Court says family of Turkish refugee can join him in NL despite ban

Dutch court.Photo: Odi Bassman

A Breda judge ruled that a family of Turkish refugees may join him In the Netherlands, despite the government’s decision to suspend family reunification procedures.

Thursday’s court ruling is the second setback to the government’s controversial strategy to fill housing shortages for refugees and reduce the number of new arrivals.

Ministers had agreed earlier this year that family reunifications would not take place unless the refugees had a permanent home or had held residency status for at least 15 months.

A court ruled that the man, who fled Turkey in the summer of 2021, should be reunited with his family soon. Mustafa’s wife, six-year-old daughter and baby are officially allowed to join him in the Netherlands, but not until May 2023. They are citizens of Kyrgyzstan.

Attorney General for Refugee Policy Eric van der Berg said he would consider the latest ruling before deciding whether to appeal.

The court said the ban on family reunions violated various laws and treaties.

After the first case, van der Berg said the Netherlands would continue to call for a halt to family reunification proceedings.

In that case, a Haarlem judge ruled that for Syrian women, the right to be reunited with their children outweighed the right of a cabinet to try to manage the accommodation crisis.

About 20 similar cases are currently pending in court, according to the refugee agency Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland.