News item | 13-04-2023 | 11:00 am
Foreign nationals who have to return to their country of origin may soon be forced to take a test for serious and contagious diseases, including corona. This measure prevents foreign nationals from frustrating their return by not cooperating with such a test. To regulate this, a legal basis is created in the Aliens Act 2000.
Promote return
More than 40 countries of origin are currently still requiring a negative corona test for the return of residents. It now happens too often that foreign nationals who have to return frustrate their deportation by refusing a corona test. This bill ensures that, in extreme cases, a forced test may be administered if a foreign national who has to leave the Netherlands refuses to be tested. The law also makes it possible to impose a test obligation in the event of future outbreaks of serious and contagious diseases if this is necessary for return.
State Secretary Eric van der Burg:
“People who are not allowed to stay in our country must actually return. This is crucial for the support for asylum reception. As the Netherlands, we are therefore firmly committed to return. We do this by entering into partnerships with other countries, but also with this bill that promotes return. This is how we work towards a fair asylum system.”
Consequences return
Figures from the Repatriation & Departure Service show that a total of 1,940 flights were canceled in 2021 and 2022 because foreign nationals refused to cooperate with a corona test required before departure. As a result of test refusals, 780 transfer deadlines in Dublin cases have also expired in 2021 and 2022. This means that in those cases the Netherlands became responsible for processing the relevant asylum applications.
Consultation
The forced testing on departure bill will go into internet consultation for 8 weeks. The Ministry of Justice and Security invites stakeholders to respond to the internet consultation.