Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration in Belgium

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) is an indispensable part of a comprehensive approach to migration management aiming at orderly and humane return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host or transit countries and wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin.

In Belgium, voluntary return has been funded by the Belgian Ministry for Social Integration since 1984. Later on, the funding was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Interior via Fedasil.

Activities

This voluntary return programme is conducted in close cooperation with governmental institutions, civil society and migrant communities, constituting an example of multi-level approach to voluntary return and creating a comprehensive migration management system for the benefit of all parties involved. Working together within the Voluntary Return framework, IOM, its counterparts, and its partners are able to offer a more humane return option in full respect of the human rights and dignity of migrants.

To perform the necessary voluntary return activities and ensure the possibility of migrants to easily access the programme at each stage of their stay in Belgium, IOM has developed an extensive network of partners covering the whole territory of Belgium. The voluntary return network consists of a combination of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), local authorities (some cities and communes), governmental structures for reception of asylum seekers such as Fedasil and the Red Cross reception centres (Flemish Red Cross, French-speaking Red Cross), migrant associations and Immigration Office.

Migrants residing in Local Reception Inititatives can access the voluntary return programme via Fedasil or by referring themselves to a voluntary return partner of their choice. This provides effective services which are tailored to the different needs of the migrants in order to ensure that each potential beneficiary can choose the most suitable way to access the voluntary return programme.

IOM's Voluntary Return network of partners is divided in two categories:

Partners inside the reception network (i.e. Fedasil, Red Cross Flanders and Croix-Rouge reception centers and Immigration Office centers). Partners outside the reception network (i.e. NGOs, Cities and Municipalities and migrant associations)

We invite you to read our 2022 Annual Report in which our activities are described, or to have a look at our 2-page 2024 Project Information Sheet, which contains many details about our voluntary return programme.

Statistics

Monthly Reports

December 2023	September 2023	June 2023	March 2023
November 2023	August 2023	May 2023	February 2023
October 2023	July 2023	April 2023	January 2023

 

Yearly Reports

2022	2021	2020	2019
2018	2017	2016	2015
2014

Partners

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Contact

• Arta Hajra, AVRR counsellor Balkans and EU; +32 491 56 05 22; ahajra@iom.int
• Karel Michiels, Reintegration Assistance Focal Point and AVRR counsellor, +32 499 64 80 94; kmichiels@iom.int
• Leila Bougrine, AVRR counsellor Middle-East and Northern Africa, Counter-Trafficking Focal Point; +32 491 71 78 77; lbougrine@iom.int
• Emma Petit, AVRR counsellor Latin America; +32 499 70 36 59; epetit@iom.int 
• Jelle De Temmerman, AVRR counsellor Asia; +32 491 374 588; jdetemmerman@iom.int 
• Hussein Butoyi, AVRR counsellor Africa, UMC Focal Point; +32 491 37 45 82; hbutoyi@iom.int
• Anne-Marie Da Silva, Administrative support; +32 496 26 12 15; adasilva@iom.int

Past Projects

• Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF)
• EU Return Fund
• Past EU Funded Projects 2012-2017