Unauthorized immigrants make up nearly one in five people living in Europe without EU or EFTA citizenship, according to the Pew Research Center. These are individuals residing in a country without official residency rights, which can occur for various reasons. Due to their status, they live with daily uncertainties and often have to work hard and persevere to stay in an EU country.

Estimates from the WODC suggest that between 23,000 and 58,000 undocumented people reside in the Netherlands. According to the common definition, anyone who stays in the Netherlands for more than three months without a valid residence permit is considered ‘illegal,’ meaning undocumented. Our reporter visited Villa Vrede in Utrecht, a refuge for people who are invisible to the system. There, she spoke with an undocumented person who finds support at Villa Vrede and hopes for a better future. She also spoke with the coordinator about the global systemic issues facing undocumented people.