When will the IND start with my application for family reunification?

You receive a letter (confirmation of receipt) when the IND has received your application for family reunification. It takes a number of months before the IND starts processing your application. This is because there are a lot of applications for family reunification. You receive a letter when your application is due. This is when the processing of your application begins. In this letter you read whether the IND requires any more information. And whether you can expect more letters.

Next steps when your application is about to be processed

Have you received the letter that states that your application is about to be processed? Then it can still take a couple of months before you get the decision. How long this takes exactly is different for each application. There are three options:

• Your application is complete. The letter states when you can expect the decision.
• Your application is not complete. You will receive an extra letter stating what to send in. And when you can expect the decision.
• Does your family member have no or insufficient documents? The IND can conduct more research. For example, a DNA test or an interview with you and your family member. You receive another letter stating which investigation the IND is starting.

Many applicants for family reunification are currently awaiting a decision. The IND can decide more quickly on applications from some family members. Because the IND can decide more quickly on applications that require less investigation, we divide the applications into groups. This way, we can start assessing applications faster.  It also makes the estimate of when it will be your turn more accurate.

The IND will process the following applications more quickly:

1. You have only applied for family reunification for your partner and biological children under the age of 18.
2. Or you were single and under the age of 18 when you applied for asylum. And you have only applied for family reunification for your parents and biological brothers and sisters under the age of 18.

Further investigation

In most cases, the IND does not need to conduct any additional investigation for these applications. This is because the identity and family relationship can be quickly established with documents. However, it is possible that further investigation may be necessary during the processing of the application. For example, if identity documents or other documents needed to establish the family relationship are missing. In that case, the IND may conduct a DNA test, among other things.

Processing other family reunification applications

You have applied for family reunification for other family members. For example, children over the age of 18, foster children, only a partner or a grandparent. The IND often has to investigate the family relationship more thoroughly for these applications. Because this takes more time, it will take longer before we can decide on your application.

It is possible that someone who applied for family reunification after you will be processed before you. We process applications that are urgent due to special circumstances sooner. For example, in the case of serious medical problems affecting a family member. 

Complete applications

The IND can decide quicker when the applications are complete. An application is complete if we have received all the documents needed to establish the identity and family ties (relationship) with your family members.

When the IND starts with your application depends on the date of your application. And it depends on the family members for whom you applied for family reunification.  

Waiting time family with biological children under the age of 18

You applied for family reunification for your partner and biological children under the age of 18. Or you were single and under the age of 18 when you applied for asylum and applied for family reunification for your parents and for your biological brothers and sisters under the age of 18. The table below this paragraph shows your waiting time. Find the month of your application for family reunification in the first column. The second column shows when the IND expects to start with your application.

Waiting time other family members

Do you not belong to the group ‘family with biological children under the age of 18’? The table below this paragraph shows your average waiting time. Find the month of your application for family reunification in the first column. The second column shows when the IND expects to start with your application.

Example of calculating the waiting time for a application for family reunification 

You belong to the group ‘family with biological children under the age of 18’. You submitted your application for family reunification in October 2023. The IND processes your application in October 2025. Has this month passed and have you not yet received a letter? Then ask an employee of the Netherlands Council for Refugees (VWN) whether they can contact the IND. Following this example, you can ask VWN for help by November 2025.