Return - IOM Publications - International Organization for Migration

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THE NETHERLANDS
The importance of providing assistance to those willing to return, including target grouporiented
return programmes;
The importance of individual mediation, as a complement to international or target grouporiented
return programmes;
The importance of securing the cooperation of countries of origin and transit, through mediation,
to facilitate repatriation.
The practice of the IND to inform all asylum applicants, during their initial claim for asylum of
the possibility of assisted return, and the information campaign accompanying the programme,
are examples of good practice that could be adopted in other countries.
Since assisted voluntary return schemes continue to attract relatively low numbers of candidates,
despite substantial increases in foreigners required to leave, the Minister of Justice also
advocates a different approach to facilitate returns, including early advice to the asylum seekers
that a negative application will lead to expulsion. It is hoped that the aliens’ desire to return
home in a safe and dignified manner will induce them to choose the voluntary option. It could
also include the possibility of reducing return assistance in direct proportion to the length of stay
of the migrant in the Netherlands, as an inducement to return voluntarily earlier.
To ensure greater efficiency in the delivery of return programmes, as stated above, the government
also intends to centralize the administration of returns under the Minister for Immigration
and Integration; enhance and inter-link related databases; and invest more in cooperation with
other affected states at the foreign policy level.