A total of 1,040 British citizens were ordered to leave the Schengen area countries between January and September of 2023, with 275 of these orders originating in the Netherlands.
According to data compiled by the EU statistics office Eurostat, these orders can be issued for various reasons, such as rejected applications for residence or work and residence permits, overstays, or involvement in serious crimes.
Of the British nationals ordered to leave by the Netherlands, 130 were aged 35 and above, 125 were between 18 and 34, and 15 were below 18, indicating concerns about families.
However, the figures do not specify the reasons for the orders or how many individuals had already left the country without deregistering. It also remains unclear if the orders were issued due to visa overstays or these people being turned away at the border.
Dutch News reports that in the previous year, 615 British nationals were ordered to leave the Netherlands between 2021 and the third quarter of 2022. Out of these, only ten were deported, while 60 left voluntarily. However, it is possible that others left without reporting to the police, as indicated by the IND immigration service.
Almost half (48 per cent) of the IND decisions leading to orders for British nationals to leave were tied to rejections of residence permit applications under the Brexit agreement as these individuals were not residing in the Netherlands before January 1, 2021, or had exceeded the time they were allowed to be absent.
Eurostat’s report also reveals that, during the first nine months of 2023, 55 British citizens were sent back by the Netherlands to the UK or another country following an order to leave.
Under the withdrawal agreement, the 45,000 British citizens residing in the Netherlands before December 31, 2020, had to apply for a new residence permit to continue staying in the country. Those arriving after this date were required to apply for a regular work and residence permit.
Eurostat further notes that between January and September 2023, over 324,000 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave EU countries, with the Netherlands accounting for 17,180 of these orders. The largest number, over 102,000, was reported in France.
Between 2021 and 2022, some 2,250 British citizens were ordered to leave EU countries, while another 3,140 were sent back. In both cases, Sweden had issued the most orders for deporting Brits during this period.
