Netherlands Government to Limit Accompanying Family Member Benefits
2012-05-02
by Fragomen
Effective July 1, 2012, only legally married or registered foreign domestic partners will be able to join or accompany a foreign or Dutch national residing in the Netherlands. The new policy will not apply to residence permit applications filed before July 1. Existing residence permit holders will remain able to renew their permits under the current rules.
In most cases, unmarried or unregistered partners and extended family members will no longer be able to obtain residence permits in the extended family reunification/family visitor category. There will be a limited exception for unmarried partners for whom it is legally impossible to marry or register their partnership in their home country, such as where the home country prohibits same-sex or interfaith marriage or makes no provision for partnership registration. In these cases, affected unmarried partners will be able to apply for a provisional six-month residence permit to enter in the Netherlands and get married or register a partnership.
Foreign nationals planning to apply for visas for family reunification should file their applications before July 1, 2012.
The revised family policy is part of the Dutch government’s new immigration framework, aimed at tightening the country’s immigration policies and promoting the integration and participation of foreign family members in Dutch society.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen Global LLP or send an email to emea@fragomen.com.
http://www.fragomen.com/newsresources/xprNewsDetailFrag.aspx?xpST=GlobalAlerts&news=1580
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