EUR applies for residence permit on behalf of Márcia

Elmer Smaling

31 August 2015

Student life

Marcia Ventura op de Erasmus Universiteit
Image by: Kindercorrespondent

Erasmus University has started a residence permit application procedure for Márcia Ventura (18). Márcia was supposed to have started attending lectures at the Erasmus School of Law on Monday morning.

‘It is important for her studies that she will be allowed to start attending classes at the University as soon as possible,’ the University informed the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The University will do everything within its power to meet all requirements as soon as possible, but cannot make any statements about the outcome of the application procedure.

The IND intends to deport the law student, together with her brother Glaucio (13) and her parents, to Angola. The deportation is set for Friday.

‘We have requested that the authorities review the situation, in particular with respect to Márcia. All students count.’ – President of the Executive Board Pauline van der Meer Mohr

Márcia came to the Netherlands with her parents at the age of five. Her brother was born here. The University is currently assessing all the possibilities. ‘We are extremely disappointed to hear that one of our promising new law students has been detained in order to be deported to the country of her parents. We have requested that the authorities review the situation, in particular with respect to Márcia. All students count,’ Pauline van der Meer Mohr said in her speech at the opening of the academic year.

‘Unpleasantly surprised’

The University is ‘unpleasantly surprised’ by the intended deportation next week of a future student of the institution. ‘She successfully completed her pre-university programme,’ a university spokesperson stated. ‘Payment of her tuition fees had been arranged, so there was nothing more to prevent her from commencing her law studies. The fact that she is currently being held in Zeist awaiting deportation is distressing.’

At the time of writing, the law student, her brother and her parents were being held in a detention centre in Zeist, which was the scene on Monday of protests against the imprisonment of the children. The family has been living in the Netherlands for the past fifteen years and were previously housed in asylum seekers’ centres in ‘s-Gravendeel and Venlo.