By Evie Andreou
Mary-June Gequira from the Philippines came to Cyprus six years ago to work as a domestic worker, but when her visa expired she struggled to find enough work maintain herself and her three children.
As an illegal immigrant also meant she ran the risk of being caught and she and her children facing deportation and left to fend for themselves back in the Philippines.
Geguira, however, was the first beneficiary of the newly launched Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme, aiming to support irregular immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers to repatriate or settle in another country outside the EU, by offering them financial and psychosocial support as well as training to set up a small business.
After filing for assistance for voluntary repatriation which she heard about from a friend, not only was she given plane tickets, but also an intensive business course to help her open a fresh fruit and vegetable shop in her home town.
Her irregular immigrant status meant she was also eligible for financial aid for her initial household expenses for the family on their return to the Philippines. The programme also offers continued support if she faces any difficulties re-integrating.
“Since January, when the AVR Cyprus started operations, 20 people have already left for their home countries, while five more are in the process of departing,” said Nicos Papadopoulos, social advisor at the information and support centre for assisted voluntary return.
The programme, which is funded by the EU Return Funds and the Republic of Cyprus, is being implemented jointly by the Centre for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology (CARDET), the University of Nicosia and Caritas International, in cooperation with state authorities.
The centre provides through the AVR programme, free plane tickets, helps beneficiaries arrange travel documents, covers costs of transfering their belongings, provides financial and psychosocial support and consultancy and training services to acquire skills for a better future in their country.
“So far the people we have helped repatriate are from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Pakistan and India, and most were in the country illegally,” Papadopoulos said.
They usually arrive in Cyprus legally, he said, but after their visas expire, they choose to stay for various reasons and then they are trapped.
“We are offering them a respectable way to depart, away from detention, and deportation,” Papadopoulos said.
He said the length of the procedure from application to departure was difficult to estimate as each case was different.
“We had a case where people departed within three weeks while there is a case where the process is being going on for six months, because it is a very difficult one,” Papadopoulos said.
“When people come to us, we want to make sure that this is what they want to do; we offer them consultation and discuss with them whatever concerns them. It is not easy after living in a place for several years to re-settle somewhere else. We want to help them understand that it is feasible,” he said.
Do irregular immigrants face arrest once the centre notifies the police of the applicants’ intention to leave the country?
“We inform the police a little before the scheduled departure, usually two weeks, because we want to make sure that applicants are positive this is what they want to do. This is a voluntary return so they can stop the procedure at any time. But once the police are informed, they try to make procedures run smoothly,” Papadopoulos sad.
The centre also makes arrangements for all the necessary paperwork such as new travel documents for those lost or expired while at the same time, consultation and training continues.
“When the time for departures arrives, we always escort them to the airport for emotional support, and it is often a very emotional moment since they are not sure what they will find in their countries, some have been living in Cyprus for many years, it is not easy to re-integrate,” Papadopoulos said.
The centre stays in contact with them even after their arrival in their countries, to see if they need extra support and how they are settling in.
“There are people who have been away for several years so they still need help to re-integrate. A member of Caritas, which is an international organisation, will be in contact with them in their country to assist,” Papadopoulos said.
Detainees already been held for deportation at the Menoyia detention centre can also benefit from the AVR programme. They first have to receive the green light from the authorities after his or her deportation/detention demand has been reviewed, an official from the interior ministry said.
“If it is deemed that there is no risk of the applicant’s escape [in an attempt to stay in Cyprus], according to specific criteria provided by law, his or her inclusion in the programme may be approved,” the ministry said.
For more information: http://avrcyprus.eu or call 22024845, 96711075, 96711036. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6pm but callers may leave a message at all times. The centre is Nicosia based but officials will travel to other towns to meet with people wanting to benefit from the AVR
