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You must collect these documents for the asylum procedure

Last updated: 28/01/2025, 10:16

During your asylum procedure, you submit documents to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) to prove your refugee story. Read about which documents you need to submit and how to send them.

You collect documents that can support your flight story

It is important to the

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

that you can provide proof of your flight story. During the asylum procedure, collect as many documents as possible that prove your identity and your flight story. These are documents such as your passport or other identity documents.

However, also membership cards from a political party, documents from your church or evidence you have of violence that has happened to you (police reports, court rulings). Or evidence of your presence at a certain (political) meeting. A report in a newspaper discussing the situation for your minority group may also be relevant. By the way, these documents may also be photographs or electronic documents.

The IND asks you to turn in the documents so they can examine them for authenticity. If you have the original documents, the IND asks you to send in the original documents. If you do not have these then you can submit copies or photos of the documents. Copies of documents cannot be examined as well. The IND can examine original documents better, for example based on their paper type, printing technique, type of ink and stamps. The IND has special machines for this, such as microscopes.

Make copies of the documents you submit

Before you send your original documents to the IND, you can make copies of your documents. That way you still have the information yourself that is on the original documents, while your original documents are with the IND for assessment.

It can be exciting to submit important documents to the IND. According to the IND it is necessary to submit these documents in order to process your asylum application properly. If you are unwilling or afraid to submit a documentm consult with your lawyer about the best thing to do.

There are three ways to submit your documents to the IND

You can submit your documents in several ways:

During registration with the
police
, an officer will ask for your documents. The officer will then only ask you for documents that prove your identity or allow you to cross national borders, such as your passport. You can give your documents to the officer during the interview. You will immediately be given proof in writing that you submitted your documents.
During the application interview, you can submit that are about your identity or that allow you to cross national borders, such as a passport. You will immediately receive proof in writing that you have submitted your documents.
Before your second interview with the IND, you can also send documents to the IND. You can do this by registered post. Your lawyer can also do this for you.

Send your documents to the IND

You can send the documents to the IND by post. Your lawyer can help you with this. The address to send it to is:

Attn.: IND Scanstraat, Postbus 18, 9560 AA Ter Apel.

And with your documents, send your information as well:

Your name
Your
V-number
A short explanation in Dutch, English, French or German about the document you are submitting
A Dutch, English, French or German translation of the document by a
sworn translator
The date of the 2nd interview with the IND if known

Send your documents via registered post. This means you will get a message from the IND when they have received the documents. Your lawyer can also send the documents for you. You have to pay the costs of sending the documents yourself.

Here is what to look out for when submitting documents

In short, there are three things to watch out for when submitting your documents:

Make a copy or photograph of your original documents and keep them safe.
Always ask for confirmation of receipt in writing when you submit your documents. And make sure you keep this.
If you send documents by post, do so by registered post. Even though this costs money. Also be sure to include your information, as explained earlier in this article.

The IND will return your documents after the assessment

The IND returns the documents when they have made a decision about your asylum procedure. So you will get your documents back when you receive your asylum residence permit or when your asylum application is rejected and you have to leave the Netherlands or on request after the asylum application has been withdrawn. In case of a positive decision you will get your documents back at the IND office, often you will get them back when you also pick up your asylum residence permit. In case of a negative decision, the

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Dienst Terugkeer & Vertrek (DT&V

) return your documents.

Here is what you can do if the IND does not return or loses your documents

If the IND does not return or loses your documents, you can file an official complaint via the IND website. This can only be done in Dutch using a Dutch form. Your lawyer or your contact at

VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN)

can help you file a complaint with the IND. In some cases, you can also go to court if you do not get your documents back. Ask your lawyer for advice on this.

It is important to keep copies and receipts of your documents. This way you can always show what your documents look like and you can prove that you handed them in. If the IND loses your documents, this should not affect your asylum procedure. The procedure will continue as usual.