Religion

Admission of migrants for religious purposes

This study describes the admission policy and practice concerning migrants coming to the Netherlands to stay with religious or ideological organisations. The researchers contacted more than 100 organisations that request admission of immigrations for religious purposes; Catholic dioceses, Protestant organisations, Jewish communities, as well as Buddhist and Muslim organi­sations. It appeared that all organisations request the admission of immigrants for religious activities with their organisations. The activities to be carried out relate to both the preservation of the organisation as the realisation of the religious or philosophical goals of the organisation. The immigration policy or practice that limits the possibility of these organisations to invite migrants limits their freedom of religion.

Tessel de Lange and Ineke Hendrickx

Willem Wolters, Kees Groenendijk, Tessel de Lange and Catrien Notermans

Book: Toelating van vreemdelingen voor verblijf bij religieuze organisaties. Beleid en praktijk in Nederland voor en na de Vreemdelingenwet 2000

(Admission of migrants for religious purposes. Policy and practice in the Netherlands before and after the Aliens Act 2000)

Wolf Legal Publishing, Nijmegen: 2004

Wetenschappelijk Onderzoeks- en Documentatiecentrum (WODC), Ministry of Justice

The research was conducted jointly with the Department of Antropology of the Radboud University Nijmegen.