The Dutch government is implementing strict measures to combat the misuse of its asylum system by some Ugandans who falsely claim to be LGBTQ+ to secure refugee status.
This crackdown is a response to increasing instances of fraud identified by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Department, making the asylum process more challenging for genuine applicants and overburdening the system.
Following the passing of the Antihomosexuality law last year, reports indicate that some heterosexual Ugandans are taking advantage of these provisions by falsely presenting themselves as LGBTQ+. Organized networks are involved in training applicants to fabricate stories about their sexuality and even selling “ready-made package visa applications” for around 2,500 euros.
A 2020 report from Dutch immigration authorities highlighted a significant rise in the number of Ugandans entering the Netherlands on short-stay visas and later applying for asylum under false pretenses. This has led to increased scrutiny of applications from Uganda compared to other countries, resulting in a notable decrease in the acceptance rate of Ugandan asylum applications, dropping from 50% in 2015 to just 29% in 2018.
A recent report by the Global Press Journal featured a Ugandan woman (names withheld) who has been residing in the Netherlands for five years after falsifying her sexuality to obtain asylum.
This woman initially applied for a three-month tourist visa at the Dutch Embassy in Uganda to visit a friend, with her asylum plan already in progress. Upon her arrival in the Netherlands, she applied for refugee status as a lesbian. She altered her appearance by cutting her hair short and wearing men’s clothes to support her claim. She believed that falsely declaring her sexuality was the only way to secure her stay in the Netherlands. She mentioned receiving housing, health insurance, and a monthly stipend of approximately 1.5 million Ugandan shillings (about 410 euros). “I was given a house, health insurance and a monthly stipend of about 1.5 million Ugandan shillings [about 410 euros] by the Dutch government — things I would never have gotten had I told them I was straight. In my entire life as an educated woman with a master’s degree in business administration, I had never received such huge amounts of money on a monthly basis,” She says. If she gets her two daughters over to the Netherlands from Uganda after a successful asylum application, she adds, she will receive about 1,230 euros per month to care for her household.
Sabine Jansen, a researcher, was worried about how the Dutch immigration department’s judgments were unfair to Ugandan LGBTI people. The Dutch government is concerned about fake claims and corruption in the asylum system. They’re now being more careful to protect those genuinely in danger. Moses Makumbi from Uganda’s Ministry of Ethics and Integrity mentioned how faking sexuality harms the country’s reputation. Nicholas Opio, a human rights lawyer, highlighted the struggle of people who want to leave for safety but end up stuck.
