Apply for asylum in the Netherlands

After arriving in the Netherlands, you first report in person as an asylum seeker at an application centre (in Dutch: aanmeldcentrum or AC). The AC is the building where your asylum procedure begins. You go to AC Ter Apel if you enter the Netherlands by land (through Belgium or Germany). You go to AC Schiphol if you arrive by plane or boat and did not go through customs yet.

Pre-registration

In Ter Apel, you first go to the IND for a pre-registration. The IND asks who you are, what your nationality is and where you come from. We also check whether you have previously submitted an application to the IND. You will receive a wristband and a letter with a code. You will need the wristband and the letter for your appointments after the pre-registration. After the pre-registration, you go to the Asylum Seeker Identification and Screening Service (in Dutch: Dienst Identificatie en Screening Asielzoekers or DISA) for identification and registration. Is it busy in Ter Apel or are you arriving late in the day? Then it is possible that you first go to the night reception of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (in Dutch: Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers or COA). Read information about the COA on www.coa.nl. You then go to the DISA in Ter Apel or Budel the next day.

Identification and registration

The Asylum Seeker Identification and Screening Service (in Dutch: Dienst Identificatie en Screening Asielzoekers or DISA) carries out the identification and registration step. An interpreter (via telephone) translates the conversation. Registration and identification takes place as follows:

• Identification: the DISA asks for documents about your identity, journey and the story behind your asylum application. Then, the KMar examines whether your documents are genuine. You will answer questions about your origin. This is how your identity and nationality are shown.
• Registration: the DISA take your passport photos and fingerprints. Your identity, passport photos and fingerprints are stored in a national computer system. These details are needed to handle your asylum application. You apply officially for asylum by signing an asylum application on paper. Your details are used to make a Foreign Nationals Identity Document Type W (in Dutch: vreemdelingen identiteitsbewijs) for you.

After application

• AC Ter Apel: The COA assesses whether you are entitled to reception. Are you entitled to reception? Then the COA provides you with a place to sleep and eat, medical care and guidance.
• AC Schiphol: You continue your asylum application during the border procedure. In some cases, you first fill in an IND questionnaire (application form).

Submission of documents

Do you still have to submit documents to the IND that are important for your asylum application? Then read our flyer

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease. Do you come from a country where TB is common? A nurse will then examine whether you have TB. If necessary, the nurse will take an X-ray of your lungs. Do you have TB? Then you will be treated for the disease first. Your asylum procedure does not start until you are cured.

Exemption from TB test

TB is becoming less common in some countries. Because of that, individuals from these countries are exempted from the TB test. Check this appendix to see whether you are exempt from the TB test:

Within a couple of months after your application, you will receive an invitation for an application interview. The application interview is an interview with a staff member of the IND. You answer general questions, for example about yourself and your journey to the Netherlands. You also briefly explain the reason why you are applying for asylum.

When no application interview will take place

• You are an unaccompanied minor (UAM) foreign national (in Dutch: alleenstaande, minderjarige vreemdeling or AMV) under the age of 12. UAM is the name for asylum seekers under 18 without parents/caregivers in the Netherlands. 
• If you come from a safe country of origin or have protection in the EU. The steps in the simplified asylum procedure apply to you. Check on Government.nl which countries are on the list of safe countries of origin.
• If you follow the Dublin Procedure. In that case, investigation shows that another European country is responsible for your asylum application.

In the rest and preparation time (in Dutch: rust- en voorbereidingstijd or RVT) you can prepare for the General Asylum Procedure (in Dutch: Algemene Asielprocedure or AA). You usually go to an asylum seekers centre of the COA in a different city/town. 

When there is no RVT

• You are following your asylum procedure in an immigration detention facility. Check on Government.nl what immigration detention is.
• You are following the simplified asylum procedure.
• Your statements about your identity, nationality, origin or ancestry prove not to be true.
• You cause nuisance to others in or near an application or reception centre. You are then immediately placed in the general asylum procedure (AA).

Special asylum for unaccompanied minor foreign nationals (UAMs)

• UAM under 15: the NIDOS institution arranges stay with a foster family for you. NIDOS is the organisation that arranges guardianship for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. Read more information on www.nidos.nl.
• UAM from 15 to 18 years of age: the COA arranges your stay for you in a special asylum centre for young asylum seekers.

Age assessment of unaccompanied minor foreign nationals (UAM)

The IND provides an age assessment when there are doubts about the age of the UAM. The assessment may also be carried out later. During an age assessment a nurse takes X-Rays of the wrist and shoulder. Find out more about important characteristics of the asylum procedure for UAMs.

Medical examination

In the reception centre you will have a free medical examination. A nurse then determines whether you are healthy enough to explain your asylum story. This enables the IND to take account of your health during interviews. Would you rather not go through a medical examination? That is no problem.

Information provided by the Dutch Council for Refugees (VWN)

In the asylum seekers centre you will receive information free of charge about the asylum procedure from staff members of the Dutch Council for Refugees (in Dutch: VluchtelingenWerk Nederland or VWN).  Read information about VWN on www.vluchtelingenwerk.nl/en. And more information about applying for asylum in the Netherlands in 9 languages on www.refugeehelp.nl.

Preparation by a lawyer for the interview with the IND

The Legal Aid Board (in Dutch: Raad voor de Rechtsbijstand or RvR, www.rvr.org) will arrange a lawyer for you. This is usually free. The lawyer helps you to prepare for the interview with the IND about your asylum story. This holds for adult asylum seekers and for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. But also for your children from the age of 15 who have applied for asylum together with you.

Preparation by a lawyer of children aged 15 to 18 

Are you applying for asylum together with your children between the ages of 15 and 18? Then the IND asks during the application interview if they want their own second interview (detailed interview). Do they have other reasons than you why they are unsafe in their country? Then they will definitely get their own detailed interview. A lawyer helps them to prepare for this interview with they IND about their asylum story. 

The General Asylum Procedure (in Dutch: Algemene Asielprocedure or AA) applies to most asylum seekers. The AA usually lasts 6 days but the IND can extend the AA. This happens on each day of the AA:

Day 1: Detailed interview  

In this interview with an IND staff member, you will explain why you are applying for asylum. An independent and impartial interpreter will provide the translation. Independent and impartial means the interpreter has no influence on your asylum application. 

Day 2: Discussing the detailed interview

You speak with your lawyer. The lawyer will check together with you whether the report of the detailed interview is correct, and inform the IND of errors and additions.

Day 3: First decision 

An IND staff member reads what you said to the IND and your lawyer’s response to you. After that, the IND decides whether you will obtain an asylum residence permit. There are 3 possibilities:

1. You will obtain a temporary asylum residence permit. This is stated in a decision.
2. The IND will continue handling your application in the Extended Asylum Procedure (VA).
3. The IND is planning not to give you a temporary asylum residence permit. This first decision is written in a letter and is called an intended decision. 

Day 4: Response to the decision  

You speak with your lawyer about the rejection of your asylum application in the intended decision. Do you not agree with the rejection? Your lawyer can explain in a viewpoint (letter) to the IND why you do not agree.

Days 5 and 6: Second decision 

The IND staff member reads your viewpoint and sees whether the intended decision must be changed. There are 3 possible outcomes:

1. You will still obtain a temporary asylum residence permit. This is stated in a decision. 
2. The IND will continue handling your application in the Extended Asylum Procedure (VA).
3. You will not obtain an asylum residence permit and you may have an entry ban imposed on you. This is stated in a decision. With help from your lawyer, you can appeal against this decision at a court in the Netherlands.

 General Asylum Procedure in 9 days (AA+) 

If you follow the AA+ then the procedure usually takes 9 days. The IND can extend the AA+. This procedure is for asylum applications that the IND needs to conduct further investigation on. It is also for asylum applications by asylum seekers who need more attention because of their health. This happens on each day of the AA+:

• Days 1 and 2: you explain your asylum story during the detailed interview with the IND. 
• Days 3 and 4: you speak with your lawyer about the report of the detailed interview.
• Day 5: first decision by the IND.
• Days 6 and 7: response to the decision (viewpoint) by your lawyer.
• Days 8 and 9: second decision by the IND.