Monthly figures for February 2024
From February onwards, the IND has further expanded the monthly reporting, with more figures. This concerns figures on residence permits for study, labour migrants and naturalization. In the diagrams below, we provide an explanation when something strikes as remarkable.
Asylum: First asylum applications
In February, the IND made 3,210 decisions on first asylum applications. This is mainly due to faster processing of promising asylum applications. Because the IND took more decisions than the number of first asylum applications received this month, the number of outstanding first asylum applications decreased.
Explanation of asylum diagrams
The number of applications in the different procedures (track 1, 2, 4) for this month may still change. The numbers in the general asylum procedure usually continue to decline, while applications in the Dublin procedure or in the Safe Country procedure continue to increase. This is due to the moment when an application, among the first asylum applications, is classified into one of the procedures.
Asylum: Safe Country procedure (track 1)
Asylum: Safe Country procedure (track 2)
Due to the fact that fewer applications have been received in the safe country procedure, fewer decisions are needed than budgeted.
Asylum: General and extended asylum procedure (track 4)
Applicants have to wait increasingly longer for a decision from the IND. Nearly eight thousand applicants have now been waiting longer than the extended statutory decision period of 15 months. A year ago, this was almost three thousand.
* This diagram shows the first asylum applications, repeated applications, lateral entries and resettlement.
Asylum: Family members who have joined the asylum seekers later
Residence permit knowledge and talent
Study
The applications for study have a peak pattern. Most applications are submitted before the start of the academic year (in September and February). The numbers of applications for the start in September are greater than for the start in February.
Migrant workers
Naturalization
The number of outstanding applications for naturalization decreased last year. A year ago, there were more than 24 thousand outstanding applications, now there are almost 19 thousand. At present, a decision is made within 21 weeks. This is an average of all cases decided in 2024. One submits an application for naturalization to the municipality, the IND examines it and ultimately Dutch citizenship is granted by signing a Royal Decree.
Service desk
The number of appointments for biometrics (fingerprints and photo) was higher this month than in February last year. At the same time, the number of days before the first appointment can be made at the counters, has been halved from 10 days to 5 days.
* Where the graph shows 'Budget IND', this is ann average budget for the entire year (12 months)