The asylum procedure
When you apply for asylum in the Netherlands, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) investigates whether you are entitled to a residence permit. Below you can read more about the asylum procedure, the waiting period and your rights.
Step-by-step plans (3)
The general asylum procedure
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Have you arrived in the Netherlands by land? Then you apply for asylum through the general asylum procedure. You apply for this in the Dutch village of Ter Apel. Read here how this asylum procedure works.
The border procedure: this is how asylum applications work when you arrive at an airport or port
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Did you arrive in the Netherlands by plane or ship? And do you not have a visa to enter the Netherlands? Then you apply for asylum through the border procedure. It is called this because you are not officially in the Netherlands yet. Read here how this asylum procedure works.
Dublin procedure: This is how the asylum procedure works if you previously claimed asylum in another European country
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If you previously applied for asylum in another European country, the chances are that your application for asylum in the Netherlands will not succeed. Then you usually have to return to that first country. This is called 'the Dublin procedure'. In this article, you can read how this process works.
Information
The extended asylum procedure
If the IND needs more time to process your asylum application, you will switch to the Extended Asylum Procedure (VA). The IND decides after the 2nd interview whether you will switch to the VA. The VA can take a few months or longer.
This is what you can do if the IND rejects your asylum application
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) rejects your application for asylum. You will then receive a letter from the IND. This article explains what happens then and what you can do yourself.
This is what you can do if the IND is late in deciding your asylum case
The IND must decide on your asylum application in time. If the IND does not decide on time, you can officially ask the IND to make a decision within 2 weeks. This is called "notice of default".
What you need to know about family reunification
You cannot apply for family reunification without an asylum residence permit in the Netherlands. If you have a high chance of getting an asylum residence permit, sometimes you can already prepare your application for family reunification.
In the Netherlands, you need a BSN
If you are in the Netherlands for more than 6 months, you will get a personal number: a citizen service number (BSN). You need this number to arrange your personal affairs in the Netherlands. Read here how to get such a number.
Here is how to find free or affordable legal support in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, there are several ways to get free or low-cost legal help. For example, you may have questions about your asylum procedure or need help if you have problems at work or with your home. Read here where you can go for legal help.
This is how age verification works if the IND has doubts about your age
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) can do age testing if they have doubts about whether you are younger than 18. This is because if you are younger than 18, you have other rights during the asylum procedure. You only get these rights if the IND is sure you are younger than 18.
Divorce in the Netherlands during the asylum procedure
Do you want to divorce your partner? It is possible to divorce during your asylum procedure in the Netherlands. Even if you are not married in the Netherlands or if you do not have Dutch citizenship. Divorce may, however, have consequences for your and your partner's asylum procedure.
Need help? Make a video appointment with VWN about your asylum procedure
At VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) you can make an appointment for digital consultation hours. During this consultation hour, you get 1-on-1 social and legal support for your personal situation. A VWN employee will give you independent advice during this appointment.
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