– I can’t breathe and I’m tired. Really tired, says Ryan Toney. Behind two brown eyes, you can see a sadness that only those who have experienced the loss of a loved one can understand. – I don’t get to mourn in the same way as the others, because I have to keep fighting, says Toney with a hint of an American accent. Became seriously ill American Toney has been given a complex reason why he cannot continue to live in Norway. He moved here on 10 February 2022 with his wife Maria. She was an Icelandic citizen, but had lived in Norway with her family since 2008. In 2016, Maria went to the USA to study, and that’s where she and Ryan met. In 2020, they got married. MARRIED: In 2020, Maria and Ryan got married. A year later, Maria received a serious cancer diagnosis. Photo: Privat At the beginning of 2022, Maria was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive type of cancer. The couple then decided to move to Lillehammer to be closer to her family. And to start treatment in Norway. – Doctors from Iceland told us that she had three to six months to live without treatment. Norway was the only place that took Maria in for treatment very early on, says Toney. During the period of illness, he became a carer for Maria around the clock. He gathered strength in the hope that they would be able to share a future together. – We promised each other that we would fight through this together, says Ryan and falls silent for a few seconds. GOT CANCER: Maria Viggosdottir Toney was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer in 2021. Photo: Private Being advised wrongly by the police But Maria lost the battle against cancer, and died in September 2022. Then Toney received a phone call with shocking news. He has to leave the country. He no longer meets the requirements for residence in Norway. According to Toney, the police advised him to apply for residence rights as a family member of an EEA citizen. But he was married to a Nordic citizen, which should have given him the right to apply for a residence permit, not just a right of residence. – The police assured us that this was a better alternative for our situation, he says. GOOD FRIENDS: Ryan Toney has gained a large network in Norway. Here he is with a friend on a trip. Photo: Privat Five months too little But according to these rules, married couples must live together in Norway for at least twelve months in order for a foreign spouse to be able to obtain residence. Ryan and Maria only got 7 months together. Thus, the requirement according to the EEA rules is not met. Toney can document that he first applied for an ordinary residence permit when he came to Norway. But he claims that this was dismissed by the police who encouraged him to search for the EEA regulations. news has seen this documentation. Ryan believes that if the police had approved the first application, he would have been entitled to further residence after Maria’s death. Can’t answer specifically Tone Ljos is Ryan’s lawyer. – In the situation Ryan and Maria were in with her serious illness, it could not be expected that he would be able to familiarize himself enough with the rules to uncover that the police gave him incorrect information, writes lawyer Tone Ljos in the complaint that was sent to UDI. Police Inspector Ronny Hvalby Sollie at the police in Innlandet says that they cannot give a concrete answer to this case. – On a general basis, you can inform that the police have a duty to provide information and guidance in administrative matters, he writes in an e-mail to news. – The police informs the applicant at the meeting of the difference between these schemes and what this means for the applicant both practically and in terms of rights. Applicants are free to choose the solution they consider best after information and guidance, he writes further. ACTIVE: Maria was on the Icelandic national alpine team. Photo: Private – It feels brutal Now the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration has refused Ryan’s application for residence, even though the law states that human considerations can be taken into account in the assessment of such cases. – UDI sees the situation in very black and white terms, and I think they should hear the whole story before making such decisions, says Toney. He says that he has done his utmost to adapt to Norwegian society. Among other things, he got a permanent job at Lillehammer Bakeri, but he could not keep it as he no longer has a residence permit. – It feels very brutal. SAD: Ryan has worked at Lillehammer Bakeri, but can no longer work there as he no longer has a residence permit. The general manager of Lillehammer bakery says it is a great loss to lose such a cheerful and hard-working employee – He is fluent in many languages and we had hired him full-time this summer during the tourist season, says Gro-Eva Owren. Unit leader in UDI Kontroll, Hanne Brusethaug says they understand that this is a bad situation for Toney. At the same time, they believe there is no room for discretion to waive the one-year residence requirement. – Toney’s situation does not meet the requirements for strong human considerations, emphasizes Brusethaug. The case has now been forwarded to the Immigration Board for complaint processing. Supported mother-in-law Maria’s mother Bryndis Yr Viggosdottir expresses great gratitude for Ryan Toney’s presence even after her daughter’s death. CLOSE TIES: Mother of Maria Bryndis Yr Viggosdottir says Ryan has become important to her family after Maria died. The Free Church of Life Center in Lillehammer has become an important place for Ryan. There he can seek comfort. Photo: Alexander Nordby – Ryan has been a great comfort to the whole family, and without him it is not certain that I would be where I am today, says the mother-in-law. Bryndis says she understands that the rules must be strict, and that Norway is a safe country that many people want to live in. – At the same time, I think you have to be able to read between the lines. The fact that Maria died after seven months and not twelve is not something we could do anything about, says Bryndis and wipes the tears from her face. BEING HONORED: Parents and husband accept an award for Maria. She is being honored at a ceremony at the school in Oregon where she studied physical therapy. Photo: Private Does not understand the situation Toney says that it will feel lonely to go back to the USA now, as his network there does not know his situation. MOTTO: The married couple tattooed “spread smiles” before Maria died. – That was her motto and she was always so positive, even when everything seemed hopeless, says Ryan. Photo: Alexander Nordby – I try to talk to friends and family in the US about the grief, but they don’t understand it in the same way, says Toney. – Here in Norway, I don’t have to say anything, they just understand, because they have been close, he concludes.
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Ryan Toney lost his wife to cancer. Now he is being thrown out of the country. – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
