Undocumented elderly
Undocumented elderly in the Netherlands lead a marginalized existence. In practice, they have little or no access to basic medical and social services. Many have been in the Netherlands for decades and cannot return to their country of origin.
Due to their increasing vulnerability, it is increasingly difficult to provide for themselves and the elderly become increasingly dependent on others. That is the conclusion of research on undocumented elderly in the Netherlands. Among other things, De Regenboog Groep, initiator of the study, advocates for a residence permit for the elderly who have been in the Netherlands for fifteen years or more.
Some 750 older, undocumented Surinamese live in Amsterdam. People aged 50 years or older who were born Dutch but lost their Dutch citizenship due to Suriname's independence
.'Too old to be illegal'
On June 15, 2022, Boom Publishers published a diptych on the problems of long-term undocumented elderly in the Netherlands. The research for the reports was done at the initiative of De Regenboog Groep in Amsterdam as part of the project "Too old to be illegal. Scientists from several universities including Erasmus University Rotterdam, and the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht, did the research and wrote the reports.
The diptych consists of a social science section and a legal section.
The first volume, "Fighting with life," describes day-to-day issues in housing, income, health and social inclusion.
Part Two, 'Juridical_exploration_of_the_right_to_provisions_and_stay_for_older_undocumented_people_internal_work_definitive_version.pdf">' describes immigration policy and legislation since the 1990s.
'It would be nice if I get a residence permit before I turn 70, so I can have a better life my last years.'
Legalization older Surinamese
Some of the group of older undocumented people are older Surinamese who were born as Dutch citizens before Suriname's independence and have lived undocumented in the Netherlands for many years.
Despite the fact that their entire family resides legally in the Netherlands, they have never been able to obtain the proper papers. In a letter to the State Secretary of Justice, De Regenboog Groep urged on legal, historical and moral grounds that this group of elderly undocumented people should be legalized. The publication makes their problems visible.
Sustainable solution
The researchers say the situation of undocumented elderly in the Netherlands is a result of the government's restrictive immigration policy that has made the chances of admission based on personal distressing circumstances or family reunification very slim in recent years.
De Regenboog Groep wants to use the project to stimulate a national discussion about the need to reach a sustainable solution for the group of older, long-term undocumented people in the Netherlands.
Recommendations
The scientists make a number of important recommendations for sustainable solutions. They advise the Dutch government to:
- realize legal residence for elderly people who have been in the Netherlands for 15 years or more;
- reintroduce the extended family reunification scheme;
- respect the discretionary power of the secretary of state; and
- establish an interdisciplinary committee with the power to advise in harrowing immigration cases;
- reverse the excesses of the Linkage Act .
De Regenboog Groep wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration in May 2022 urging us to legalize the group of elderly Surinamese who have been in our country undocumented for so long.
Want to know more?
The reports are available through Boom Publishers.
For more information, email Frederiek de Vlaming: fdvlaming@deregenboog.org
Stay informed about the "Too old to be illegal" project? Then sign up for the newsletter at fdvlaming@deregenboog.org
Want to know more?
Below is background information on the project: "Too Old To Be Illegal"
.