Dutch islands providing Amnesty for illegal migrants

Illegal immigrants in Dutch St Maarten and the rest of the Dutch Antilles are being given an opportunity to regularise their status.



Officials said the initiative, which began yesterday, is targeting undocumented migrants who began living in the Dutch territories before January 1, 2001.



Migrants will have to show documentary evidence that they have lived in St Maarten and the other islands involved, before that cut off point.



Officials say they expect up to 50,000 people in the Netherlands Antilles to make use of the opportunity to normalise their status.