Every year, people come to the Netherlands to work here, either temporarily or for a longer period. The rules that apply to them depend on, amongst other things, their nationality, the type of work they will be performing and the length of their…
Each year, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) processes tens of thousands of applications from people who want to stay in the Netherlands. For some time, the IND has been receiving more applications than it can process, meaning…
Starting 12 June 2026, asylum seekers in the Netherlands will have access to legal counselling. With this new service, the Netherlands is fulfilling its obligations under the European Pact on Asylum and Migration, which states that asylum seekers…
If the Netherlands approves an asylum seeker's initial application, this is formally referred to as ‘approval’. The IND regularly receives questions about approvals and the so-called acceptance rate. Sometimes, this rate is also the subject of…
From 12 June 2026, the European Asylum and Migration Pact will introduce new asylum rules across the European Union. For some time, asylum and reception systems in many EU Member States have been under considerable pressure. The pact aims to improve…
We are dedicated and committed to our shared duty: deciding who is admitted to the Netherlands. It is a people-focused job that requires a human touch, and we do it as carefully, fairly, properly and promptly as possible. Our public duty comes with…
The application process (asylum) family reunification will be changing from 1 December. The updated procedure places more control in the hands of the applicant, who can submit and go through the application themselves. But will still be available…
It is important for asylum seekers who have been in the Netherlands for more than 6 months, asylum permit holders and family reunification migrants to be registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) as soon as possible. That is because without…
Professional football players from outside the EU, as well as other top athletes from around the world, come to the Netherlands to compete. However, simply having a contract is not enough to get them directly onto the field of play. This requires…
