Every time an asylum seeker’s case is not processed on time in the Netherlands, that asylum seeker is getting paid late fees, with this sum reaching a record-breaking €79 million in 2025.
The latest figure shows a staggering increase from the €36.8 million paid in 2024. This information was revealed in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) agency’s annual figures released this Tuesday.
The agency is now calling for the Dutch government to abolish the practice of paying out asylum seekers with these late fees.
While the €79 million may not seem like an enormous figure, it only adds to the total €400 billion spent on migrants between 1995 and 2021, according to a landmark study from the University of Amsterdam.
In fact, one of the main problems facing the agency is that there are simply so many asylum seekers. The core of the issue lies in “exorbitant fines” triggered by massive backlogs. While the IND is legally mandated to process applications within six months, the average waiting time has now ballooned to 67 weeks.
Despite a slight dip in new applications last year, the total backlog grew to 51,000 people by the start of 2026. This has led to a massive spike in litigation, with legal proceedings involving the IND rising from 89,320 in 2024 to 110,990 in 2025. These cases include both penalty claims and appeals against rejections.
Under current law, if a decision is not reached within eighteen months, an asylum seeker can petition the court for a penalty payment. These are typically set at €15,000 per person, though they can go higher.
Rhodia Maas, director general of the IND, argues that these financial punishments do nothing to solve the underlying problem.
“Applicants have the right to timely processing by the IND. But as strange as it may sound, penalty procedures don’t help. We want to decide more quickly, but we simply can’t,” Maas stated.
She emphasized that the legal process itself drains resources from the agency, making it even more difficult to process applications in a timely manner.
“Every penalty procedure costs us not only money but also a lot of capacity. I think we could put that to much better use. Penalty payments should therefore be abolished as soon as possible,” she said.
The appeal comes as the new government cabinet — comprised of D66, CDA, and VVD — begins its term. The Reformed Political Party (SGP) has already introduced an amendment to the Asylum Emergency Measures Act aimed at ending what they say is “the circus of penalty payments.” However, the bill has not been passed yet by the Senate.
The IND also points out that cases are getting more complex, influenced by shifting geopolitical realities in countries like Syria, new political directives from The Hague, and evolving court rulings.
The upcoming implementation of the European Migration Pact in June 2026 is expected to overhaul the system further. While designed to speed up decisions on paper, the transition itself poses a challenge.
The post Broken Europe: Asylum seekers are paid €79 million due to late fees on their asylum applications in the Netherlands appeared first on Remix News.
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