Dutch Cabinet Approves General Amnesty

Message from Cordaid-Mediation Agency for Return 04-07-2007:

A general amnesty has recently been approved in the Netherlands.This amnesty provides that a residence permit can be granted under certain conditions to migrants that have applied for asylum under the old Aliens Act (before 1 april 2001) and who still reside in the Netherlands.

A summary of the decision:
The general amnesty allows residence to the alien that complies with all the following verifiable criteria:
· The alien has submitted a first request for asylum or has reported at the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) or the Aliens Police a first request for asylum before 1 april 2001;
· The alien has been a resident of the Netherlands without interruption since 1 april 2001;
· The alien has indicated in writing that he will retract his current procedures unconditionally in case his residency is accepted on the basis of the regulation.

Under certain conditions family members of an alien who receive a residence permit based on the general amnesty can also be granted a permit within the family reunification framework

A residence permit will not be granted to an alien in case of contra-indications. For example:
· A criminal act of an alien resulted in a sentence including a custodial penalty or punishment by deprivation of liberty, and the part of the punishment or measure to be enforced unconditionally has a length of at least one month;
· An alien or a member of his family of his family has been accused by order of article 1F of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (crimes against humanity);
· There is indicative evidence that the alien is a danger to national security based on a report by the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) of from other (foreign) ministries or intelligence services;
· The alien reported different identities or nationalities during different procedures where these identities or nationalities have been legally determined to be false.

The Government has reached an agreement with the VNG (The Netherlands Association of Dutch Municipalities) to support the aliens with their integration process and to find accommodation.

For more information about the general amnesty: www.government.nl, the article “cabinet approves general amnesty”.