Rights category Police and detention

What will happen if the police think that I have no residence permit?

If the police check up on you and you cannot show your identity certificate or your residence permit, the police are allowed to detain you for 6 hours (nightly hours don’t count). If further investigation is required this period of time can be extended by 48 hours. This requires the Superintendent’s approval.

After this period of time the police can detain you in a detention cell. Later you may be transferred to a centre for the Detention of Aliens.

Are the police allowed to investigate my personal effects?

Once there is a ‘reasonable suspicion of illegal residence’ the police are allowed to examine your personal effects such as your bag, your phone and your housing accommodation. In this way the police want to obtain information about your country of origin.

In some cases the police will visit and question your acquaintances, for example about your nationality. Your acquaintances are not obliged to answer these questions.