End of Project Brexit

Last update: 11 October 2021

​For the IND, Project Brexit came to an end on Friday, 1 October. Since that date, British citizens and their family members who have not yet applied for a Brexit residence permit have no longer been legally resident in the Netherlands.

To continue living, working, and studying in the Netherlands: an estimated 45,000 British had to apply for a special residence permit to do so after the Brexit. Those involved had until 1 October 2021, on which date the so-called 'grace period' ended. 

Quick check

Since February 2020, the IND processed over 39,223 applications for Brexit residence permits. Because the British, in most cases, already were lawfully resident in the Netherlands, it proved relatively simple for the IND to check their application for a residence document. In addition, over 5,600 EU residence documents for permanent residence were converted into documents for permanent residence based on the Withdrawal Agreement. Owing to the completion of Project Brexit, the special telephone lines are no longer open. 

What next? British without a Brexit residency document

There may still be British in the Netherlands who have not yet applied for the new residence permit. Although the application period has now expired, the IND still wants to help these people in the period ahead. Therefore, those British who have not done so can still apply for their required documents next year (until 1 October). After a favourable decision on the part of the IND, they will then retroactively again become eligible for, among other things, insurance, benefits, and permits.

 

Would you like to know more? For additional information, visit ind.nl/brexitnl.