IND threatens to deport 19-month-old girl

21 April 2004

AMSTERDAM — The Justice Ministry is threatening to deport a 19-month-old child legally adopted from the US because her adoption papers are incomplete, it has been reported.

A year and a half after her arrival in the Netherlands, the immigration service IND is refusing to issue the child a residence permit, despite the fact her adoption has been approved by judges in the Netherlands and the US.

The Council for the Protection of Children and the Dutch Central Authority — which come under the jurisdiction of the Justice Ministry — have also approved the adoption, newspaper De Volkskrant reported on Wednesday.

Jodie Zwanikken was adopted as a newborn from the biological mother in the US after her adoptive parents sought an intermediary in the US and arranged the adoption following approval from the children’s protection council and central authority.

Their other daughter Lindsay was adopted two years ago via the same manner. Dutch TV personality Paul de Leeuw has also used the same method.

Adoptive parents Stephan Zwanikken and Christine van Boeijen applied with the foreign police for a residence permit for their second daughter in August 2002. But the police sent the application to the IND advising against a permit.

The couple was informed by both the police and IND that their documents were not legal and were requested to re-submit legalised documents.

The family was told last month that the residence permit application had been refused and Jodie, now 19 months, had to leave the Netherlands “of her own accord” within 28 days or she would be forcibly deported.

The parents have since lodged an appeal with the IND, which must be handled within several weeks, but could take up to a year due to a backlog of cases.

The immigration service asserts the documents must have an apostille stamp, indicating that US authorities recognise the validity of the papers.

An IND spokesman has said the child will not be deported while the complaint is being processed. He also said the child would not be deported without shelter and care awaiting her in the US.

Subject: Dutch news