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SP-Success: Passports for thousands of 'amnesty recipients' after all

22 July 2021

SP-Success: Passports for thousands of 'amnesty recipients' after all

Foto: SP

It took many debates and proposals, but now the government has finally been convinced. Approximately 10,000 so-called 'amnesty recipients' will finally receive a passport after a 14-year wait. The people who were granted amnesty are the group of refugees who fell under the general amnesty in 2007. Due to bureaucracy, they did not receive a passport, which hindered their existence. They had a residence permit but no passport.

SP MP Jasper van Dijk: 'Without a passport, it becomes difficult to travel, get a job or an internship, vote or get married. At the beginning of this year, my first motion, jointly with the CDA, was adopted, but the government did not want to take any action yet. After the second motion, about 3,000 children became eligible for a passport. This week, State Secretary Broekers has completely changed her mind. The remaining 7,000 people can also apply for a passport. That is great news!

The role of Peter R. de Vries should not go unmentioned here. He pointed out this problem to the SP and brought Van Dijk into contact with Yosef Tekeste-Yemane, one of the people who had been granted amnesty.

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