Inburgering Boetes (Civic Integration Fines): When You Can Be Fined and What to Do

The Education Executive Agency (DUO) does not give asylum status holders under the Civic Integration Act 2013 or 2021 a fine for taking too long to finish. Their civic integration obligation continues. DUO may impose late-completion fines on family and other migrants when the deadline passes without an extension. A municipality can separately fine a Wi2021 participant who does not cooperate with the broad intake, PIP support, or route obligations.

• Asylum status holders under Wi2013 and Wi2021 do not receive a DUO fine for taking too long. They must still complete their integration obligation.
• Family and other migrants can receive a DUO late-completion fine when they miss the deadline without an extension.
• Under Wi2021, DUO sends a data-check letter about 2 months before the end of your civic integration period (inburgeringstermijn).
• After the deadline, DUO can send a Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding (advance notice of a missed deadline). The notice warns that DUO may fine you and shows a possible amount; the final amount can change.
• Your registered course hours, exam attempts and passed parts can lower the fine, so missing records matter.
• A municipality fine for not cooperating with the broad intake, PIP support, or route obligations is separate from DUO's late-completion fine. The asylum-status-holder exception does not remove those municipal duties.
• If you get a fine, keep working on your obligation. The fine adds a new period; it does not close the file.

Check both your law and your migrant category before comparing fines. Wi2021 usually applies to people whose civic integration obligation started from 1 January 2022. Wi2013 still applies to many earlier cases. The DUO amounts below apply to family and other migrants. Asylum status holders under either law do not receive these late-completion fines.

If DUO's late-completion fine rules apply to you under Wi2021, DUO first sends a letter about 2 months before your deadline. The letter shows the course hours, exam attempts, and results in DUO's records. Follow its instructions to correct missing information.

For family and other migrants, DUO may send a Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding (advance notice of a missed deadline). It shows a possible amount, which can change if DUO receives missing evidence. Asylum status holders do not receive this DUO late-completion fine.

For family and other migrants, DUO uses recorded progress to calculate the fine. For a Wi2021 learning-route fine, it considers the route, course hours, exam attempts, and passed parts. For Wi2013, it considers approved course hours, exam attempts, and passed parts.

After a DUO fine for a family or other migrant, DUO gives a new period to finish the outstanding obligation. It ranges from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the late part and the recorded progress. Asylum status holders have no fine-based new period because DUO does not impose this late-completion fine on them.

If you receive more than one fine with extra time, DUO says only the longest new period applies.

• If you are an asylum status holder, continue integrating. DUO says you do not need to take action about its late-completion fine exception and will write if your situation changes.
• Read the date, law and reason in the letter. A PVT fine, MAP fine and leerroute fine are different problems.
• Compare DUO's records with your own proof: school attendance, exam attempts, results and gemeente confirmations.
• If records are missing, send the evidence before the final decision if the letter gives you that chance.
• If your delay has a serious reason, check whether an extension is still possible or whether you should object to the decision.
• Keep your bank account, address and email current in Mijn Inburgering, especially if you pay in instalments or move abroad.
• Continue studying after the fine so you can finish within the new period.

If your deadline has not passed yet, start with the extra-time guide and check whether DUO may extend your inburgeringstermijn. If you are unsure what DUO has recorded, use Mijn Inburgering to review letters, results and personal details. If a fine affects your loan, read the DUO loan guide before making repayment decisions.