Abandoned abroad
If you have been abandoned abroad or you are worried this will happen, the steps you need to take depend on where you are.
What is abandonment?
Suppose you go abroad for a holiday or family visit and your family will not let you return to the Netherlands. Or you are put on a plane to a foreign country and have to break all contact with people in the Netherlands. Your parents, husband or other family members think it is better for you to stay in the foreign country under family supervision or at a strict boarding school. You are put under pressure to cooperate. Your passport, residence permit, phone and bank card are taken away. If you are unable to return to the Netherlands on your own, this means you have been abandoned.
What can I do if I have been or may be abandoned abroad?
The steps you can take depend on where you are.
If you are worried that you will be abandoned in a foreign country, ask for help and try to stay in the Netherlands. In an emergency, call 112.
- The organisation ‘Safe at Home’ (Veilig Thuis) can make sure you get the right help.
- The organisation Fier (information in Dutch) helps victims of violence and forced marriage.
- The organisation Sterk Huis (information in Dutch) gives advice to people facing difficulties or threats at home or elsewhere.
Don’t wait and see, but ask for help now. Once you are abroad it will be much harder to get back to the Netherlands. If you think you will not be able to stay in the Netherlands, try to take the following steps. This will make it easier for you to get back to the Netherlands:
- Before you leave the Netherlands find a recent passport photo and make a photocopy of your passport. Write down your address, your citizen service number (BSN) and any other important information.
- Write a message explaining your situation. You can email this message to someone you trust before you leave.
- Ask someone you trust for help (for example your family doctor, a teacher or friend). Or contact the National Expertise Centre on Forced Marriage and Abandonment (LKHA) and/or Veilig Thuis.
- Download the Dutch government’s Travel App (Reisapp) (information in Dutch). This app contains the contact details of all Dutch embassies and consulates. These details are also available offline.
If you have been abandoned abroad, try to stay calm. Don’t let anyone see that you are trying to get help. This may put you in a dangerous position.
Try to do the following:
- First call the Dutch embassy or consulate on +31 247 247 247. Or send an email. Call at a time when it is safe for you to talk and no one is listening.
- You can also ask for help via WhatsApp. Add the mobile phone number of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (+31 6 8238 7796) to your contacts on your smartphone and send us a message. We aim to respond within 30 minutes. Please note: you cannot call or text (SMS) us on this number.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Expertise Centre on Forced Marriage and Abandonment (LKHA) help Dutch victims of abandonment who are abroad and want to return to the Netherlands.
Help for someone else
If you know someone who has been abandoned abroad, contact the National Expertise Centre on Forced Marriage and Abandonment (LKHA) on +31 (0)70 345 4319 or at LKHA@veiligthuishaaglanden.nl. You can also contact the LKHA for advice. You can do this anonymously if you wish.
Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us