Over 9,000 Dutch fill out gov't contact form for people stranded in the Middle East

The government’s contact form for Dutch citizens stranded in the Middle East has been completed at least 9,000 times so far. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this after reporting by RTL Nieuws. The questionnaire closes Friday afternoon.

The form is intended for Dutch citizens in the region who wish to be repatriated or seek advice. The fact that it has been completed 9,000 times does not mean that an equal number of people want assistance returning to the Netherlands, the spokesperson stressed. Some have already left on their own, are not eligible for repatriation, or have completed the form twice.

Only Dutch citizens and their immediate family members residing in the Netherlands are eligible for government assistance. Dutch nationals living in Dubai, for example, cannot expect a place on a repatriation flight.

The war in Iran has also left many Dutch travellers stranded in Asia. Many flights between Europe and Asia have a stopover in the Middle East.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged travellers stranded in Thailand to contact their airline, travel insurer, or travel agent for advice, and not the embassy. The embassy cannot help them book another flight, the Ministry’s information service said.

For travelers whose Thai visa is about to expire, the embassy can provide a document "in support of your visa extension request," the information service reports. The ministry offers no guarantees. "Please note: it is entirely up to the Thai Immigration Department to decide whether or not to extend your visa."