Other countries make an effort to invite smart, educated immigrants. Norway kicks them out.

I read this story quite differently from you:

The man you are referring to could have been allowed to stay if he has done his paperwork and sent the needed application. He did not do the paperwork that would have allowed him to stay, this is not the responsibility of the norwegian government but his own.

What is really funny about this story is how he and Dagbladet seems to be putting forward a not to veiled argument that since he got a diploma from the king declaring him a knight he should be allowed to stay anyhow.

As Dagbladet normally takes a position against titles, preferrential treatment and is not being too entusiastich about the monarchy this cracks me up.

I do not know what Dagbladet is putting forth, but I do know that the article Bjørn links to is written by Valerij Berkov himself and not by anyone else. Are you thinking of another article in Dagbladet, Larssen?

Anyway, Dagbladets journalists are probably quite free to have different opinions on both monarchy and knighthood. A newspaper does not have to - and indeed should not - always be in agreement with itself.

I do not mind if an elderly russian professor is allowed to stay in the country. What made this issue strangely surreal was the arguments that was used.

I was aware that the link was to an article by Berkov himself. There have, however, been several pieces on Berkovs case in Dagbladet. A summary of articles can be seen here:
http://www.dagbladet.no/tekstarkiv/index.php?string=berkov

I am sure that the journalists of Dagbladet is free to hold quite diverse opinons, but arguments for Berkovs case have been made in an editorial piece as well (in one of the articles there is even a copy of his diploma from the king displayed).

The director of UDI comments this case today:
http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2005/08/02/438975.html

Thanks for the links.

Thanks for the update and links, Larssen.

The story could also be seen as being about the consequences of an incredibly rigid law and a UDI beureaucracy that decides most cases on legalistic technicalities rather than on the merits of the case itself.

In theory, Berkov's situation should be relevant, as it puts a face on these problems.

However, his bragging of titles and accomplishments does himself a disservice. As does the fact that, according to the UDI, they weren't going to kick him out of the country but were encouraging him to apply for a visa and a new residence permit on different grounds.

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