SNBN Newsletter Oct 9: VFS receives a 3.9 from Dutch people abroad
Welcome to this newsletter announcing the results of the SNBN survey on VSF Global and an update on the feasibility of the dual nationality bill, which will be debated in the House of Representatives this coming December 8.
VFS proves to be an obstacle course for passport applicants
Applying for a Dutch passport should not be an obstacle course. Yet that is the picture that emerges from the SNBN survey on VFS Global, with 310 respondents from 35 countries . They give the service provider an average score of 3.9 out of 10. The survey shows that 57% find it difficult or very difficult to make an appointment, with as many as 35% experiencing delays due to errors or ambiguities in the application process. The investigation was conducted under the leadership of the SNBN Survey committee , whose members we sincerely thank for their careful work! The direct trigger for this inquiry was the recent article by Politico.eu How a company turned visas to Europe into big business .
Ryanairization of VFS?
The commercial aspect also raises questions. Of the users of additional paid services who answered the question regarding voluntariness, 60% perceived them as not entirely voluntary. One respondent put it sharply: “I then politely asked the employee whether he works for a consular service provider or at an amusement park.” Examples of the unexpected – and in our opinion questionable – additional charges mentioned include being required to use a locker ($20) just to be served on time and bypass the queue, a 'mandatory premium lounge' payment, and paying intermediaries to secure immediate appointments when no regular appointments were available.
SNBN: Appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
The message is clear: Dutch citizens outside the Netherlands experience structural obstacles to obtaining essential travel documents . Unsurprisingly, 75% of respondents have little to no confidence in government oversight of VFS Global. SNBN calls on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the House of Representatives to investigate these signals and enforce concrete improvements . Outsourcing does not absolve the government of its responsibility for accessible, reliable passport services. We call for sufficient agreements, clear information, genuinely voluntary additional services, and effective complaint handling. Read the figures, experiences, and recommendations in the full report .
Numerical feasibility of dual nationality bill
Partly based on the conversation with Members of Parliament during the Day of Dutch Nationals Abroad, it has become clear that the VVD will not vote for the bill in its current form – something we also strongly suspect the CDA will share. At the same time, the VVD is known to be in favor of opening up dual nationality to Dutch nationals abroad. And here, too, we strongly suspect the CDA shares this view. Which parties in the House of Representatives then remain that are in favor of the bill in its current form?
Figures don't lie. Using the Coalitiemaker tool , it is clearly visible whether, and in which formations, a majority can be achieved on December 8 for the current private member's bill, which opens up dual nationality to both Dutch nationals living abroad and foreign nationals living within the Netherlands. (Provincial Council / Senate elections are in six months, so we can leave those out of consideration for now: the chance is very small that this will be considered by the Senate before the elections.) Given previous consistent statements, we expect a vote against from JA21, FvD, Groep Markuszower, BBB, SGP, and the SP. That leaves:
🟩 D66 (26)
🟥 GL-PvdA (20)
🟦 ChristenUnie (3)
🟦 DENK (3)
🟩 Partij voor de Dieren (3)
🟪 50PLUS (2)
🟪 Volt (1)
_______________________
58 / 150 seats ( 39% ) in the House of Representatives
28 / 75 seats ( 37% ) in the Senate
So that is clearly not a majority (39%).
[For those interested: even if we were to classify the BBB, SP, and JA21 in the “pre-camp”—more as a theoretical exercise than based on reality—it is still stuck at 49% at most.]
On the other hand, when we look at the parties that we know (or strongly suspect) would vote in favour if this bill were limited to Dutch nationals outside the Netherlands , you most likely get this majority result:
🟩 D66 (26)
🟧 VVD (22)
🟥 GL-PvdA (20)
🟩 CDA (18)
🟦 JA21 (9)
🟦 BBB (4)
🟦 ChristenUnie (3)
🟦 DENK (3)
🟩 Partij voor de Dieren (3)
🟥 SP (3)
🟪 50PLUS (2)
🟪 Volt (1)
_______________________
114 / 150 seats ( 76% ) in the House of Representatives
66 / 75 seats ( 88% ) in the Senate
[Here too, for those interested: even if, for the sake of caution, we remove a number of parties about which we might have some doubts – think, for example, of BBB, JA21, CU, and SP – a vast majority still remains, namely 95 out of 150 seats.]
The SNBN has no opinion on this matter, but naturally looks beyond mere observations. As far as Dutch people abroad are concerned, we can only conclude that the bill in its current form does not have a majority, and that a majority is very likely with an amendment . How, what, and when – that is now up to the politicians to shape behind the scenes, in the run-up to the plenary debate. The SNBN will return to this in a special newsletter later this year.
PS We are lobbying both publicly and behind the scenes to ensure that the debate in the House of Representatives remains scheduled for December 8 this time, and will not be postponed again.