Stranded Abroad: IOM Georgia’s Support for Migrants Seeking Voluntary Return

Tbilisi - Ane*, 41, fled her African homeland two years ago with her young daughter after a close family member was forced to escape due to security threats. Afraid for their safety, she used her last savings to buy plane tickets and an e-visa to Georgia—a place she hoped would offer refuge. But arriving in a foreign country with no knowledge of the local language or a support system, Ane quickly realised how difficult the road ahead would be.

After two years of uncertainty, Ane came to the realisation that her future in Georgia had reached a dead end. Still unable to speak Georgian and without the means to live outside of sheltered accommodation, she made the difficult decision to return to her home country. Her daughter, who had missed a year of schooling, was able to enrol at a local school, learn Georgian, and even took part in extracurricular activities. But despite their efforts, Ane could still not build a stable life in Georgia. 

“After two years, I am still living in a charity shelter, seeing no prospect for a better life. So, I decided it is better to return. My family says that it’s safe there now and I also think that my place is in my country, next to my people. This would be also better for my daughter”, laments Ane. 

IOM Georgia has been instrumental in helping people like Ane through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme. This programme supports migrants who wish to return to their home countries but lack the means to do so. IOM provides comprehensive assistance, including travel arrangements, reintegration support, and assistance with obtaining necessary documents. This ensures that returnees can rebuild their lives with dignity and hope for a better future.

"If our organisation focuses on anything, it is to understand the multifaceted challenges and vulnerabilities that migrants face. Our goal here is to lend support so that a return journey is safe and dignified. By providing comprehensive assistance, including travel arrangements and reintegration support, our ultimate aim is to help returnees rebuild their lives", - says Lars Johan Lönnback, Chief of Mission at IOM Georgia.

Ane received a small reintegration grant from IOM Georgia to cover initial expenses upon her return to support her transition and reintegration. She says the remainder will go towards her daughter's education andadmits that returning to her home country would have been impossible without IOM's aid.

Similarly, Ali*, a 37-year-old father of three, arrived in Georgia five years ago from the Middle East after losing his job. Ali has never lived in his home country in South Asia, having spent most of his life in the Middle East. 

"When my residence wasn’t extended, I moved to Georgia, hoping for a better future for my family," he recalls.

In Georgia, Ali found work in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and his third child was born there. But life wasn’t as promising as he had hoped for and after facing several setbacks, Ali’s situation worsened when his asylum request was denied. With nowhere else to turn to, he approached IOM Georgia for assistance. IOM helped Ali and his family with the necessary paperwork and purchased tickets to enable return to his native country, where he hopes to start anew.

For Ali, the future is uncertain, but he clings onto optimism and hope that this new beginning will bring brighter days ahead for his family.

Since 2013, IOM Georgia has helped just over 1,100 migrants return to their home countries through the AVRR programme. Both Ane and Ali’s stories reflect the vital role that IOM plays in helping migrants in difficult situations. 

For more on IOM support programme, please reach out to IOM Georgia at: iomtbilisi@iom.int. 

* The names have been changed to protect the identities of the interviewees.