‘It’s not just paperwork: behind every case there’s a person’

The Legal Affairs support teams are divided into three groups: hearing administration, detention and admissions. They provide administrative and legal support to colleagues who make, implement and defend decisions about who can stay in the Netherlands and who can become a Dutch citizen. Kiki is part of the admissions team. 

From intern to permanent employee

Kiki laughs when she’s asked how long she’s been working for the IND. ‘I have a long history here,’ she says. ‘All in all, I’ve been working for the IND for about ten years now. I did two internships with Legal Affairs, but then I worked somewhere else for a while. And now I’m back, as a permanent employee. In a way, I grew up here. I know this organisation, which makes me feel like I have a solid foundation to build on.’

‘Both the work and the people keep me here,’ Kiki continues. ‘There’s an open atmosphere and everyone’s very helpful, and it just feels like you’re doing something great together. I’m currently completing a law degree at a university of applied sciences, which I’m able to combine with my work. My manager gives me time to study, as well as opportunities to put what I learn into practice.’

Attention to detail

In her current job, Kiki spends most of her time processing court rulings and wrapping up legal proceedings. She also answers phone calls from courts and attorneys. ‘The so-called ‘other rulings’ are an important part of my work,’ Kiki explains. ‘A lot of those are decisions on the reimbursement of legal costs. Sometimes the court will order the IND to pay the legal costs of a court case. I then send a letter and a form to the person who has to sign off on the payment. Once we’ve received the completed form, I hand over the case to my colleagues who handle outgoing payments. All those steps have to be completed before a case can officially be closed.’

Kiki keeps a close eye on the administrative process, making sure there are no loose ends. This is important, because without her mistakes could slip by unnoticed. ‘You have to pay attention to detail, which I like. And I’m good at it.’ 

Clearing backlogs

What is she most proud of? After giving it some thought, she says, ‘A while ago, our team faced a huge challenge. There was a big spike in so-called overdue appeals – missed deadlines, basically. So we set clear priorities about what needed to be done and created tight schedules, based on firm agreements. And it worked, because we were able to clear the backlog. It may sound boring, but that made me really happy. We achieved visible results and received compliments on our work. It was also a learning experience: we’ve continued to use schedules, so now everyone knows who does what, and how much work we have to do each day. That gives us peace of mind.’ 

Reliability

Kiki believes it’s important to remain realistic and fair in her work. ‘Not every case is exciting and not every phone call is interesting,’ she admits. ‘But justice is about treating everyone equally and doing things properly. That also applies to ‘everyday’ rulings on legal costs. I always remind myself that I don’t just do paperwork. Behind every case there’s a person with a story. I’m just one employee, but the work I do can influence the entire process. The IND’s reliability depends on reliable administration.’

Professional growth at the IND

Kiki feels at home at the IND. ‘I want to continue my development as a legal professional,’ she concludes. ‘Ideally, I’d like to do that at the IND. This is an organisation that values precision in everything it does. From the first letter to the last payment. How amazing is that?’