RefugeeHelp - Information for asylum seekers in the Netherlands

Reception centres for people seeking asylum may be full

If you want to apply for asylum in the Netherlands, you may not get a place in a reception centre at the registration location in Ter Apel. You can register here to apply for asylum with the IND, but you may not get a place in a reception centre. This is because the reception centre in Ter Apel is full. This is not a normal situation and it is not yet clear what will happen. There are people in Ter Apel who will keep you informed of the situation.

Welcome to the Netherlands

Have you fled and are you looking for protection in the Netherlands? On these pages you can read about how to apply for asylum in the Netherlands and how the asylum procedure works. You can also read about life in the reception centre.

What can we help you with?

Frequently visited

How do I apply for asylum in the Netherlands?

For what reasons can I get an asylum residence permit?

My fingerprints were taken in another European country. What does the Dublin procedure involve?

Where do I stay during the asylum procedure?

Topics

Arrival in the Netherlands

The asylum procedure

Living in the reception centre

Work

Return to your country of origin

Education

Healthcare

General information about the Netherlands

News

Not enough space in reception centre in Ter Apel if you apply for asylum there

A portrait photo of Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof.

Important

News

Sep 17, 2024

The Dutch government further explains strict asylum plans during Prinsjesdag

The Dutch government presented its precise plans for asylum on Friday, 13 September 2024, and explained the plans in more detail on Prinsjesdag. 4 months ago the government already shared general plans in an earlier agreement. Now the government explains more precisely what stricter rules for asylum migration it wants to introduce.

On Open Monument Day this year on 14 and 15 September, you can visit special buildings and monuments for free. The Queen Wilhelmina Pavilion in Breda is one of them.

Activity

Sep 11, 2024

Visit special buildings during Open Monument Day

Want to take a peek inside a castle or other historic building? You can do so this coming weekend during European Hertiage Days. You can enter 1000 buildings and monuments for free.

A square with modern buildings in Damascus, Syria

News

Aug 28, 2024

Temporary return to Syria may be grounds for rejecting an asylum application

The highest court in the Netherlands decides that the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) may sometimes reject asylum applications from Syrians. Previously, almost all Syrians were granted asylum in the Netherlands because Syria is unsafe for most Syrians. This now no longer applies to Syrians who have temporarily returned to Syria.

News

Aug 27, 2024

Your job prospects are greater with these occupations

Are you looking for a job in the Netherlands? For some occupations a lot of people are needed in the coming year. You then have a better chance of finding a job quickly. In this article you can read more about high-potential occupations.

Minister Marjolein Faber sits in the House of Representatives and looks at her tablet.

News

Aug 26, 2024

Minister Faber tries to declare "asylum crisis" to introduce strict asylum rules

Minister Marjolein Faber plans to declare an "asylum crisis" in the Netherlands. Declaring such a crisis could mean that the government may start introducing very strict asylum rules. But it remains to be seen whether Minister Faber will succeed because the European Commission must also agree.

Ukrainian Mariam and her daughter at the VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) children's holiday weeks in Oisterwijk, Netherlands.

Experience

Aug 23, 2024

Getting away from the reception centre and relaxing on holiday: "Everything is different here"

Time for yourself while your children play and make new friends. That is what the families of Syrian Anwar and Ukrainian Mariam were quite in need of. They are enjoying a holiday with other refugee families in the middle of the Dutch forest. Mariam: "I feel alive again."

Free admission to the museum!

Want to get to know Dutch culture better? If so, you can now get free tickets to more than 150 museums in the Netherlands. Together, VluchtelingenWerk Nederland and the museums invite you to visit.

Order for free

More information