Laila Navrud with her Norwegian husband, Ole Kristian Navrud/Courtesy of Drammen Tidende

OSLO - A Filipina married to a Norwegian man has been ordered to leave Norway in the next 2 weeks for violating a working visa provision in her passport.  

The decision was handed down by the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) after the Norwegian Immigration Directorate (UDI) found Laila Navrud, 28, violated visa provisions that stipulate that she can only work as an au pair in the country.

Also facing expulsion is her 6-month-old son with husband, Ole Kristian Navrud.

Laila entered the country as an au pair 3 years ago and met Norwegian Ole Kristian Navrud. The couple married in 2008 and applied for family reunification and a working permit for Laila.

The UDI issued a working permit with the code that, unknown to her at that time, stipulated that she can only work as an au pair. This stipulation was not indicated in the actual permit and neither was it made clear to her when she got her permit.  

In January 2009, UDI found Navrud in violation of her visa when she reported that she had worked at a bakery and café.

Outrage

The decision of the Immigration directorate to expel Navrud and her young son has sparked widespread outrage in the country with both national and local politicians adding their voice to condemning the decision.  

A local mayor of Modum county where the couple reside had pledged to raise money for the legal appeal of their case and called the decision “unreasonable.”

A lawyer has also offered his services for free to the couple. Their case is now being handled by Arne Seland from the legal firm Feydt who offered to take the case pro bono.

A Facebook group called the “Støttegruppen for Ole Kristian Navrud og familien” had been set up to gather support for the beleaguered family. Its members calling for a review of the case has reached 54,000.

Prime Minister’s orders case review

In an interview with Norwegian TV2, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg promised a review of the Laila case. He said that while it can be understandable that many people can be moved by individual cases, he also said that it is “wiser to be open to look at the rules that apply to individual cases and at the same time make sure that the rules apply to everyone. It means, he added, that if the rules have to be changed it had [to] be applicable to everyone.”

The expulsion order for Navrud and her son takes effect June 3 but their case is now being appealed.