250 nuisance-causing asylum seekers in Ter Apel rejected faster by the IND
In recent months, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) has rejected around 250 nuisance-causing asylum seekers faster than usual. A special team is applying the accelerated procedure to nuisance-causing asylum seekers from safe countries (only in Dutch), and nationalities with a high rejection percentage (such as Algeria and Moldova) and asylum seekers to whom the Dublin procedure applies. This approach can only lead to a rejection; applications are not granted faster. In the short term, the IND wants to process around 40 applications per week by nuisance-causing asylum seekers.
Procedure in eight days
To reject nuisance-causing asylum seekers in Ter Apel quickly, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), Repatriation and Departure Service (DT&V) and the IND are working together closely, with the support of the police (AVIM). Where possible, the identification and registration of a nuisance-causing asylum seeker by the police will be prioritised (if necessary). Shortly afterwards, the IND schedules the interview. After the decision, the DT&V prioritises these cases for the departure procedure. If necessary, courts also prioritise appeal cases by these nuisance-causing people.
Causing a nuisance is not tolerated
During the process, it is made clear that causing a nuisance is not tolerated. Applicants will be accompanied to appointments that are important for the procedure. If they do not turn up, the IND can decide on the subject matter in case of a no show when certain conditions are met; the invitation must then have been delivered in person, for example. The entire approach focuses on discouraging and quickly rejecting nuisance-causing asylum seekers who do not have a right to asylum and abuse the hospitality offered in the Netherlands.
Shoplifting
For example, an applicant who commits shoplifting will have an accelerated procedure if they have poor prospects of being granted asylum and that person is staying in Ter Apel. If that person has already gone through identification and registration, the IND can directly deny them the rest and preparation period under certain circumstances. This means that they are immediately given a letter saying that the asylum procedure begins right away, an interview takes place and the applicant receives a decision initiating the completion of the procedure and departure from the Netherlands.
Process availability location
The special team of the IND also decides on applications by asylum seekers who are being accommodated in the pilot process availability location (PBL) in Ter Apel starting today. Here, asylum seekers are accommodated if they have little to no chance of being allowed to remain in the Netherlands. They must remain available for their procedure continuously, so that a decision can be issued. For the IND, the continuous availability of applicants is important because the problem of this group is that they often do not turn up at interviews.
Interview in VreemdelingenVisie
An interview was published in the magazine VreemdelingenVisie of July 2023 (only available in Dutch), with various members of the pilot intervention team in Ter Apel. In it, the team’s collaboration and approach are explained.