Frontex Return Specialists

Frontex Return Specialists work in close coordination with Member States in the pre-return phase to facilitate these return procedures, ensuring they are conducted efficiently and in full compliance with fundamental rights.

Since 1997, Gro has been serving the Norwegian Police in various task within the scope of immigration issues, including collaborating with third countries on identification and acquisitions of travel documents and conducting interviews with third country nationals. Currently, she is part of the standing corps as a return specialist.

"Returnees are more confident with return specialists than with uniformed officers, they learn about the programs we can offer and the solutions we can provide as a supportive authority".

A return specialist needs to know how to engage with people and must be used to work in an international environment. A law enforcement background is not required to become a return specialist. However, it is mandatory to understand the relevant legislation, know how to interact with people, and most importantly, in line with the fundamental rights promote voluntary return and explain the risks of not complying with a return decision.

A return specialist can support Member States in the following tasks:

• Third country cooperation: support in identification and acquisition of travel documents and consular engagement.

• Return and reintegration counselling: provide return counselling to third country nationals in both voluntary and forced return procedures, provide information to third country nationals on return and reintegration options and assist with the relevant digital case management system.

• Return systems support:work with return related IT systems, process booking of tickets in the systems, assisting with case management in other relevant systems.