Netherlands ends penalty payments for slow asylum decisions
The Dutch Senate passed a law freeing the IND immigration service from paying penalties for late decisions. It has paid 112 million euros so far, NL Times reported.
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)
The Dutch Senate on Tuesday approved a law under which asylum seekers waiting too long for a decision can no longer seek court-ordered penalty payments from the IND immigration service. Asylum Minister Bart van den Brink of the CDA intends to implement the measure within a week. The IND had paid 112 million euros through September 2026, NL Times reported, for waits beyond the agreed six months, and more than 200 such requests were filed per working day in recent years.
The Senate also backed an amendment allowing the detention of people refused a residence permit so they "remain available for deportation." The measures come from a bill by former PVV minister Marjolein Faber that the Senate had previously rejected. Van den Brink called the law "a huge improvement," while IND director Rhoda Maas said the payments "primarily result in increased pressure, high costs, and an unnecessary workload."
According to DutchNews, the law also covers regular residence permits, including highly skilled migrants, students and family members. Instead of penalties, judges will only be able to set a deadline for a decision. The D66 party, which voted against an asylum package in April, supported this law.