Takako Ellefsen (83) received a shock notice: Must leave Norway by 28 December

83-year-old Takako Ellefsen was looking forward to a peaceful pre-Christmas and Christmas at home in Stavanger. Until she recently received a notice from the immigration board to leave the country. – I am terribly disappointed, says Ellefsen.

83-year-old Takako Ellefsen has lived in Norway for several years and felt connected to the country all her adult life.

She is a widow after her Norwegian husband Karsten Johan died in 2009, aged 77, and was buried at Revheim Church in Hafrsfjord.

Because of the husband’s professional life at sea and in Det Norske Veritas – there were several stays abroad for the couple. But there was never any doubt with her that Norway was the woman’s homeland, even though she is formally a Japanese citizen.

– It is here in Norway that I have the most connections. This is where I want to be for the years I have left. Now I definitely don’t want the police at the door to throw me into space Christmas. Then I’d rather leave the country earlier – if this doesn’t work out, says Takako Ellefsen to VG on Sunday.

Takako says that she also has grandchildren in Norway, which makes her ties to the country even stronger.

She lives with her daughter Klara Ellefsen at Tasta in Stavanger. The daughter is as shaken as the mother by the unequivocal decision from the Immigration Board, which VG has seen.

It says in black and white that the 83-year-old must leave Norway by 28 December 2022, and that she cannot appeal the decision.

Way back in 1965 – 57 years ago, Takako Ellefsen came to Norway for the first time together with her boyfriend at the time, Karsten Johan Ellefsen. The two married in Japan the year before, after which their daughter Klara was born in 1966.

Husband worked abroad

Takako’s husband and Klara’s father sailed overseas from the 1950s, a lot in Asia, and the small family temporarily settled in Japan for a few years to be closer to her husband and the father of her young child.

After a few years, Karsten Johan Ellefsen started working for Det norske Veritas – based in Japan. He later moved with his family back home to Norway, where he became a consultant in the shipping industry.

After Takako Ellefsen became a widow in 2009, she lived in Stavanger for a few years – before moving with her daughter Klara about eight years ago – first to Japan, then to Spain for five years.

There, Takako Ellefsen was granted legal residence by the Spanish authorities.

Her lawyer, Maren Skåden, reacts to the fact that the Norwegian authorities cannot grant her legal residence in what Ellefsen perceives as her real homeland, namely Norway.

– In this case, there is talk of Takako Ellefsen having lived for five years in the EU country of Spain and being allowed to be there by the Spanish authorities. When she then came to Norway, there should basically be equal treatment of EU/EEA citizens here, says Skåden to VG.

Part of the case also concerns the fact that Ellefsen’s Japanese health insurance was assessed as good enough in Spain, but has not been found comprehensive and good enough by the Norwegian authorities.

Ellefsen’s lawyer will assess what they do next with the family on Tuesday. They can go to court and ask for a reversal, a so-called temporary injunction – or try to get a deferred implementation.

Does not use “strong human considerations”

The Immigration Board (UNE) chaired by Johan Berg writes, among other things, in the justification for the decision on deportation that UNE believes that the complainant does not have a special connection to Norway which would indicate that she will be granted a residence permit in accordance with the Immigration Act.

It is also noted that UNE has looked at Ellefsen’s residence permit in Norway from 2009 to 2013 and for two years in the 1960s, but that this is not sufficient to grant her a residence permit.

The fact that Takako’s daughter, Klara, is a Norwegian citizen is also not sufficient for a residence permit to be granted, according to UNE, which also indicates that her three other children live in Japan and Great Britain.

UNE also does not find it probable in its reasoning that the daughter Klara is Takako’s dependent.

The Immigration Board has also assessed whether “strong humanitarian considerations” or “special connection to Norway” can be used to stop the sending of Takako Ellefsen from Norway to Japan.

“UNE has assessed the information that the complainant has a special connection to Norway due to family and previous residence, but has, after an overall assessment, come to the conclusion that a residence permit will not be granted in this case.”

UNE also has no information about entry restrictions in Japan that prevent Klara Ellefsen from traveling with her mother out of Norway to Japan.

Director of Communications Bjørn Lyster in the Norwegian Immigration Service refers to the decision, and does not give further comments on it on Sunday afternoon.

– Norway is my home country

Takako Ellefsen’s daughter and breadwinner, Klara Ellefsen, is, like her mother, distraught over the situation.

– My mother is in good health despite being 83 years old, but she has been quite anxious after dad died. This anxiety does not diminish when she has this decision about eviction hanging over her, says Klara Ellefsen.

– Norway is my home country. I just want to be here, says mother Takako to VG.

She is aware that she has less time than many others in Norway – because she lived for several years abroad with her family and husband. He worked for Det norske Veritas – a Norwegian group that is represented in large parts of the world.

The daughter Klara at least hopes that the eviction of the mother can wait until after the new year, so that the gathering of the family at Tasta in Stavanger can take place as planned during Christmas and Christmas.

– Our primary wish is for mother to live out her last years here. When she dies, she will share her resting place with dad at Revheim church, says her daughter Klara.