The Russian Joeri (18) is the only one of his family to receive a residence permit: ‘If they are returned, I think I will never see them again’

The asylum lawyer called very good and very bad news at the end of last month. Joeri (18) receives a residence permit. But the rest of his family – his parents and two brothers – has to leave the country. The asylum lawyer announced Joeri and his family that he would appeal to that decision immediately.

NRC last year The unlikely asylum story of Joeri and his family. He had just heard that he had passed his Gymnasium final exam at the Han Fortmann in Heerhugowaard. Joeri spent his school career in asylum seekers’ centers throughout the Netherlands: he stayed in Heerhugowaard in his ninth AZC, Han Fortmann was his third high school.

He was born in Moscow, his parents are Georgian Jesidis. In 2010 the family fled from Russia to the Netherlands, Joeri was three years old. At the beginning of 2020, the family had taken off: the Netherlands had already booked the return flight to Moscow. But the heart of Joeri’s father was too weak for the flight, the doctor said. Then Corona came and the airspace closed. The family moved from the detention center back to an AZC, Joeri unpacked his textbooks again. After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a letter flopped on the mat of Joeri’s grandmother in Moscow: or her grandson, given his approaching eighteenth birthday, wanted to report to registration with a view to his military service. But Joeri wanted to study, even though he was not entitled to student finance.

For my parents it would be dangerous to go back to Russia. Just that they have fled the country and their eldest son has not been complying with conscription for a few years now

Readers of the NRC article Boden and Masse To donate money on which a crowdfunding campaign was set up by the photographer of the article, Mona van den Berg. No less than 16,000 euros were collected.

The family submitted a new asylum application, based on the imminent military service. Joeri, eighteen years old since September, was heard for two days last month by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND). The service also heard his parents.

How did you respond to the phone call from the lawyer?

« It is fantastic that I am allowed to stay in the Netherlands. But we couldn’t celebrate it, although my parents gave me a kiss. Fact is: we are a family. We did not come to the Netherlands to be separated. That my brothers and my parents who have sacrificed so much would not get a residence permit: it is hard to give it up but I will never get back. I think about it. see. »

What does the asylum lawyer relieve itself?

“On a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention for Human Rights (which revolves around the right to respect for private and family life). The case serves in August. The lawyer said immediately when she called it was all very double and that you don’t see this situation often. I am ‘separate’, it seems that I have been born in the Netherlands for fifteen years now. Havo here in Heerhugowaard. ”

Your brothers are fourteen and fifteen. They also have a service in the Russian army above their heads?

« Yes, if Dimitri turns sixteen, he too will be called for an inspection. But even for my parents it would be dangerous to go back to Russia. Just think of the fact that they have fled the country while their oldest son has not been responding to conscription for a few years now. That does not make you loved. »

How are your father’s health?

« He suffers a lot from stress. A few months ago the ambulance came and that was what they said after research: a lot of stress. »

You do the study Built Environment at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, a mix of civil engineering and architecture. In the meantime, your first academic year is almost over. How do you like it?

« I have brought all my credits so far and I have almost received my propaedeutic year. Everything is paid for by the crowdfunding, that’s really great. I have lectures four times a week. Then I go up and down. I really like the study. Today we were still on a working visit to a large construction company that builds huge residential complexes, it seems very nice to me with that kind of.” ””

You still live on the AZC. Don’t you want to go to rooms?

« Given my residence permit, a housing process will start soon. I don’t necessarily have to go to Amsterdam: I prefer to live here in the area. Close to my parents and brothers. »

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