DCR forced to scale back: fewer reception centres, less support

Refugees are the first to be affected by this drastic cut. Most of them will now start their long and complex asylum procedures without the proper preparation they get from the DCR. And off course, this entails lots of risks that their applications will be rejected.

Today, we are present at almost every reception centre in the Netherlands: more than 300 in total. From next year, that number will drop to only around 70.

This means that the most vulnerable refugees will lose access to our support. Many will be unable to travel to another location for help. And in turn, we will lose sight of them.

The cuts also increase pressure on the asylum system as a whole.

Frank Candel, Chair of the Dutch Council for Refugees, explains: 'Refugees will now face one of the most complicated legal procedures in the Netherlands without guidance. This creates extra workload for partners in the chain, such as Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), municipalities and the judiciary, which are already overstretched. For that reason, we are in talks with the Ministry, IND and COA to limit the damage as much as possible.'

Because of the funding cut, we also must stop offering guidance for family reunification starting from the first of December 2025. Currently, more than a thousand volunteers help refugees step by step through the reunification process: filling out forms, collecting documents, translating, communicating with embassies, arranging DNA tests, supporting visa applications, and advising on safe travel routes.

But without our support, many applications are likely to be delayed or rejected, and some families could remain separated unnecessarily. The Ministry has asked the IND to take over the role. However, the intensive guidance now provided by our volunteers and staff will likely not be continued in full.