help!overstayed in the netherlands...?

Question

One of my friends is planning to go back home to its country of origin. But he's been living in the netherlands for the past 4 years illegally and he's been staying at his cousins place all the time. He's passport lapsed 4 years ago.
Now i want to know, what will he do or say to the immigration? any ideas of good reason to say? some of you have tried this before. And how do immigrations deal with this kind of problem? if they found out that he has been staying in the netherlands illegally, are my friend gonna pay a certain amount, as a fine? if is, how much? or they're gonna fine the relatives? in any case what will the immigration do to him?
Please give me as much information as you can, thank you.

Answer 1

He will need a valid passport to use any plane, as the identity check is thorough nowadays.
If he gets a passport from his own country before traveling, there should not be much of a problem.
If he is traveling overland, the first check might be when he is leaving the Shengen Area, (that is at the far border of Germany, Spain or Italy, or when trying to travel to England.
But as long as he has valid passport they will not mind his having lived here (Netherlands) without permits.
If he is willing to risk it, he can even ask the Dutch immigration officials how to act, as they are often willing to help people going home and might be able to get him a temporary passport because they know who to contact in his own country.
As far as I know there are no fines, but check the websites of the IND,
http://www.ind.nl/EN/inbedrijf/overdeind/vreemdelingenbeleid/
http://www.ind.nl/en/inbedrijf/actueel/wijziging_legestarieven.asp
And search for a forum for people of his country in the Netherlands.
I have never been in this position myself, (being Dutch) and the only people I know who had the same kind of problems were many years ago, not recent.

But as there are no inner border controls, he can claim just to have come in from Germany or Belgium. (He might have to proof it, so better travel there for a short visit, if he is going to use this story.)