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Maximum decision period for asylum applications from 6 to 15 months

Last update: 28 September 2022

The Immigration and Naturalisation Service will have 9 months’ more time to decide on an asylum application. In most cases this means that the statutory decision period will go from 6 to 15 months at most. The government decided this at the end of August (only in Dutch) because of the large influx of asylum seekers. This change was published in the Government Gazette (Stcrt.) on 26 September 2022. The IND strives to decide on asylum applications as soon as possible in order to provide asylum seekers with clarity about their future in the Netherlands.

Waiting time is increasing

The number of asylum applications this year is substantially higher than that for which the IND is equipped. This is due, among other things, to the situation Afghanistan, abolition of Covid travel restrictions, continuing high influx from countries including Syria, Turkey and Yemen and many more unaccompanied minor third-country nationals who come to the Netherlands. In addition, In the past few years, court judgments and European legislation have compelled the IND to explain the reasons why a decision has been taken more extensively. This takes the staff more time. Asylum seekers who submit an application now have to wait 9 months on average for a decision. This time is expected to increase in the time to come. 

Until 1 January 2023

The extension of the statutory decision period applies to first asylum applications, repeat asylum applications and family reunification cases for which the statutory decision period has not yet expired on 27 September 2022. It will also apply to all new asylum applications submitted until 1 January 2023. If an extended decision period is still necessary for new asylum applications after that time, the government will have to decide on this again.