This month, several judges ruled in five cases that recognized refugees (status holders) can bring their family members to the Netherlands. Among them a Syrian woman, a Turkish man and an Iraqi woman. Each of them said that the government’s measure to limit family reunification of refugees is illegal. According to the judges, the regulation violates both national and international treaties, including the European treaty for the protection of human rights.
First statement
After the first ruling in early December, the responsible state secretary Eric Van der Burg maintained the travel restriction in relation to family members of recognized refugees. According to him, the GIP had not ruled on the family reunification provision as a whole, but on a specific case. After Thursday’s chamber of foreigners verdict, he said he wouldn’t rule out an appeal to the Council of State. After studying the five rulings this month, the cabinet decided on Friday to appeal to the State Council to seek clarity from the highest administrative court on travel restrictions in relation to family reunification.
The restriction on family reunification applies to family members of people who are already in the Netherlands. The cabinet decided in late August that the visa would be issued no later than fifteen months after the family reunification application was submitted. If the status holder already has a home for his relatives traveling to the Netherlands, the visa will be issued sooner. The measure applies until 2023 inclusive and is, according to the cabinet, needed to ease the pressure on overburdened asylum reception.