Booking request

The booking request at least covers the following topics:

• The destination of the return journey.
• The date as from which a flight can be booked (this is the desired date of return).
• The travel document held by the inadmissible person (or whether he has any at all).
• A recommendation on whether or not the inadmissible person needs an escort.
• The date on which the Marechaussee has escorts available and the number of escorts to be used.
• A final date by which the Marechaussee expects a reply from the carrier on the following subjects:
  - The flight data of the flight the carrier aims to transport the inadmissible person on.
  - (When applicable) the carrier’s choice on whether or not to use escorts of the Marechaussee.
  - (When applicable) the reason(s) why the transport company is not able to provide the requested information.

The booking request is aimed to be a written reproduction of a previous consultation between Marechaussee and carrier.

Action to be taken by the carrier

A carrier who received a removal order and a booking request for an inadmissible foreign national should transport this foreign national to a location outside the Netherlands/the Schengen area, in accordance with the instructions stated in the booking request. The carrier then decides when to transport the inadmissible person.

If the carrier is unable to comply with the booking request (for example because the inadmissible person is not accepted by the authorities of the country of destination), the carrier must inform the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee of this in writing (including reasoning and containing all relevant documents) as soon as possible, but no later than the date stated in the booking request. The Marechaussee will send a subsequent booking request at a later date. This subsequent booking request contains information about the new desired date of return and other relevant flight information.
 

Or, for the maritime sector:

You are hereby requested to transport the inadmissible person at the latest on ... [departure date of seagoing vessel] on the seagoing vessel ... [name seagoing vessel] from the Netherlands.

Escorting the inadmissible person

The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee conducts a risk analysis for each inadmissible foreign national. The risk analysis includes, among other things, a careful consideration of the information known within the organisations cooperating in the immigration process and information provided by the foreign national himself. The Marechaussee analyses whether there are any impediments to a (controlled) independent return journey of the foreign national. If so, an individual escort plan will be prepared. Where necessary, the Marechaussee will consult the cooperating organisations, airline company and third parties.
Based on this analysis, the Marechaussee issues a recommendation on whether or not to escort the inadmissible person during his return journey. The recommendation of the Marechaussee is stated in the booking request. The recommendation on escorted return also states the date on which escorts are available and how many escorts are used in order to escort the inadmissible person. The cost of escorts by the Marechaussee are borne by the carrier.

The carrier may rely on the escorts of the Marechaussee in order to escort the foreign national. However, this is not compulsory. If the carrier chooses to escort the foreign national itself or chooses not to escort the foreign national, the Marechaussee will escort the foreign national into the aircraft, where he will be handed over to the captain. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee will continue to be responsible for the return journey of the inadmissible person until the aircraft has actually departed. This means until the moment the doors of the aircraft have been closed and the gate/aircraft steps have been removed from the aircraft.

If the carrier chooses not to escort an inadmissible person – against the recommendation of the Marechaussee – or to use their own escorts and the return journey is unsuccessful, any costs incurred as a result of this will be charged to the carrier.

Applying for replacement travel documents

An inadmissible foreign national who does not (or no longer) holds a valid travel document, can usually return on the basis of a covering letter or a guiding letter. This is based on international agreements. If this is the case, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee issues this covering or guiding letter. There are no costs are attached to the issue of any guiding or covering letter.

However, some countries refuse to accept these documents. If returning on the basis of a covering or guiding letter is not an option, it will be necessary to apply for a replacement travel document for the foreign national. The carrier may request the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee in writing to submit an application for a replacement travel document for this person. The Marechaussee will then forward this request to the DT&V. The costs for applying for replacement travel documents are borne by the carrier. The carrier is at liberty to contact the authorities of the inadmissible person’s country of origin and to request them to issue a replacement travel document.

Possible next step in the process

• The carrier is sent a subsequent booking request
• The carrier is sent a flight cancellation request