Immigration law

Index

    You can contact me as your immigration lawyer for answers with regard to your questions about immigration law and all other laws affecting migrants to the Netherlands. As an immigration lawyer specializing in immigration law and other migrant affairs, I can offer you the right kind of help.

    This includes all questions about migration, MVV cases, family reunion, residence permits and visa, but also all other types of migration and naturalization issues. For assistance with regards to re-entry ban or return decisions, you are at the right address. In situations where you have problems with renewing your residence permit or even where the residence permit has been revoked you can still come to me for help, and can be assured of receiving the best possible advice.

    In all such cases I can lodge an objection at the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) or the Visadienst (Visa Service) on your behalf and/or make an appeal to the Court. Without a lawyer who specializes in immigration law and migrant affairs you are often underrepresented.

    It is crucial that an immigration lawyer is there to represent you and point out the rights you have under the EU migration law to the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) and the Court; namely the EU-directives and the EU case-law. European Union law overrides national law and is therefore relevant in such cases. Also, the EU rules are often less stringent than the national laws and policies, and as a consequence those national laws and policies are often declared to be non-applicable. This policy may be invoked by all EU residents. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) often incorrectly rejects many cases related to family reunification. I can also help you with the EU-route Germany and EU-route Belgium.

    If necessary, I can also file a complaint on your behalf with the European Court of Human rights (ECHR). These are complicated procedures that can take many years, so they have to be discussed well in advance.

    Assistance and help or advice with the applications mentioned here are not free of charge and cannot be done on government payment (toevoeging) in my office. If you have that right and you want that you need to contact a different firm. Help with an appeal at IND or court can in most cases be done on government payment if you fulfill the requirements. The applications however not. See for more information prices and lawyers fee.

    I am also a member of the Specialistenvereniging Migratierecht Advocaten (SVMA Specialists Association of Migration Lawyers) and the Werkgroep Rechtsbijstand in Vreemdelingenzaken (WRV -Working Group on Legal Aid in Immigration).

    Help with application

    Do you need assistance with an application? Do feel free to solicit my help for a legal fee. The lodge of an application can sometimes be difficult to accomplish. Please bear in mind that the relevant costs in the application stage are not covered by the Raad voor Rechtsbijstand (Legal Aid Board). As a lawyer I can help you with the whole process for a fixed fee. Submitting an application can in some case be complicated by yourself without the help of a lawyer. For an overview of the required form, click here. Feel free to contact me to discuss the possibilities and conditions. The procedures are difficult enough. Having a lawyer take care of everything is therefore pleasant.

    Chávez application parent with child (EU Handbook)

    In cases concerning children with the Dutch nationality, or another EU member state nationality, the parent can ask for a residence document based on article 20 EU. This is called the Chávez application. This is applicable to cases where the parents are together or separated but the person without the status is supporting the child.

    It is a violation of European law to forcefully cause a EU or Dutch child to follow its parent outside the EU because the parent had not been awarded a residence permit. In effect this would have otherwise lead to the child being denied the privileges derived from its status; namely the (guaranteed) right to reside in the Netherlands. If the parent has a residence permit in the EU, we could not invoke this article, because the child thus is not forced to leave the EU.

    In order to assess whether a child would necessarily need to relocate, depends on the determination of which parent provides (most) for the child and whether the child is dependent on this maintenance. Here, the interest of the child, the age of the child & relationship with its parents and which consequences the rejection of the permit will have on the child are weighed.

    As a Chávez lawyer, I can advice you during the application process or appeal when there is a negative decision. Several cases are being rejected and it often happens that the rejections are unfounded or that the rejection occurs due to insufficient proof. Proving tasks with regard to caring for and raising the child can prove difficult. If desired, I can help with in going along with you to the IND desk to submit the application. Once there, you will have to pay and you will have your picture taken and be fingerprinted. The decision will not be made immediately but provided you have a passport, you can immediately be issued a “work permit sticker” in order to rightfully remain in the Netherlands and be able to work legally while you await the decision. In the case where you do not have a passport I can still assist you because the IND’s viewpoint is not correct in every situation.

    It has now become clear that the EU residence document is not temporary. This means that even after the child has reached the age of majority, the parent must be able to obtain a residence document and should also be able to naturalize according to the normal rules. Litigation is still ongoing on these points, so it is not yet clear what the effect of this will be.

    Application for residence permit or MVV spouse or partner (article 8 ECHR and EU Handbook)

    I can assist you if you have problems with an application for a residence permit or MVV for your spouse or partner. A lot of people find it difficult to make the application themselves. As a lawyer I can help you with advice and guidance or do the full procedure for you for a fixed fee.

    In case of an application for your partner or spouse, Article 8 ECHR guarantees the right to private life or family life. However in some cases having the minimum required income can be an issue. Sometimes people have an income that is not high enough according to the law, but can still maintain themselves without having to rely on welfare. In such cases the invocation of EU directives and jurisprudence laws (EU law) may offer a solution. The European rules for family reunification are often less stringent than that required by Dutch law. In all such cases EU law overrides national law, and a lawyer who specializes in Dutch immigration and foreign law or EU migration law such as I do is the right person to help you.

    In some cases, you only receive a social benefit (ziektewet of arbeidsongeschiktheidsuitkering), but for example no prospect of recovery for the upcoming years. In those cases, we can also look for solutions together. Often there are special circumstances to make an appeal. This is highly dependant on the medical situation. Therefore, the help of medical experts is important. We can look at the possibilities together.

    Also in some cases the MVV application cannot be done in the country of origin, or somebody has already arrived here. Therefore also encountering problems with the integration exam (inburgeringsexamen) which needs to be done in the Dutch embassy in the country of origin. As a lawyer I can help you to see if there are possibilities to nevertheless start the application here in the Netherlands and request for exemption. This is however never easy.

    In some cases the parent can ask for a residence permit with the child, for example if the partner does not fulfill the income requirements. If there is contact with the child we can invoke article 8 ECHR family life to obtain a residence permit. You would need to prove that the family life cannot be effected outside of the country. This sometimes can be hard to prove. The lodging of these applications can therefore sometimes be difficult to accomplish. As a lawyer I can help you with the whole process.

    As a lawyer I can also help you with the appeal when the application has been rejected, both at the IND or the court procedure.

    Application for a residence permit or MVV for a child or foster child and other family members (article 8 ECHR and asylum family reunification)

    I can also provide help and advice for the application for a residence permit for a child with the parent(s). Here too, the forms and prove can sometimes be complicated and the help of a lawyer can be helpful. I can give advice on what to do or supervise and submit the complete application for you. The conditions are often easier for minor children than for adult children. But an application can also be made for adult children up to about 25 years of age. This mainly depends on what the family situation was like before leaving the country of origin. This therefore also plays a role in family reunification cases (asylum). If an application for family reunification from children or parents is rejected, you can contact my office for the appeal.

    But also in other family matters such as children, brother, sister or parents) it can sometimes be considered to apply for family reunification. Demonstrating the family relationship and dependence often requires a great deal of evidence, such as reports and letters from institutions to support the actual situation. As a rule, these applications are not easy and help and advice from a lawyer can be useful.

    Visa

    If you want to invite friends or family from abroad, applying for a visa can be problematic. In many cases, the Dutch Embassy abroad rejects applications incorrectly. As a visa lawyer I can offer you good advice and help in the process to ensure that your visitors can come to the Netherlands. In many cases successful appeals can be made against any rejection of visas by the Visadienst (Visa Service).

    The policy of the Visa Service is to reject as many applications as possible. One of the primary reasons given for these rejections is that there is insufficient social and economic bonding with the home country. That means that the person who comes from abroad does not have a job or a family and therefore, has no compelling reason to return home after the visit. It is important in such cases to show that such a bond with the home country indeed exists.

    It is frequently stated that the declared purpose and conditions of stay are insufficient, or that it is not clear that the person will return at the specified time. Often this has to do with the fact that there is a difference between what the host person in the Netherlands and what the person abroad making the request has said. The least of difference in these statements can be cause for rejection. Raising an objection in such cases often makes sense as an avenue to explain and remove these contradictions. In many cases going to Court can be useful if the objection is wrongly rejected.

    Changing residence status (verblijfsdoel)

    If you have a residence permit and want to change the residence status, you can contact my firm. For example if you are currently on a highly skilled visa and want to change this to a different partnership or business partner for an existing company or a new firm, you need to change your residence status. Also if you have a residence for study or partner, you may need to change your residence status if the study or relation has ended. My firm can help you with the whole process for a fixed fee.

    Civic integration examination

    As your immigration lawyer I can also help you with problems concerning the civic integration tests done abroad as well as the civic integration examination here in the Netherlands. In many cases the applicants do not have the required information and therefore cannot pass the test and exam. In such situations a lawyer can make a request for exemption. Often appealing to the EU law (Union law) can be done successfully.

    Naturalization / losing Dutch nationality

    If you want to become a naturalized Dutchman, you will need to submit a naturalization request. The assistance of a lawyer is important of facilitate this process as the conditions are often very complicated. The Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap (Dutch Nationality Law) is a complicated Law. People are regularly charged unjustly with a breach of stay, and in many cases they are also ignorant of this fact. Nowadays you must also renounce your own nationality and sometimes this is not always possible. If you renounce your nationality you lose certain rights in your own country. It is sometimes possible to successfully prevent the need for renunciation. Such is only the case if you can provide special and objectively assessable reasons for not renouncing your existing nationality. Dual citizenship then becomes a possibility. However, this is highly difficult and dependent on your personal situation. In many cases naturalization is not possible because of the lack of documents, such as the birth certificate. I can always offer you the right help as your lawyer.

    It is also possible that you have lost your Dutch nationality, or at least has never renewed your Dutch passport or have never asked for a passport. In these cases I can help and advice you to get your Dutch nationality back with the help of the important Tjebbes-case from the Court of Justice from 12 March 2019. A request (optieverzoek) has to be made at the Dutch embassy in the country you are living in. Contact me for help and advice regarding this matter.

    Stateless persons and no-fault buiten schuld procedure

    As a lawyer I can help people who are stateless. Being stateless does not mean you are entitled to protection in the Netherlands. The asylum can be rejected even if you are considered stateless. The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness are the key international conventions addressing statelessness which I can try to use as a lawyer. Because statelessness is currently not a reason to be able to stay in the Netherlands, you have to look for other ways to get a residence permit, such as “buiten schuld”, known as the “no-fault” procedure. However, this procedure is very difficult to win. There are groups of stateless persons that represent large communities suych as the Roma, Rohingya, Palestinians, Kurds, Bidoon and people from the former Soviet Union. But is can impact any person. Remember: being without documents is not the same as being stateless. For more information please contact my office.

    Medical and article 64 delay of departure

    I can assist you with questions concerning a medical residence permit and delay of departure on the grounds of article 64. I can provide support with such an application. The process often concerns complex matters that warrants plenty medical preliminary work. Such an application often requires working with third parties.

    Humanitarian and special situations

    For some people it is difficult to obtain a residence permit based on the other give situations. For those looking at their special conditions could prove usefull. To get a residence permit on humanitarian grounds is very difficult. Integration in the Dutch society is vital and appealing to article 8 EVRM and its private conditions is not easy. Also a passport is required so there could be problems there. For more information please feel free to contact me.

    Re-entry ban and unwanted certification

    If you are certified as an unwanted foreigner or have received a re-entry ban and return decision, I can also assist you. The returns directive is a complicated directive which ensures in many cases that a re-entry ban is enforced. It is very helpful to have a lawyer who can help you appeal against this re-entry ban in a timely manner.

    The re-entry ban is a measure to prevent unwanted foreigners from coming back to the Netherlands. The return decision that is imposed on illegal migrants, may be combined with a re-entry ban. A re-entry ban cannot be imposed on an EU national or a foreigner who does not reside in the Netherlands. It is possible to waive imposition of a re-entry ban on humanitarian grounds.

    When there is an intention to impose a re-entry ban, the concerned foreigner will have the opportunity to express his/her opinion on the matter. This can be done orally or in writing. A re-entry ban can only be given in conjunction with or following a return decision.

    The length of the re-entry ban depends on individual circumstances and can vary from person to person. Normally, the ban is for 2 years or for five years. This can only be extended to 10 years when there is a serious threat to public safety or national security. Persons who do not comply with this re-entry ban and stay or travel back to Netherlands, may be subjected to punishment under the criminal law.

    We can try to request to stop the entry-ban. Sometimes the entry-ban was not correct or there are personal reasons why the entry-ban should be stopped. Usually after half of the time of the entry-ban has been passed, you can make such request. Please contact me if you are in need of help for such cases including appealing at IND and courts.

    The court case procedure

    It is important to take note of the following should your case be taken up by the Court.

    Many persons consider a court case very important and for this reason incorrectly assume that everything will be divulged during the court case. This is not the reality. The procedures are done in writing. Arguments are submitted in writing to the Court prior to convening. Extra documents and information need to be submitted to the Court for consideration up until 10 days before the set date. Anything otherwise is only permissible in extraordinary circumstances.

    Accordingly, the trial does not serve the purpose for the entire case to be laid before the presiding judge. The judge has already been familiarized with the dossier. The trial is meant to provide the judge with the opportunity to pose any relevant questions to the parties. The IND is present at almost all times for this reason. I may provide explanation and clarification about the case on your behalf.

    The judge often provides you with the chance to give a closing statement: you may make use of this opportunity but this is not necessary. It is useful that you consult with me before you want to make a statement regardless, and limit your statement to a short and powerful one. The verdict is not rendered at the close of the court case. This may take some weeks in fact. The judge will let us know at the end of the hearing how long we will need to wait for the decision.

    A negative decision can be appealed in most cases.

    In the case of a positive decision the court will dismiss the decision of the IND and turn the case back over to the IND. The court does not have the authority to grant a residence permit itself and merely has the capacity to supervise weather the IND has operated in a just manner. The IND then has to make a new decision mindful of the court’s objections and considerations. The new decision (by the IND) can be again negative, leading to a new submittal of an appeal at the court. In the case of a positive decision the IND can also appeal at the high court if they are not in agreement with the judgment. Thus a positive decision can be turned into a negative one.

    In the case of an negative decision of the court we can initiate second appeal at the high court (Raad van State). This however is a formal and often mere written procedure. When a positive decision is reached at the high court, the case can either by referred back to the IND or the court.

    ECHR – European Court of Human Rights

    A complaint against the Netherlands (the Dutch State) can be lodged with the European Court of Human Rights if the second appeal is also negative. These are complex and lengthy procedures for which the majority of cases will not be eligible. Please contact me to find out if youre case is applicable.

    Advice

    I can help you with advice or analyzing your case regarding any topic on immigration law. You can mail or whatsapp me your questions. In most cases the advice is not for free but I will let you know in advance of course. I only work with a fixed advice fee. I do not have a consultation fee unfortunately. But calling my office and sending me (Whatsapp) messages or mailing is for free of course. When I think answering the questions is not possible for free, you will hear from me.

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