The Netherlands Blocked Entry to Over 2,400 Travelers in 2023
The Dutch government has reported that in the past year, more than 2,400 people were denied entry into the country. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the national gendarmerie force of the Netherlands, disclosed that a total of 2,491 individuals were refused entry in 2023. These entry denials occurred at various border crossing points, including airports, seaports, and international train connections.
While the number of people denied entry to the Netherlands in 2023 is significant, it is lower than the figures in 2022 and 2021, when the country denied entry to 3,066 and 3,392 people, respectively.
Data provided by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee revealed that Colombians were the nationality that faced the most entry denials, with 479 Colombians being refused entry into the Netherlands in 2023. Indians ranked second on the list, with 223 individuals being denied entry, followed by Peruvians, Brazilians, and Britons.
Of the total entry denials, the majority – 2,403 in total – were for foreigners arriving in the Netherlands by air. Only 82 entry denials were made for people attempting to enter the country through its sea borders, and six entry denials were made for those trying to enter by train.
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee is responsible for safeguarding the country’s national security through border measures and conducts operations at major Dutch airports and international train stations, ensuring strict controls for international connections. This includes operations at Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Airport, Eindhoven Airport, Groningen Airport Eelde, Maastricht Aachen Airport, Amsterdam Central Station, and Rotterdam Central Station, with a particular focus on Eurostar trains to London.
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