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Complaints handling

The IND is committed to being open and transparent about its work, even if our clients feel we are not performing well. That's why, on this page, we provide insight into the IND's complaint handling process. The IND believes it is important that complainants feel heard and that we learn from complaints. This allows us to improve our services.

The IND distinguishes these categories of complaints. 

  • Processing time: these are complaints about the processing times of applications.
  • Service provision: these are complaints about the provision of services by the IND, such as accessibility by phone, the option to plan an appointment at a desk, taking biometrics, issuance of documents or information provision.
  • Treatment: these are complaints about the conduct or behaviour of IND staff members.
  • National ombudsman (No): These are interventions by the National ombudsman that have been forwarded to the IND.
  • Policy: these are complaints about the aliens policy and the implementation of this policy by the IND. This category also contains complaints that are not against the IND and will be forwarded to partners in the immigration system under policy.
  • IT affairs: these are complaints about the performance of the IND website, MyIND, the Business Portal, Solicitor Portal, etc.

Complaints processing table

Month

Processing time

Service provision

Treatment

No

Policy

IT

Other

Total

May

112

101

3

4

1

1

1

223

Apr

122

78

8

2

3

2

1

216

Mar

126

99

8

1

1

0

0

235

Feb

98

90

12

3

3

7

3

216

Jan

135

93

7

97

1

2

3

338

Dec

118

107

7

77

1

2

-

312

Explanation of table

  • In May 2026, the IND received 223 complaints. Most complaints by far are about the processing time of an application by the IND (112 complaints) and about the provision of services by the IND (101 complaints).
  • In May 2026, 83% of the complaints were handled within the legal term of 6 weeks. The average time for handling complaints was 4 weeks.
  • In May 2026, the IND assessed 193 complaints:
    -    Valid: 127 complaints (= 66%)
    -    Invalid: 43 complaints (= 22%)
  • The remaining 23 complaints (12%) were withdrawn by the client, were forwarded to a partner in the immigration system, could not be assessed because further investigation turned out not to be possible, or were inadmissible.
  • The column ‘other’ concerns complaints about, for example, interpreters or facilities. 
     

Handling complaints is prescribed in the General Administrative Law Act, chapter 9 (in Dutch: Algemene wet bestuursrecht or AWB).