This is what the lawyer does for you during the asylum process
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Everyone who applies for asylum in the Netherlands is entitled to a free lawyer. This lawyer helps you during the asylum procedure and gives you legal advice. Your lawyer also ensures that your rights are protected.
You are assigned a lawyer as soon as the asylum procedure officially begins
If you apply for asylum in the Netherlands, you will automatically be assigned a free lawyer by the
Two days before your interview with the IND, you will have an introductory interview with your lawyer at the
Your lawyer protects your rights during the asylum procedure
Your lawyer is there for you and protects your rights during the asylum procedure. Lawyers in the Netherlands are independent of the government. This means that the lawyer does his best for you and not for the government. A lawyer may only share information about your case with the IND with your permission.
This is what the lawyer will do for you before your interview with the IND
Together with your lawyer, you will discuss what questions the IND is likely to ask, and how you can explain your flight story as clearly as possible. Your lawyer will not be present during your interview with the IND. Sometimes, however, your lawyer may ask if someone from
VWN can also provide you with information and support you throughout the asylum procedure. On RefugeeHelp, you will find an infographic and videos explaining the asylum procedure after 12 June 2026:
Checking your documents
Your lawyer will check if all the important documents and information are in your asylum file. VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) can also help you and your lawyer with this.
This is what the lawyer does for you during the asylum process
During the asylum procedure, the lawyer will do this for you:
Review the IND reports
The IND will record your interview and draw up a report of it. Your lawyer can listen to the recording and check that the report is accurate. Your lawyer will go through the report with you, and you will discuss whether there are any errors in it and whether the translation is correct. Your lawyer can make changes if you think something has been recorded incorrectly.
Review the IND's decision
When the IND makes a decision on your asylum application, the lawyer explains this and considers whether the decision is legally correct.
Discussing options with you after rejection
If the IND rejects your asylum application, your lawyer will discuss with you whether it is advisable to lodge an appeal. Your lawyer will help you with the appeal process and can represent you in court if necessary. Your lawyer will prepare the appeal and submit the relevant documents to the court.
This is what the lawyer expects from you
The lawyer also expects several things from you, namely:
That you collect the important documents
The lawyer needs documents and evidence from you to best help you. Documents that show that you are who you are. And that your story is true.
That you prepare yourself well for the interviews with the IND
That you tell your lawyer if something goes wrong
Is something going wrong during the interviews? You are always entitled to legal assistance. If you have any questions or feel uncertain about an interview with the IND, you can discuss this with your lawyer. This is also the case if you could not understand the interpreter properly, or if you feel that the IND employee is not handling the situation correctly.
How often do you see or speak to your lawyer
Is something going wrong during the interviews? You are always entitled to legal assistance. If you have any questions or feel uncertain about an interview with the IND, you can discuss this with your lawyer. This is also the case if you could not understand the interpreter properly, or if you feel that the IND employee is not handling the situation correctly.
To travel to the lawyer, you can ask the
If you are not satisfied with your lawyer, you can file a complaint
You may sometimes find yourself wondering whether your lawyer has done their job properly. For example, because you think your asylum application was rejected due to your lawyer’s negligence. Or because you think your lawyer failed to respond to your case, or responded too late. Do you have these concerns? If so, discuss them with your lawyer first. Sometimes there may be a logical explanation for your lawyer’s behaviour. Or the problem may still be resolved.
If, after speaking to your lawyer, you still believe that they have not done their job properly, and you are able to explain and substantiate this, you can lodge a complaint with the 'Nederlandse Orde Van Advocaten' (Dutch Bar Association). VWN can help you lodge a complaint.
Do not just lodge a complaint in the moment. You need to have really good reasons and clear examples of what went wrong. For example, were important documents not submitted, or not submitted on time? Or were deadlines missed? Were there errors in the documents your lawyer submitted? And do these have an impact on your case? If you want your complaint to stand a chance of success, you need to back it up properly.