (06 80 20 50 18) is available in English, Russian, Hungarian, and Kyrgyz, as follows:
• in English: Monday-Friday 9:00-16:00
• in Russian: Monday-Friday 9:00-15:00
• in Hungarian: Monday-Friday 15:00-16:00
• in Kyrgyz: Monday-Friday 9:00-15:00
Contacts:
IOM Budapest Operations
Hotline: 06 80 20 50 18
Email: iombudapest@iom.int
Web: https://volret.hu
Download: Poster
The project is co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund of the European Union and the Hungarian Ministry of Interior. The total cost of the project is HUF 323,901,084 of which the amount received by IOM is HUF 323,901,084. The grant rate is 100% of the eligible cost of the project, of which 75% is the contribution of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and 25% of the Ministry of Interior.
