News for E-migrants — September 13, 2026
Today's news for the diaspora: Hague Court sets deadlines — new momentum for ‘nareis’ (gezinshereniging) applications in the Netherlands · USA: court hears dispute between California and FMCSA — pause on 'non‑domiciled CDLs' affects many immigrants
Hague Court sets deadlines — new momentum for ‘nareis’ (gezinshereniging) applications in the Netherlands
Short summary
The Hague Court (Rechtbank Den Haag) upheld a case for "failure to decide in a timely manner" on an application for a temporary residence permit (mvv) under the family reunification for asylum — and set a new decision term (8 weeks, extendable to 20 if further investigation is needed) and a daily fine of €50 in case of non-compliance. This decision (published on September 7–8, 2026) reiterates that the State cannot remain indefinitely without deciding on "nareis" processes. (jurispradar.nl)
What changes in practice
- Who is affected: status holders (refugees/statusholders) in the Netherlands who have requested the arrival of family members under the "nareis" regime and are awaiting a decision from the ministry for long periods.
- Immediate consequence: courts can now impose specific deadlines (e.g., 8 weeks; up to 20 if further investigation is necessary) and apply an automatic fine for each day of delay. This creates pressure to expedite decisions in very delayed processes. (jurispradar.nl)
What to do (practical)
- Check the status of your process and official notifications on the ministry's portal (or ask an immigrant support organization to help you verify if a "ingebrekestelling" / notification of non-compliance has been sent). If there is already a long wait situation, the path that courts have used is to require a "nadere beslistermijn" (supplementary deadline) with the possibility of a fine in case of non-compliance. (jurispradar.nl)
Step-by-step example
Maria, a Cape Verdean with protection status in the Netherlands, submitted a nareis application for her husband. If the ministry does not decide and she issues a "ingebrekestelling", she can appeal to the court. The court can then annul the "undecided" and give the ministry 8 weeks to decide — or up to 20 weeks if further inquiry is necessary — under penalty of €50 per day of delay. This transforms indefinite waits into concrete deadlines for response. (jurispradar.nl)
Visual (process and deadlines)
Source: summary of the decision (Rechtbank Den Haag) and legal database Jurispradar (containing text from Rechtspraak).
Source: JurispRadar (summary of decision from Rechtbank Den Haag / Rechtspraak)
USA: court hears dispute between California and FMCSA — pause on 'non‑domiciled CDLs' affects many immigrants
Short summary
A hearing at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on September 11, 2026, addressed the dispute between California and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regarding the suspension of the issuance/renewal of commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) for non-residents domiciled in the state. The FMCSA states that about 20,000 of the ~65,000 "non-domiciled" CDLs were issued with validity beyond the holder's legal presence; the agency ordered a "pause" on new issuances and renewals until regularization. (freightwaves.com)
Who is affected and why
- Who is affected: professional drivers with "non-domiciled" CDLs — many are immigrants working in transportation (trucks, heavy taxis, etc.).
- Practical effect: temporary suspension of new issuances/renewals and risk of cancellation of already issued licenses; there are also financial implications due to conditional cuts in federal road funds linked to compliance with the rules. Detailed information and arguments from both parties were presented in court in the case "California DMV vs. U.S. Department of Transportation". (freightwaves.com)
What to do (practical)
- If you have a CDL issued in California and are "non-domiciled", check the expiration date of your license against your legal presence document and follow updates from the California DMV and FMCSA. The court's decision may determine whether renewals are authorized again or if the state will have to change procedures. For work purposes, confirm with your employer/association if there are temporary guidelines for service continuity. (freightwaves.com)
Visual (conflict flow and key numbers)
Source: report on the hearing and the positions of FMCSA and California (FreightWaves).
Source: FreightWaves
Automatically generated summary from public sources, according to our editorial policy. Always verify details with the original source.