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Safe country of origin

Last updated: 4/9/2024, 3:46 PM
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If you are from a country that is safe according to the Dutch government, your asylum application will be processed in a fast-track procedure. There is a good chance that the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) will reject your asylum application.

List of safe countries of origin

If your country of origin is on this list and you do not fall under one of the

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exception groups
, the
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IND
will process your asylum application in the accelerated procedure.

You will have one interview with the IND

The IND asks questions about you, your journey to the Netherlands and the reason you fled. You get one opportunity to clearly explain who you are and why you fled. Explain to the IND in detail why you are personally in danger in the country you came from, and why you need protection in the Netherlands.

  • During the interview, you can submit documents to the IND as proof of your refugee story. You will get a hard copy of the proof when the IND takes your documents.

  • Always give your real name. Do not give the name of a fake ID. Tell the IND if you used an alias during your flight. The IND will check if your papers are genuine. It can be detrimental to your asylum claim if you lie about your identity.

  • Sometimes it is difficult to talk about your flight. Explain this clearly to the IND if you find it difficult to talk about anything, or if there is something you do not remember.

  • If you have any scars or physical or psychological complaints related to your flight, tell the IND this. The IND will offer you a medical examination.

  • You can be heard by an interpreter and IND employee of your own gender if you wish.

  • An employee of

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    VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN)
    may be present at your interview with the IND if you wish.

  • The IND will compile a report of the interview. After the interview, discuss the IND report with your lawyer. Tell your lawyer if any information is missing or incorrect in the IND report.

The IND makes a 1st decision

The IND will make a 1st decision about your asylum application based on the interviews, your documents and other evidence. There are three possibilities: approve, reject or need more time.

Your response if the IND plans to reject your asylum application

You discuss the IND's letter with your lawyer. Your lawyer has one day in the general asylum procedure to respond to the IND in a letter. This letter is called the 'zienswijze' (standpoint). The IND must take the lawyer's standpoint into account.

The consequences if the IND rejects your asylum application

If the IND rejects your asylum application, you are no longer allowed to stay in the Netherlands and you must return to your country of origin. The

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Repatriation & Departure Service (DT&V)
will talk to you about your return.

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