Jiwon P. (.
4/5
That briefest moment in my life brought more connections than I ever imagined—worries, friendships, love. When I left that place, I found myself wanting to return. Stepping out of the tent, there were familiar faces to greet warmly, laughter to share, and joyful moments to cherish. Yet, even if I come back again, those people from that time will have moved on, just like I have. All I can do now is hope they’re well, wherever they are. Farewell, my friends.
Overall, this is a decent place to stay, with no major issues to report. Once you’re registered as a temporary resident by the police, you’ll have access to a range of services: laundry, clothing, medical care, toiletries, accommodation, meals, basic Norwegian language education, and various support programs. However, until that registration is complete, you must remain at the temporally arrival center for asylum seekers.
This center is not intended for long-term stays—most people remain here for only a few days, typically between 1 to 2 weeks. During this period, you’ll undergo a police interview. Afterward, you’ll be transferred to one of several designated regions within Norway. Occasionally, a UDI (Directorate of Immigration) interview may also take place at the center. While cases involving the Dublin Regulation could theoretically be processed here—where Norway would assume responsibility and cover return flights—I’ve never personally seen that happen.
Some individuals are scheduled for police interviews and complete them within just 48 hours of arrival. These expedited cases are often tied to negative decisions or potential Dublin cases. In rare instances, the police might conduct a second interview. If that happens, a decision may be made without input from UDI, and such outcomes are typically negative. In my experience, longer stays at the arrival center (over 2–3 weeks) tend to correlate with less favorable results.
Accommodation consists of tents with several bunk beds, divided into sections for families, women, and men. A designated women-only area is enforced, and men are not allowed entry into that space.
The majority of asylum seekers here are from Ukraine, followed by individuals from Turkey, the Middle East, the Balkans, and South America. Due to Norway’s geography, Asian asylum seekers are rare but not entirely absent. The staff at the center (LINK) speak a variety of languages—including English, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, and Spanish—though fluency varies among individuals.
There is a dedicated children’s center, and staff make an effort to support the well-being of children. However, I didn’t find it to be an entirely suitable environment. For instance, I witnessed a man repeatedly touching the face of a Ukrainian girl, despite her visible discomfort. Similar inappropriate behavior involving children’s personal space also occurred. I reported the incident to LINK staff, but no concrete action was taken. That said, this may have been an isolated or temporary issue. Given the short stays (usually 1–2 weeks), most people are unlikely to experience this, and overall, the environment is relatively safe. As noted in other reviews, theft is rare, though this may vary depending on the current residents.
Cooking is not allowed at the center. While preparing instant noodles might be possible using hot water (which is available), you should avoid bringing groceries or raw food—there are no facilities to cook them, and you may encounter problems.
I don’t know your reason for coming here, but life can be difficult. If your asylum application is denied in Norway, it’s likely to be rejected elsewhere as well. So treat this as your final opportunity and come prepared. For accurate and updated information, consult the UDI or UNE websites—they are the best sources of guidance.
