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NETHERLANDS: Border crossing checks

01 September 1994

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The Mobile Surveillance of Aliens service (dienst Mobiele Toezicht Vreemdelingen) consisting of some 200 military police (Koninklijke marechaussee) has checked 170,000 border crossers between May 1994, when the service began operations, and August 1994. Some 5,000 "illegal aliens" were stopped, of whom 4,500 were send back to Belgium or Germany. 250 requested asylum. The checks are carried out mainly on the major highways and international railway lines. By early 1996, the service is planned to have reached its full strength of 473 marechaussees. From 1 January 1995 patrols will also be held during the night. A new registration system for immigrants, called VAS, is being introduced in all police regions enabling the police and marechaussee to check if a person is legal or "illegal". VAS is being connected to council registry offices to check if "illegal" immigrants are claiming social benefit.

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