British expats living in the Netherlands will be allowed to continue living in the country, even in the event of a non-deal Brexit.
It has been revealed that over the coming weeks the roughly 45,000 British adults living in the Netherlands will receive a letter from the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) that will serve as a temporary residence permit – should, as expected, the UK leave the EU without a deal.
The expats would then have the 15-month transition period to apply for permanent residence. This residency application will cost 57 Euros (approximately £51). Expats have been warned to only apply for residency once they have received the letter in order to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
“After two and a half years of living in limbo, many UK citizens resident in the Netherlands expressed their relief and said that for the first time they would actually be able to sleep properly at night,” said a spokesperson for The British in the Netherlands campaign group.
The IND has also revealed than any British expats who currently receive child or health allowances will maintain these benefits in the event of a no-deal.
The Netherlands becomes the third EU country to officially confirm that British expats will be allowed to stay in the country post Brexit, following in the footsteps of Germany and Italy. However, both France and Spain have previously stated that they too will allow Brits to stay in their country with the same rights they currently enjoy, providing the same applies for nationals of those countries currently living in Britain.
Article published 10th January 2019