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Civic integration for naturalisation

Do you want to become a Dutch citizen through naturalisation? If so, you have to meet the civic integration requirement. This usually means that you must hold a civic integration diploma. Read more about the civic integration requirement and the exemptions and dispensations.

What is the civic integration requirement?

If you want to become a Dutch citizen through naturalisation, you must have completed the civic integration process. This means that you speak, read, write and understand Dutch fairly well. You must also be able to get by in Dutch society. To demonstrate this, you must pass the civic integration exam at language level A2. This is also known as the naturalisation test. You must register for this exam with the Education Executive Agency (DUO) at inburgeren.nl. If you pass this exam, you will be granted the digital civic integration diploma. With this diploma, you can apply for naturalisation.

No civic integration exam if following the option procedure

In some cases, you can become a Dutch citizen via the option procedure. This is an easier and quicker way to obtain Dutch nationality. The municipality assesses this request. If you meet the requirements for the option procedure, you do not need to take the civic integration exam.
 

What does the civic integration exam involve?

You take the civic integration exam at DUO. The civic integration exam consists of the following tests:

  1. Verbal and writing skills in the Dutch language:
    a. reading skills;
    b. listening skills;
    c. writing skills;
    d. speaking skills.
  2. Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNS):
    a. knowledge of Dutch society (KNM);
    b. orientation on the Dutch labour market (ONA) (Wi2013) / Job Market and Participation Module (MAP)
    (Wi2021). 
  3. Participation Statement Process (PVT).

     

Exemption: when are you not required to take the civic integration exam?

Sometimes you are not required to take the civic integration exam in order to naturalise. We call this an exemption. You are exempt if one of the following situations apply to you:

  1. You are a Moluccan and are covered by the Status of Moluccans Act of 9 September 1976 (as evidenced by your registration with the municipality).
  2. You have a Dutch diploma or certificate (awarded under Dutch legislation governing education at a level higher than primary education). And you followed the educational programme in Dutch.
  3. You have a diploma from the Dutch as a Second Language State Exam (NT2), programme I or II.
  4. You have a WIN certificate. You must provide a certificate from the school confirming a minimum language level of A2 in all components, and a satisfactory level for the Social Orientation component (85 percent if taken before or on 31 August 2001, and 80 percent if taken from 1 September 2001 onwards).
  5. You have an original exemption/dispensation decision issued by the municipal executive of your municipality, which shows that one of the following situations applies:
    a. that you are not required to undertake a civic integration programme, as you already have sufficient knowledge (under Article 5(2) of the Civic Integration (Newcomers) Act (WIN)).
    b. that you are not required to undertake a civic integration programme, as you have passed a test as referred to in Article 5(4) of the Civic Integration (Newcomers) Act (WIN).
    c. that, for medical reasons, you are exempt from the civic integration obligation (in Dutch: inburgeringsplicht) for an indefinite period (under Article 3(3)(a) of the Civic Integration (Newcomers) Act (WIN)).
  6. You have a civic integration diploma under the Civic Integration Act 2013, at level A2 or above.
  7. You have a civic integration diploma under the Civic Integration Act 2021, at level A2 or above.
  8. You have a ‘Short Exemption Test’ document at level B1. You took this test before 1 January 2013.
  9. You lived in the Netherlands for at least 8 years while you were of school age (between 5 and 16 years old).
  10. You have a Belgian diploma or certificate. The education must have been provided in Dutch. The diploma or certificate must have been awarded under Belgian legislation governing education at a level higher than primary education. And it must have an apostille.
  11. You hold a Surinamese diploma or certificate of completion of a course of study in academic higher education (university), higher education, general secondary education, vocational education or apprenticeship training. The education must have been provided in Dutch. The diploma or certificate must have been awarded in accordance with a Surinamese law governing education. And it must have an apostille.
  12. You hold a European Baccalaureate from the European School. You took Dutch as a first or second language and achieved a pass for the Dutch language subject.
  13. You hold an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Certificate, an International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGSE) or an International Baccalaureate, having achieved a pass for the Dutch language subject. For the IGCSE Certificate, grades A to G are considered a pass for the Dutch language subject.
  14. You hold a Naturalisation Test Certificate (as it was known before 1 April 2007). This shows that you have passed the following five modules: knowledge of politics and society; speaking, listening, writing and reading skills.
     

Partial exemption: when are you required to take only part of the civic integration exam?

Sometimes you are not required to take all components of the civic integration exam in order to naturalise. This is called a partial exemption.

In the following situations, you only need to pass the ‘Knowledge of Dutch Society’ component:

  • You have an Oldcomers Integration Certificate. You have achieved level 2 in all language components.
  • You have a Newcomers Integration Certificate (WIN certificate) with all language components at level 2 or above, accompanied by a statement from the school.
  • You have an Education Statement from the ROC and, following an assessment, have achieved at least level 2 in all language components.
  • You hold a Certificate Dutch as a Foreign Language (CNaVT) at level A2 or above.
     

In the following situations, you are exempt from the ‘Knowledge of Dutch Society’ component, but you must still take the other components:

  • You have passed part I of the naturalisation test: knowledge of politics and society (taken before 1 April 2007). 
  • You have a Newcomers Integration Certificate (WIN certificate) for social orientation at KSE level 2, accompanied by a statement from the educational institution. The minimum pass mark for certificates issued up to and including 1 September 2001 is 85%. From 31 August 2001, that mark is 80%.


     

In the following situations, you are exempt from the participation statement process (PVT), but you must still take the other components:

  • You are not subject to a civic integration obligation, but you must obtain the civic integration diploma in order to naturalise. 
  • You have an exemption from the participation statement process (PVT) by virtue of the discretionary powers of the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment. 
     

In the following situations, you are exempt from the component Orientation on the Dutch labour market, but you must still take the other components:

  • You have reached retirement age.
  • You are fully retired before reaching the state pension age.
  • You are completely and permanently unable to work.
  • You registered with DUO before 1 January 2015 for the
    civic integration exam or a component thereof. And you paid the exam fee before 1 February 2015.
  • In the 12 months before your application for exemption, you worked as an employee in the Netherlands for at least 48 hours per month in at least 6 of those months.
  • In the 12 months before your application for exemption, you made a profit from your business. You must have made a minimum amount of profit. You can calculate this minimum amount using the following formula: (L / 40) * 48 * 6. L = minimum wage. This is set out in Article 8(1)(b) of the Minimum Wage and Minimum Holiday Allowance Act. Article 15 of that Act states, including the holiday allowance;
  • In the 12 months before your application for exemption, you received social assistance for at least 6 months under Article 2(1) or (2) of the Social Assistance (Self-Employed Persons) Decree 2004.

Dispensation: what must you do if you are unable to pass the civic integration exam?

In some cases, you may be granted a dispensation from the civic integration requirement for naturalisation on medical or other grounds. In that case, you will not have to take the civic integration exam.

Do you have any serious, long-term physical disabilities (such as deafness, blindness or deaf-muteness)? Or serious mental health problems? In that case, there are 3 ways you can prove that you have a dispensation from the civic integration requirement for naturalisation:

  1. Medical Advice from Argonaut
    Is there a high likelihood that you will be unable to take the civic integration exam within the next five years because you are seriously ill? Or because you have a disability? In that case, you can apply for a dispensation. To do this, you will need a medical exam and advice from Argonaut. Argonaut is the medical adviser appointed by the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment. The medical exam costs money. You will have to pay for this yourself. Following the exam, you will receive a letter from Argonaut. This letter states if you can take the civic integration exam. For further information, please visit: Argonaut Advice - Civic Integration.
    The medical advice must not be more than 6 months old at the time you submit your application for naturalisation. 
  2. DUO Decision (under Article 6(1) of the Civic Integration Act 2013)
    This is a decision from DUO. This states that the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment has granted you dispensation from the civic integration obligation. Because you have demonstrated that, due to a mental or physical condition, or an intellectual disability, you will never be able to pass the civic integration exam. 
    The decision must not be more than 3 months old at the time you submit your application for naturalisation.
  3. Decision of the municipal executive (under to Article 6(1) of the Civic Integration Act as this read until 1 January 2013)
    It may be the case that you still have a decision that was issued by the municipal executive. This decision states that the municipal executive has granted you dispensation from the civic integration obligation. Because you have demonstrated that, due to a mental or physical condition, or an intellectual disability, you will never be able to pass the civic integration exam. 
    The decision must not be more than 3 months old at the time you submit your application for naturalisation. Check with your municipality if the decision is sufficient to grant dispensation from the civic integration exam.
     

Do you want to apply for dispensation from the civic integration requirement on nonmedical grounds? In that case, you must prove that you did your best to pass the civic integration exam. There are 5 ways you can prove that you tried to pass the exam:

  1. With a dispensation decision from DUO - subject to a civic integration obligation from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2017 inclusive
    You received this decision from the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment. The decision states that you have been granted dispensation from the civic integration obligation on the grounds of demonstrable effort, under Article 6(2) of the Civic Integration Act 2013.
    DUO issues this decision only to people who became subject to a civic integration obligation between 1 January 2013 and 30 September 2017 inclusive.
  2. With a dispensation decision from DUO - subject to a civic integration obligation from 1 October 2017 to 31 December 2021 inclusive
    You received this decision from the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment. The decision states that you are not required to take the components of the civic integration exam and the verbal and written skills exam, under Article 6(2) of the Civic Integration Act 2013.
    DUO will only issue this dispensation decision to you if you became subject to the civic integration obligation during the period from 1 October 2017 to 31 December 2021 inclusive. 
    In addition to the dispensation decision, you must also present a letter from DUO confirming that you have completed the participation statement process (PVT).
  3. With a dispensation decision from the Municipal Executive 
    You have a dispensation decision which was issued by the Municipal Executive. The decision was issued under to the Civic Integration Act 2007 and Article 6(3) of the Naturalisation Test Regulation. The decision states that you have demonstrated that you did your best to pass the exam. This decision entitles you to a dispensation; you do not need to take the civic integration exam.
  4. With recommendation from DUO – not subject to a civic integration obligation 
    Are you not subject to a civic integration obligation according to DUO, and are you unable to achieve the required level of civic integration? In that case, you can request a recommendation from DUO. This recommendation shows that you will not be able to pass the civic integration exam, even though you have done your best.
    You cannot pass the exam for the following reasons:
    1. You have taken components of the naturalisation test at least three times. And you did not pass those components. Of these, a maximum of two of the exam attempts are components of the Dutch as a Second Language State Exam (NT2). You must also have spent at least 600 hours at a training provider with the ‘Blik op Werk’ quality mark, taking part in:
      1. a civic integration course;
      2. a combination of a literacy course and a civic integration course, with at least 200 hours devoted to the civic integration course;
      3. a course in Dutch as a second language; or
      4. a combination of a civic integration course and a Dutch as a second language course.
    2. You have spent at least 600 hours in a literacy course at a training provider with the ‘Blik op Werk’ quality mark. Or a combination of up to 300 hours of literacy classes and at least 300 hours of civic integration classes. And you demonstrate that you do not have the learning ability to pass the civic integration exam. You demonstrate this by taking a learning aptitude test at DUO.
  5. With recommendation from DUO – subject to a civic integration obligation
    Were you subject to a civic integration obligation under the Civic Integration Act 2021? And did you follow the self-reliance route (Z route)? In that case, you can request a recommendation from DUO. The recommendation states that the IND cannot expect you to have integrated, despite the demonstrable efforts you have made.
    Simply following the Z route is not enough to become a Dutch citizen. You must also have a recommendation from DUO showing that you are unable to pass the civic integration exam.
     

Komt u niet in aanmerking voor ontheffing van het inburgeringsexamen om medische of andere niet-medische redenen? Dan is het heel soms toch mogelijk dat DUO een advies voor ontheffing van het inburgeringsexamen afgeeft. Er moeten zeer bijzondere persoonlijke omstandigheden zijn waarom u het inburgeringsexamen niet kunt halen. U moet ook heel veel moeite hebben gedaan om het inburgeringsexamen te halen. 

Are you ineligible for a dispensation from the civic integration exam on medical or other grounds? In very rare cases, it is still possible that DUO may issue a recommendation for a dispensation from the civic integration exam. There must also be very exceptional personal circumstances preventing you from passing the civic integration exam. You must, in that case, also have put in a great deal of effort to pass the civic integration exam. 

Hoe vraagt u (gedeeltelijke) vrijstelling of ontheffing aan?

  1. Lees of u (gedeeltelijke) vrijstelling of ontheffing kunt krijgen.
  2. Verzamel zo veel mogelijk originele documenten die nodig zijn om vrijstelling of ontheffing aan te vragen. Zoals een diploma, getuigschrift, medisch advies of ander document.
  3. Laat deze bewijzen zien bij de gemeente waar u naturalisatie aanvraagt. 
  4. De gemeente bekijkt de originele documenten, geen kopieën. En geeft u advies of u het inburgeringsexamen wel of niet moet doen.
     

Inburgeren en naturalisatie: wie doet wat?

De Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) gaat over naturalisatie en de Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO) gaat over het inburgeringsexamen. Lees meer over wat de IND en DUO doen.

IND 

De IND is verantwoordelijk voor het volgende: 

  • De IND ontvangt uw verzoek om naturalisatie van de gemeente en neemt uw aanvraag in behandeling. 
  • De IND controleert of u aan alle voorwaarden voldoet om Nederlander te worden. Een voorwaarde is dat u voldoet aan het inburgeringsvereiste. Dit betekent dat u de inburgeringsexamens van DUO moet hebben gehaald op minimaal taalniveau A2. 
  • De IND controleert of u voor naturalisatie bent vrijgesteld of ontheffing krijgt van het inburgeringsvereiste. Dit betekent dat u soms niet eerst hoeft te slagen voor het inburgeringsexamen als voorwaarde voor naturalisatie. 
  • De IND neemt een beslissing op uw verzoek om naturalisatie. En stuurt u een brief met de beslissing op uw aanvraag. 

DUO 

DUO is samen met gemeenten verantwoordelijk voor het volgende:

  • DUO informeert u dat u moet inburgeren. Dit heet de inburgeringsplicht. De gemeente is verantwoordelijk voor het samen met u opstellen en uitvoeren van het inburgeringsplan (PIP). Wilt u informatie over vrijwillig inburgeren? Dit is te vinden op inburgeren.nl. Of neem contact op met DUO.
  • U krijgt van DUO een persoonlijke omgeving met alle informatie over inburgeren. Dit is Mijn Inburgering. U kunt inloggen met DigiD via inburgeren.nl. 
  • U meldt zich bij DUO aan voor de verschillende examens. Voor de inburgeringsplicht moet u verschillende onderdelen van het inburgeringsexamen doen. 
  • DUO biedt op inburgeren.nl verschillende oefenexamens aan. Deze kunt u gratis maken om te oefenen voor het inburgeringsexamen.   
  • U ontvangt van DUO het digitale inburgeringsdiploma na het behalen van alle onderdelen van het inburgeringstraject. Via Mijn Inburgering kunt u het digitale diploma downloaden.

Meer informatie vindt u op inburgeren.nl. Hebt u een vraag over inburgering? Dan kunt u ook contact opnemen met het Servicecentrum Inburgering.

 

Inburgeren en naturalisatie vanuit het buitenland

Wilt u vanuit het buitenland Nederlander worden door naturalisatie? Dan moet u eerst slagen voor het inburgeringsexamen. Dit noemen we ook wel de naturalisatietoets.

Het inburgeringsexamen voor naturalisatie bestaat uit de volgende onderdelen:

  1. Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM)
  2. Spreken A2
  3. Lezen A2
  4. Luisteren A2
  5. Schrijven A2

U meldt zich aan voor het examen bij de Nederlandse vertegenwoordiging (ambassade of consulaat) in het buitenland.

U kunt het examen ook doen in Nederland. U meldt zich dan aan voor het examen bij DUO via inburgeren.nl. U moet dan ook het onderdeel Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (ONA) maken. Als u het examen haalt, krijgt u het inburgeringsdiploma. Met dit diploma kunt u naturalisatie aanvragen.

(Gedeeltelijke) vrijstelling: wanneer u het inburgeringsexamen of een deel hiervan niet hoeft te doen

Als u een verzoek om naturalisatie wilt indienen en u denkt dat u voor (gedeeltelijke) vrijstelling in aanmerking komt, dan moet u dit met de Nederlandse ambassade of het consulaat-generaal bespreken. U moet dit laten zien met originele documenten. Zij bekijkt het document en geeft u advies of u het examen wel of niet moet doen. 
Adviseert de Nederlandse ambassade of het consulaat-generaal dat u het examen gedeeltelijk moet doen? Dan moet u zich met dit advies melden bij DUO via inburgeren.nl voor het maken van de examenonderdelen die u wel moet doen.


Ontheffing: wat moet u doen als u het inburgeringsexamen niet kan halen

U kunt in aanmerking komen voor ontheffing van het inburgeringsexamen voor naturalisatie in het buitenland om de volgende redenen: 

  1. Om medische redenen. 
    Is de kans groot dat u binnen 5 jaar het examen niet kunt doen, omdat u een psychisch of lichamelijk probleem hebt? Of omdat u een verstandelijke handicap hebt? Dan kunt u ontheffing aanvragen. Hiervoor hebt u een gemotiveerde verklaring van een arts of deskundige nodig. De verklaring van de arts of deskundige mag maximaal 6 maanden oud zijn op het moment dat u het naturalisatieverzoek verstuurt. De verklaring moet een stempel van de praktijk van de arts of deskundige hebben. 
    2. Op grond van niet-medische redenen (geleverde inspanning). 
    Een beroep op ontheffing van het inburgeringsexamen wegens aantoonbaar geleverde inspanningen, wordt per geval beoordeeld.

Hebt u vragen over naturalisatie vanuit het buitenland? Neem contact op met het 24/7 BZ Contactcenter of met de Nederlandse ambassade of het consulaat-generaal.