Expats Want the Netherlands to Abolish Travel Restrictions for Non-EU Family Members

Expatriates living in the Netherlands have demanded from the Dutch authorities and the European Union to lift the COVID-19 travel restrictions against family members who live outside the EU area.

In order for their request to be taken into account, a group of people has started a campaign called ‘#pleasetheNetherlands’, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The campaign was launched in March this year to mark the one-year anniversary of the Dutch Government’s entry ban on third-country citizens, which has also affected couples and families, which was first initiated through the citizen’s movement ‘Families outside the EU, we miss you!’.

“We want an exemption from the EU entry-ban for first and second-degree family members of Dutch nationals and of legal residents. It is emotionally devastating not to know when you will be able to see your parents again,” two ex-pats living in the Netherlands, Lorraine Blauw and Andrea Morales, said, commenting on the Government’s entry ban.

Moreover, Blauw insisted that they are legal residents. Thereby they should be treated equally.

Furthermore, ‘Family is not Tourism,’ a movement aiming to reunite families that have been forcibly separated due to the travel ban, launched a petition last summer as well. The petition called on the EU to “quit denying this fundamental human right” to non-EU family members and exempt them from the entry ban on third-country citizens.

Up to this date, the petition counts more than 12,000 signatures, and it was submitted to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament. In regards to this matter, the EU Commission has asked for a preliminary investigation to be conducted.

Additionally, back in November, the Dutch Family is not Tourism movement launched another campaign that sent more than 300 drawings from the children to the Director-General of migration at the Netherland’s Ministry of Justice and Security.

However, the campaign’s request to allow non-EU relatives to enter the country was denied due to the national Coronavirus lockdown.

Except for the restrictions against international family members, the Dutch Government has banned entry for all non-EU travelers to any EU or Schengen Area country, with only a few exceptions. The exceptions include family members, such as grandparents, who are allowed to enter the country only if they stay with their EU national or Netherlands-based relatives.

Previously, the Netherlands ’ Government decided to prolong the advice against traveling abroad for its citizens until May 15, after considering the current COVID-19 situation prevailing in other foreign countries.

The Worldometer data shows that up until today, the Netherlands has registered 1,327,136 Coronavirus cases, of which 16,691 deaths.