Rijksvreemdelingendienst

The Rijksvreemdelingendienst (State Alien Service) was formally established in 1939 within the Ministry of Justice. Its precursors – all headed by the inspector of the Koninklijke Marechaussee (Royal Gendarmery) – were the Vreemdelingendienst (1918-1939), the Rijkspaspoortenkantoor (1918-1926), and various incarnations of the Dienst Grensbewaking (1920-1939). Among the historical tasks of these services and the Rijksvreemdelingendienst itself were i.a. supervision of foreigners on Dutch territory, administration of central registers of identity cards and other identification documents, granting/denying residency, evaluation of requests for visa, border surveillance, … The Rijksvreemdelingendienst was dissolved in 1956. Its tasks and competences were divided among various successor institutions.