Inburgering Exam Day Rules: What to Bring and What Not to Do

Exam-day rules depend on which inburgering exam you take. For the A1 basisexamen inburgering buitenland, bring your appointment confirmation, a valid passport and a recent colour passport photo to the embassy or consulate. For A2 exams, KNM and ONA appointments in the Netherlands, bring a valid ID and follow the DUO oproepbrief. For Staatsexamen NT2 B1 or B2, bring a valid ID and the DUO examenoproep, arrive 30 minutes early, and use a dictionary only where NT2 rules allow it.

• No valid ID usually means no exam. DUO explicitly says candidates without a valid identity document cannot take the exam.
• Your call letter or appointment confirmation is the final instruction for date, place, time and local details.
• A1 abroad candidates should be at the location named by the embassy or consulate at least 15 minutes before the exam starts.
• NT2 candidates must be present 30 minutes before the start time shown in the DUO exam call letter.
• Phones, smartwatches and other digital devices must stay out of the exam room. For NT2, they must be switched off and placed in a locker.
• NT2 dictionaries are allowed only for Lezen and Schrijven, and only the physical Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 is allowed.
• Exam content is confidential. Photos, copied questions, shared answers or unauthorised aids can make the result invalid.

Use this comparison first. The biggest exam-day mistakes usually happen when someone follows the rule for a different exam family.

For A2 exams, inburgeren.nl lists accepted identification documents such as a Dutch passport, identity card or driving licence, Dutch residence documents, refugee or foreign-national travel documents, a W-document, EU/EEA/Swiss identity documents, and valid non-EU identity or travel documents. The document must be valid and undamaged. If it is expired, damaged or false, you may be refused and may need to register again.

For NT2, the rule is shorter but just as strict: you must show valid identification at every exam and bring the DUO exam call letter. DUO sends the NT2 exam call letter by email and post after registration; the official NT2 site says to call DUO directly if it does not arrive.

For A1 abroad, use the confirmation from DUO and the appointment details from the embassy or consulate. On exam day you show your passport, your fingerprints are taken, and your details are entered into the computer system before the exam starts.

Do not bring exam aids into the room unless the official rule for your exact exam allows them. For NT2, phones and digital devices, including watches, must be switched off and stored in a locker. You may not use your own pens or paper; the exam supervisor provides what is allowed and collects it again after the exam.

For NT2 Lezen and Schrijven, the only allowed dictionary is the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2). You must bring your own copy. It may not contain notes, loose papers, sticky tabs or annotations, and digital dictionaries or translation apps are not allowed. For NT2 Luisteren and Spreken, no dictionary is allowed.

For A1 abroad and A2, follow the supervisor and call-letter instructions. The A1 exam regulation prohibits unauthorised materials and says exam materials or information about exam content may not be taken or shared. The A2 rules also say the exam is secret: you may not tell others about the exam, take photos or copy questions.

NT2 candidates may bring their own food and drinks, because food and drinks are not sold at the exam location. Drinks must be in a bottle with a cap, and the bottle must stand on the floor to protect the computer. If you want free coffee or tea in the waiting area, bring your own cup; you cannot take that cup into the exam room.

DUO says all A2/KNM/ONA exam locations are wheelchair accessible and that it has no own parking spaces at the exam locations. For NT2, all exam locations are also wheelchair-friendly; if you only need wheelchair access, the NT2 adapted-exam page says you do not need to request an adapted exam for that reason alone.

If illness, disability, dyslexia, a visual impairment or another personal circumstance affects your exam, arrange this before exam day. A2 adapted exams are requested through Mijn Inburgering or the paper form route. NT2 adapted exams are requested during registration by indicating personal circumstances; DUO then contacts you about the evidence and possible adjustments.

Listen to the supervisor before you begin. For NT2, your candidate number is on the DUO call letter and on the table in the exam room. Before the exam starts, the supervisor checks your ID, may check your dictionary, and may ask you to show your ears to confirm that you are not wearing earpieces.

After the exam, leave all exam materials in the room. NT2 candidates must hand in scratch paper and other materials. A1 and A2 candidates should also follow the supervisor's instructions about what may leave the room. When in doubt, ask before touching, copying or taking anything.

• Missing or invalid ID: contact DUO or the embassy/consulate as soon as possible. Do not wait until the exam room check.
• No NT2 exam call letter: the official NT2 pages say to call DUO directly if the email or letter has not arrived.
• Late arrival: for NT2, late candidates cannot enter the exam room. For A1 and A2, treat the appointment time and call letter as strict.
• Wrong dictionary: for NT2 Reading or Writing, only the physical Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 is accepted. Other dictionaries are not a backup plan.
• Possible fraud or disturbance: the exam result can be invalidated, and for A1 abroad the legal regulation allows exclusion from future participation for up to one year.

• Check the date, start time, city and exact address in your call letter or appointment confirmation.
• Put your valid ID or passport in your bag, and check the expiry date.
• For A1 abroad, add the appointment confirmation and recent colour passport photo.
• For NT2 Reading or Writing, pack a clean Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 if you plan to use one.
• Plan your route so you arrive early, with extra time for public transport or parking.
• Charge your phone for travel, but switch it off and store it before the exam.
• Do not bring notes, copied practice answers, smart devices or study materials into the exam room.

If you are still planning the exam, start with the inburgering exam registration guide. For travel planning, use the exam locations guide. After the exam, check the results timeline so you know when and where to look for your result.