The European Union is developing a framework to allow Syrian refugees to make temporary visits to their homeland without losing international protection status, Deputy Minister for Migration Nicholas Ioannides revealed on Wednesday.
The “go and see” visit concept would enable refugees to assess conditions in their regions of origin while maintaining their protection status in EU countries, potentially facilitating voluntary permanent returns.
“We agree with the concept of ‘go and see’ visits,” Ioannides told reporters in Brussels. “However, to prevent potential abuse, we believe it must be limited regarding duration and the number of visits per family.”
The approach forms part of broader EU discussions on creating conditions for returns through supporting Syria’s recovery after the fall of the Assad regime.
Migration officials emphasise the visits would be strictly time-limited, with restrictions on frequency to prevent misuse of the programme.
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