Some 2,500 children and their parents have so far applied for residency permits in the Netherlands under the amnesty for child refugees, junior justice minister Fred Teeven has told parliament.

An estimated 800 children aged 18 and under who have lived in the Netherlands for more than five years without official refugee status are thought to be eligible for the amnesty.

To qualify they should have lived in the Netherlands for at least five years and not been out of contact with the Dutch authorities for more than three months. They must also be under the age of 21 and have lied about their identity to officials no more than once.

Applications can be made up to May 1.

The amnesty was introduced to stop the deportation of youngsters who have become rooted in the Netherlands because their families’ refugee application processes have taken so long.

Earlier stories
Some 800 refugee children plus families will benefit from amnesty