You report to the IND in Ter Apel

If you enter the Netherlands via Belgium or Germany and want to apply for asylum here, you must go to the Application Centre (AC) in Ter Apel. In Ter Apel, you report to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Here you say you want to apply for asylum. The IND will ask who you are, what your nationality is and where you come from.

You will be given a wristband and a letter with a number (this is called the 'loopbrief' (cover letter)). You will need the wristband and letter for your appointments after the application.

The IND always checks whether you have previously applied for asylum. In the Netherlands or another Dublin country in Europe. In the latter case, the Dublin procedure applies to you. And is the country you originally come from on the list of safe countries of origin drawn up by the Dutch government? Then the IND will process your asylum application in the 'simplified asylum procedure'. This is a shorter and faster procedure than the normal asylum procedure. You will have one interview with the IND about why you have fled.

It is important that you say your real name and do not show a false ID. Be honest with the IND if you used a different name during your flight. The IND always checks if your papers are genuine. If you give false information about yourself, it will affect your asylum application.