Residence procedures can change overtime, especially since the government changes every four years in the Netherlands. Over the last decade, governments want to discourage migrants to come to the Netherlands. To scare asylum seekers and economical motivated migrants off, migration laws have become stricter and stricter in the last two decades. Since October 2010, the Netherlands has a new, right winged parliament. The new ministers want to turn illegality into a criminal offence. The folowing link links to the general homepage of the Dutch immigration organization:
If you want to reside in the Netherlands for more than 3 months, you have to have a valid residence permit. This document allows you to work and live in the Netherlands. You have to apply for a visa or a residence permit before you come to the Netherlands. Without papers you are illegal, and not allowed to work and not entitled to certain rights, such as health care insurance. You can find the procedures to apply for citizenship as they are at the moment trough these links:
Illegal migrants in the Netherlands can end up in detention centers. Justitia et Pax Netherlands fights for the rights of the illegal migrants who are being detained: http://en.justitiaetpax.nl/
- EU portal with information about working in the Netherlands
- EU portal with information about migrant rights
- Vluchtelingen Werk Nederland is an independent organization that looks after the interests of refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
- COA Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers. COA provides accommodation during the asylum procedure and prepares asylum seekers for staying in the Netherlands, returning to their country of origin, or transmigration.
- ASKV steunpunt vluchtelingen supports and helps migrants and falied aylum seekers that can't return to their country.
- Maatwerk bij terugkeer Organization that helps undocumented migrants and former asylum seekers to return to their home country.
- IND The Dutch Immigration and Naturalization service, part of the Ministry of Interior affairs.
