Privacy

The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) assesses all residence permit applications from the people who want to live, work or study in the Netherlands. The IND also assesses applications from the people who want to become Dutch. For this purpose, the IND processes a lot of personal data of customers and employees.

The IND believes that privacy is very important. That is why we process your data with great care and attention. In this Privacy Statement, you can read which data the IND collects and why. We also explain who we share your information with and what rights you have.

To keep the information clear, each topic is subdivided into two layers of information. First you read the most important information. Do you want to know more? Then click on the "more information" link.

You can also download this Privacy Statement:

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

What personal information does the IND collect from you?

The IND processes personal data of the people who apply for a residence permit in the Netherlands or the people who apply to become Dutch nationals. We also process personal data from sponsors, family members, interpreters, agents, employees of the IND and employees of other organisations. The IND receives the personal data from these people personally or from other persons or organisations involved.

The IND processes general personal data. For example, name, contact information, nationality and passport number, date and place of birth and marital status, and also special personal data if it is necessary for the work of the IND, for example, racial or ethnic origin, political views and beliefs, and also genetic and biometric data, sexual orientation and information about criminal cases or a criminal record. For a comprehensive overview, see ‘more information’.

The IND obtains personal data in various ways:

  • The applicant provides the personal data relating to him or her in connection with the submitted application, personally or possibly through an authorised representative.
  • The sponsor of the person who wants to stay in the Netherlands provides the personal data about him or her.
  • The applicant provides personal data of third parties, such as family members.
  • The personal data come from other government departments and authorities.  
Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

Why does the IND process your personal data?

The IND needs your personal data to implement the Policy on Foreign nationals. This policy stems from the Aliens Act 2000 and rules and regulations that go with it, as well as from the Dutch Nationality Act. In addition, there are rules based on international treaties.

The IND manages the administration of foreign nationals. After identification, the personal data of the foreign nationals are registered herein.

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

Whom does the IND provide our personal data to?

According to the Aliens Act 2000, the IND may or must provide other government organisations with information to perform their duties. For this purpose, such organisation requests (request) or demands information (claim).

The IND assesses whether it is necessary to provide your personal data and whether it does not harm your personal life. The IND checks why the organisation wants to get the data and whether it can do with less or no personal data.

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

Research

The Research & Analysis (O&A) department of the IND conducts research. These studies are confidential or public. In addition, O&A assesses requests from external parties to provide IND data for research. Researchers ask for interviews with IND employees, but also for quantitative data, files and internal documents.

If the request is approved, O&A will arrange the delivery of the data. The delivery of data takes place via the file mailbox. Personal data is made anonymous if possible. The external party cannot see whom the data is about.

External researchers sign a confidentiality agreement. It states that they do not put in the public research report any data that can be traced to a person. Figures are rounded to tens. In addition, for each study, written agreements are made about the data that are provided, the way in which the information is provided and the (factual) check of the publication carried out by the IND

Research involving the IND can be divided into the following three categories:

  • Research in which the IND is legally obliged to cooperate;
  • Research by external parties, to who access is granted to the data within the IND. This often concerns requests from universities, social organisations and students;
  • Independent research.
Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​Does the IND  share your personal data with other countries?

In certain situations, the IND passes on personal data to other countries or (international) organisations.

Sharing your personal data with countries within the EEA

The AVG rules also apply in the countries within the European Economic Area (EEA). These are all countries of the European Union plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. These countries protect your personal data as well as the Netherlands. 

Sharing your personal data with countries or organisations outside the EEA

In such case, the IND takes measures to protect your personal data. For example, by providing data to the countries for which the European Commission has taken an adequacy decision. The IND also exchanges personal data with embassies of countries where foreign nationals come from. This happens for the reasons that are important to everyone (Article 49, paragraph 1, sub d., GDPR).

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​How does the IND protect your personal data?

The IND has taken measures to protect personal data and prevent misuse. All persons who can access the data must keep this information secret.

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​How long will your personal information be stored?

The IND does not store personal data for longer than necessary for the purpose for which the IND has collected it. The retention periods are laid down in the archive policy. How long personal data are preserved, varies per situation and also depends on the purpose of storage. This period can be a few weeks to many years.

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​Message for authorised persons and lawyers

On 25 May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)  became effective. This means the IND wants to handle persons information as carefully as possible. To do this we also need your help.

Do not send applications or documents that contain information on more than 1 (adult) persons

Persons details of customers should only be accessible by that person and not by others. This of course does not apply when the customer has a parent or legal representative.

Do your clients not object to sharing their personal details with other clients?

In that case, please add a declaration of permission to the application or documents. This declaration clearly states that your client gives permission to use these documents and, therefore, the documents may be added to the file of this customer. We do wish to inform you that Archive Law applies tot he file of the customer.

We thank you for your co-operation to be as carefully as possible with the personal details of our clients.

​What privacy rights do you have?

Regarding your personal data, you have the right:

  • to inspect;
  • to adjust (rectify);
  • to delete ;
  • to have data processed to a limited extent;
  • to transfer data to another party.

You also have the right to object to processing of your personal data.

Using your privacy rights

Would you like to use your privacy rights? Then go to the page Request for documents or information from your IND file.

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​Automated decision making

The IND does not use automated decision-making without human intervention. This means that an employee always looks at the case.

Do you have questions or do you wish to file a complaint?

Do you have any questions, do you want more explanation or are you not satisfied with how the IND handles your personal data? Then contact our Privacy Officer.

You can file a complaint by using this complaint form. Or send a letter to:

IND
Privacy Officer
Postbus 17
9560 AA Ter Apel

Are you not satisfied with the answer to your complaint? Then you can submit a complaint to the Dutch Data Protection Authority. This is possible via the website: www.autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl

Show details Hide details
  • More information

    open minus

​When was this Privacy Statement amended last?

The legislation and our services are not standing still. We closely follow these developments and adjust our organisation as well and as quickly as possible. This can also have consequences for the way we handle personal data. We therefore adjust the Privacy Statement. For this reason, read our Privacy Statement regularly. We will inform you of major changes.

We updated this Privacy Statement last on 15 January 2020.