Cuts to taxi use for asylum seekers
Minister Marjolein Faber (Asylum and Migration) wants to significantly curtail the use of taxis for asylum seekers as of 1 June 2025. Taxi use will only still be permitted in principle for acute medical situations. The minister wrote this in her answers to parliamentary questions.
The starting point of the new strict taxi rules is to encourage self sufficiency on the part of asylum seekers, cut costs and stem the proliferation of taxi journeys.
For all other journeys, the starting point is public transport. An exception to the rule is only possible for certain appointments at the IND, in the context of return or in emergencies.
Minister Faber:
"Someone who is healthy can easily use public transport or simply cycle. These taxi costs are paid for and borne by the taxpayer. I feel a responsibility to be very careful and extremely cautious with those resources. That is why I am going to put a stop to this."
Recent research shows that millions of euros were spent in 2023 and 2024 on journeys of questionable necessity. In 2024, a total of 126,000 non-medical journeys were carried out by taxi. Minister Faber considers this number "unacceptably high".
The COA will start stricter monitoring and additional supervision from 1 June.
Minister Faber:
"Those who cheat the system have been warned. This minister is not turning a blind eye."