Tens of thousands of asylum seekers in the Netherlands , including more than 17,000 Syrians , may have to wait several more years before receiving decisions on their applications, despite an overhaul of migration rules designed to speed up processing times amid a huge backlog.
The Dutch government says that some asylum seekers will have to wait another three years or more before receiving a decision on their application. Some have already spent more than three years in limbo.
There are currently more than 50,000 cases awaiting a decision, nearly half of whom have been waiting for over 15 months in crowded reception centres.
It has been estimated that clearing the backlog could take between eight and 10 years if applications continue to be processed at the current pace.
In a letter to parliament this week, Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said he had instructed immigration authorities to clear the backlog within three years.
To speed up the process, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) plans to handle applications from large groups of certain nationalities collectively, according to Dutch newspaper Trouw .
The new rules, based on the controversial EU Migration Pact that came into force this week, are among the most hardline in Europe. As of 12 June, asylum seekers will no longer be able to obtain permanent residency permits, while stricter rules on family reunification will be enforced.
The Dutch Court of Audit has warned that previous attempts to accelerate procedures between 2021 and 2025 failed to ease pressure on the system.
It noted that processing times have doubled in recent years, while the remaining cases have become more complicated and require longer review periods.
The Dutch Bar Association and several legal organisations have expressed concerns about the impact of the new rules amid dwindling numbers of asylum lawyers.
The introduction of a two-status system dividing people escaping persecution from those fleeing war is expected to add new complexities to applications.
Meanwhile, the Legal Aid Board has warned that the number of immigration lawyers could fall by more than a quarter in the near future, placing further pressure on the system.
More than 17,000 Syrian asylum seekers are currently living in Dutch reception centres while awaiting decisions on their applications, often in difficult living conditions.
Some have indicated a willingness to return to Syria if economic and living conditions in the country improve.