Apply within 1 year of your final result's issue date
You receive your A1 basisexamen inburgering buitenland result within 8 weeks after the exam. After you pass all 3 parts, apply for the machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf within 1 year of the issue date on your final result document. Passed parts stay valid while you finish the others. If that year expires before you apply, you need to pass the whole exam again.
Your result email or letter
DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) sends your result within 8 weeks after the exam. Results often arrive sooner. You receive an email or letter with a PDF (document file) showing which parts you passed. Read the official exam procedure and results (External site, opens in a new tab) for the exam-day rules and result details.
If you gave the email address of your referent (sponsor), such as your partner in the Netherlands, DUO also emails them the result. Ask your referent to forward the PDF to you. Save a copy in more than one place. Send the PDF to your referent. Check your name and exam details against your passport and application documents.
If you still have no result 8 weeks after your exam, ask DUO through the official exam contact page (External site, opens in a new tab).
If your passport, email address or referent details changed, ask DUO about your exam record before booking again.
Ask IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, Immigration and Naturalisation Service) about changes that affect your residence application. For the application rules, read IND information about the MVV application (External site, opens in a new tab).
Scores for the three exam parts
You pass the full exam when you score at least 6 out of 10 in each of the 3 parts. DUO gives each part a separate score from 1 to 10:
- Kennis van de Nederlandse Samenleving (KNS, knowledge of Dutch society).
- Lezen (reading).
- Spreken (speaking).
A computer checks KNS and Lezen. Human assessors score Spreken using the official speaking assessment model. The official assessment and retake rules (External site, opens in a new tab) explain how the results work.
Passed parts and retakes
If you passed some parts, you keep those passes while you finish the others. You need to register and pay again for each failed part you retake. The official rules on passed parts (External site, opens in a new tab) confirm that they stay valid until you pass the whole exam.
To retake a failed part, follow these steps:
- Register for the failed part through the official exam registration page (External site, opens in a new tab).
- Pay again for that part.
- After you receive the payment confirmation, book an appointment at the embassy or consulate using its instructions.
Practise the part you need to retake with official DUO practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab). For extra practice, use our free A1 reading, speaking and KNS resources. These are Inburgering (civic integration).org materials, separate from the official exam questions.
The one-year MVV application deadline applies to the A1 exam abroad under the IND exam abroad rules (External site, opens in a new tab). A2 (basic Dutch) exam results do not carry this one-year MVV application deadline. For exams taken in the Netherlands, see A2 (basic Dutch) exam results and resits.
Your one-year MVV application deadline
After you pass all 3 parts, DUO issues the final result PDF. Apply for the MVV within 1 year of the datum van afgifte (issue date) printed in that PDF. The IND exam abroad appendix (PDF, 186 KB) (External site, opens in a new tab) gives this rule.
For example, if your final result PDF has an issue date of 15 October 2026, plan to submit your application before 15 October 2027. If the year expires before you apply, you need to pass the whole exam again.
You or your referent can apply. Your referent is usually the person you will live with in the Netherlands. Your referent usually submits the application. You apply for the MVV and residence permit together, as IND explains. Check the IND requirements for your residence purpose before you apply.
Start collecting the required documents and application forms before the year is nearly over. Check which documents need legalisatie (official confirmation that a document can be used abroad) or translation under the IND document rules (External site, opens in a new tab). For the partner route, use the IND partner application checklist (External site, opens in a new tab) and our MVV and family reunification guide.
After you move to the Netherlands with your MVV and residence permit, you need to continue with inburgering. Keep your contact details current so you can receive letters from your gemeente (municipality). Stay in contact with your gemeente. The official information about integration after arrival (External site, opens in a new tab) explains the municipality’s role.
Your next action after the result
If you passed fewer than 3 parts, keep your result PDF and book only the failed parts again. If you passed all 3, send the PDF with your MVV application within the one-year period. Check the issue date before you plan your application: waiting beyond that period means taking the whole exam again.
For details about the exam and result timelines, read these guides:
Official Sources
- Naar Nederland (To the Netherlands) - Na het examen (after the exam) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Result PDF, passed-part validity, one-year application window, sponsor role and further integration after arrival.
- Naar Nederland - Examen doen (taking the exam) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Result timing and delivery, sponsor emails, scores, assessment and retakes.
- Naar Nederland - Aanmelden voor het examen (registering for the exam) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Registration, payment and booking an appointment after confirmation.
- IND - Basisexamen inburgering in het buitenland (External site, opens in a new tab) - MVV requirement, results, failed sections, validity, exemptions, and further integration.
- IND - Basisexamen inburgering in het buitenland (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch source for result delivery, partial passes, retakes and the one-year application window.
- IND - Bijlage Basisexamen inburgering buitenland (External site, opens in a new tab) - The one-year period starts from the issue date printed in the final result PDF.
- IND - Machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf (External site, opens in a new tab) - The MVV and residence permit are requested together; the sponsor usually submits the application.
- IND - Verblijfsvergunning voor partner aanvragen (apply for a partner residence permit) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Partner application routes, required documents and advice to collect them early.
- IND - Legaliseren en vertalen documenten (legalising and translating documents) (External site, opens in a new tab) - When documents need legalisation or translation, and why preparation can take time.
- Naar Nederland - Oefenexamens maken (practice exams) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Official practice for KNS, Lezen and Spreken.
- Naar Nederland - Contact (External site, opens in a new tab) - DUO contact for exam questions and IND contact for MVV questions.
- Naar Nederland - Leren voor het examen (learning for the exam) (External site, opens in a new tab) - A1 means reading and speaking simple Dutch in the exam abroad.
- Council of Europe - A1 and A2 language levels (External site, opens in a new tab) - A2 is in the basic-user language-level band.