No expulsion: Turkish girls gain residency 08/01/2007 00:00

8 January 2007

AMSTERDAM — The two Turkish girls who were at risk of being deported from the Netherlands at the end of last year will be given a residence permit.

Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin said on Monday he had made the decision after a complete reassessment of the girls' case.

The girls' school, the Hervormd Lyceum West in Amsterdam, raised the alarm in November after students Sumeyra and Ceyda were threatened with deportation.

Despite the fact the girls live with their Turkish father and stepmother — both of whom have the Dutch nationality — they were staying here illegally.

In reaction to the subsequent heated criticism, the immigration service IND said the girls would be allowed to stay until the minister had answered parliamentary questions about the matter.

In his answer, Minister Hirsch Ballin said based on a hardship clause he had exempted the girls from the obligation to travel back to Turkey to apply for a temporary entry visa MVV, which is needed before a request for a residence permit can be lodged.

And because the girls meet other criteria, they have been issued with a residence permit.

Ceyda reacted with relief to the news: "I am very, very happy, can't even talk about it just yet. I had of course hoped for this, but had not yet expected it".

Hervormd Lyceum West headmaster Gerard Klooker said he was "tremendously happy". "I thought it would take months. You couldn't have a better start to the New Year," he said.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2006]

Subject: Dutch news