Benelux and Suriname sign agreements on migration and visa exemption
The Benelux countries and Suriname have agreed to facilitate the return of individuals in irregular situations from the Benelux or Suriname to their country of origin. Additionally, they have decided to grant visa-free travel for diplomats and government officials between the Benelux countries and Suriname.
On 14 February 2025, Anneleen Van Bossuyt the Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration, the Surinamese Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the ambassadors of the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed two agreements at the Benelux Union Secretariat in Brussels.
The first agreement is a readmission and reintegration agreement, which facilitates the return of individuals in irregular situations from the Benelux countries or Suriname to their country of origin. This agreement should ease the return of Surinamese nationals in an irregular situation, including in Belgium. According to figures from the Immigration Office, 249 Surinamese nationals received a first return decision in 2024, compared to 155 in 2023.
The second agreement concerns a visa exemption for diplomats and government officials, enabling easier travel between the countries without needing a visa.
For further details, please read the press release from the Benelux (in French or in Dutch).