Asylum and family reunification: latest developments

Many people apply for asylum and family reunification in the Netherlands. As a result, the waiting times in these procedures are increasing. See the average waiting times for asylum applications. And when the IND will start working on your family reunification application.  

In view of the uncertain situation in Iran, the IND is temporarily not making decisions on asylum applications from Iranian nationals. 

On 12 June 2026, new European asylum rules will come into effect: the European Pact on Migration and Asylum. From 12 June, these rules will apply for all countries within the European Union. At the same time, the Dutch government has drafted a number of Dutch legislative proposals as well. On 21 April 2026, the Senate voted on these legislative proposals. 

The Senate voted in favor of the following legislative proposal:

• Two-status system introduction Act 

This has implications for asylum family reunification. It is currently unclear when this Act will come into effect. Because this is a Dutch law, it can go into effect at a different time than the European rules. It is also possible that this comes into effect with all European rules on 12 June.

The Senate voted against the following legislative proposals:

• Asylum Emergency Measures Act
• The amendment to the criminalisation of illegal residence

Most measures in these legislative proposals are also included in the new European rules. A proposal to adapt Dutch law to this is still pending before the Senate. This proposal is called (in Dutch): de Uitvoerings- en implementatiewet Asiel- en migratiepact 2026. It is expected the Senate will vote on this on 26 May. All measures below are included in this proposal. 

Family reunification

The rules for family reunification are changing. When exactly this will be is not yet clear. From that moment, you can apply for family reunification for:

• Your biological or adopted children under 18 years of age.
• Your partner, to whom you are legally married.

You will no longer be able to apply for family reunification for the following family members:

• Your partner to whom you are not legally married.
• Your foster child.
• Your adult children. 

Only in rare situations are they entitled to a residence permit for family members under Article 8 ECHR. This is a more stringent assessment than for family reunification. Did you apply for family reunification for these family members before the law takes effect? Then the IND will assess whether they are entitled to a residence permit under Article 8 ECHR. You do not need to make a new application for this.  

Did you come to the Netherlands without parents, and did you apply for asylum before you turned 18? Then you will be able to apply for family reunification for:

• Your parents. 
• Your siblings under 18 years of age, if you apply for family reunification for your parent(s) at the same time.

Additional requirements

You can get an asylum residence permit for 2 reasons: 

• Refugee (a): you are personally at risk of persecution in your country. For example, because of your origin, religion or political affiliation. 
• Subsidiary protection (b): you are at risk in your country because the general situation is unsafe. For example, because of violence or war. 

We call this your status. 

Check your status in your decision

Have you received a decision from the IND stating that you are granted an asylum residence permit? If so, you can find your status in that decision. On the first page of the decision, you will find the grounds on which you were granted the residence permit. This is described in one of the following ways:

• You are granted an asylum residence permit under Article 29, paragraph 1(a), of the Aliens Act (Vw) (in Dutch: U krijgt een verblijfsvergunning asiel op grond van artikel 29, eerste lid, aanhef en onder a, Vw)

 This means that you are recognised as a refugee. 

• You are granted an asylum residence permit under Article 29, paragraph 1(b), of the Aliens Act (Vw). (in Dutch: U krijgt een verblijfsvergunning asiel op grond van artikel 29, eerste lid, aanhef en onder b, Vw) 

This means that you have subsidiary protection.

In My IND, you can view this decision until about one month after you have received your residence permit. Can you no longer view your decision? Then call the asylum family reunification information line.

Requirements for subsidiary protection

The rules for family reunification are currently still the same for both statuses. But when the law takes effect, three additional requirements will apply if you have subsidiary protection (b):

• After you receive your asylum residence permit, you must wait 2 years before applying for family reunification.
• You must have sufficient independent, long-term income. This means your income is high enough and you receive it for a long enough period. And that you pay taxes and contributions on the income.
• You must have housing.

The new asylum procedure

On 12 June 2026, the asylum procedure is changing. This is due to new European rules. The aim is to decide more quickly whether you can stay in the Netherlands. This is being done with the following changes: 

• There will be only one interview with the IND on the reasons you want asylum. There will no longer be an application interview.
• There will no longer be a compulsory medical examination. This will only still be done if there is reason for it.  
• You will no longer receive an intended decision (in Dutch: voornemen) to which you can respond. You will receive a final decision on your application immediately. If you disagree with the decision, you can appeal to the court. 
• The IND can give you information about the asylum procedure. This is called legal information. For example, if you have questions about your rights. 
• You will be given a lawyer shortly before your asylum interview.
• The IND records your asylum interview, and your lawyer can listen back to the interview.
• If you fail to show up for your appointments during the asylum procedure, the IND can take a negative decision on your asylum application sooner. 
• You will be informed as standard within 6 months whether you are allowed to stay in the Netherlands. In the accelerated procedure, this is 3 months. You follow this procedure, for example, if you come from a safe country. 

Asylum residence permit 

Have you been granted an asylum residence permit? From 12 June, the following is changing: 

• An asylum residence permit is currently valid for 5 years. This will be 3 years. You must therefore apply for a new residence document (card) every 3 years. If on 12 June 2026 you hold a temporary asylum residence permit, you keep this card until you need to extend. 

• There is no longer a permanent asylum residence permit. If on 12 June 2026 you hold a permanent asylum residence permit, you keep this residence permit. You will still be able to renew your document. 

  Have you applied for a permanent residence permit, and have you not yet received a decision from the IND by 12 June? In that case, the IND will assess your application as a renewal of the residence permit.

Second or following asylum application

From 12 June, the IND will assess second or following asylum applications more strictly. Are you submitting new information that clearly increases the likelihood of you being granted a residence permit? Only in that case will the IND assess your application.