New country policy for Ukraine: what does this mean for you?
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New rules have been in force since 1 July 2026. Are you currently under temporary protection in the Netherlands? If so, you cannot apply for asylum. If you are not under temporary protection, or if your temporary protection is coming to an end, the IND will assess your asylum application. Read this article to find out how this works.
New country policy on Ukraine
On 1 July 2026, the Dutch government published a new for Ukraine. This is the first time since the start of the war that a country policy for Ukraine has been in place.
The policy concerns the assessment of asylum applications from Ukrainians who are not entitled to temporary protection under the
Do you have temporary protection?
In that case, nothing will change for you at the moment. This country policy does not concern the
If you currently have temporary protection under the TPD, your entitlement to it remains the same.
Who is this policy actually important for?
The new country policy is important for Ukrainians who are not entitled to temporary protection. They may choose to apply for asylum. This may be the case, for example, if:
The IND has decided that you do not meet the conditions for temporary protection.
You have previously been granted temporary protection in the Netherlands or in another EU country.
Your
In these situations, you may choose to apply for asylum. Think carefully before applying for asylum. An asylum application may have consequences for your situation.
How does the IND assess an application?
Under the new country policy, the IND has rules for assessing asylum applications from Ukrainians.
The IND assesses each asylum application individually and takes your personal circumstances into account. The IND believes that many Ukrainians can be received in safe parts of Ukraine. This means that someone may be able to find reception in another part of Ukraine, rather than being granted residence status in the Netherlands. If the IND considers that someone can be safe in another part of Ukraine, it may decide that residence status in the Netherlands is not necessary.
The Dutch government has not designated any risk groups. This means that you will not automatically be granted asylum if, for example, you are LGBTIQIA+ or face difficulties due to compulsory military service.
The IND always takes your personal circumstances and your individual situation into account. An asylum application is therefore assessed critically. Submitting an application does not automatically result in a residence permit.
Think carefully before applying for asylum
Applying for asylum can have significant consequences. During the asylum procedure, you must hand over your original identity and travel documents to the IND. The IND will retain these documents for as long as your asylum procedure is ongoing. This means that you are often unable to travel freely whilst the procedure is ongoing. Applying for asylum may also affect your right to temporary protection in another EU country.
Some Ukrainians apply for asylum in the Netherlands without fully understanding the consequences. You should therefore seek advice before submitting an asylum application.