Inburgering proof for permanent residence

The IND assesses the inburgeringsvereiste (integration requirement) (External site, opens in a new tab) for your residence application. Passing the exam meets one requirement; the IND also checks your residence history, permit type, income, documents and public-order situation.

The inburgeringsplicht (civic integration obligation) is a separate duty. DUO (External site, opens in a new tab) (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) manages that duty. You may need proof for a stronger residence permit even if you had no integration obligation.

Integration proof can be required for the three routes below. The table gives the main conditions; use the linked IND page for the full requirements.

The residence periods have exceptions. For EU long-term residence, study years count for half, and other temporary residence purposes do not count. Check the IND route page before counting your years.

Since 12 June 2026, you can no longer apply for a permanent asylum residence permit (External site, opens in a new tab). If you already have that permit, you keep it. If you currently have an asylum residence permit and at least 5 years of valid residence, you may qualify for EU long-term residence instead.

For identifying your residence route and checking family, work, study or EU-law permit conditions, see Dutch residence permits: choose the right route.

Choose one applicable proof route below and submit all supporting evidence your IND form requires for that route. The IND decides whether your documents meet the requirement.

• Inburgeringsdiploma: proof that you passed the integration exam. If you already passed, see how to download your diploma or uittreksel (digital extract).
• Inburgeringscertificaat (civic integration certificate): accepted if the Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021) applies to you. DUO confirms that a Z-route (self-reliance route) certificate (External site, opens in a new tab) lets you apply for a stronger permit after completing that route. Follow your IND form for the document to submit.
• Vrijstelling (exemption) or ontheffing (dispensation) evidence: possible for Belgian or Luxembourg nationals, people under 18 or at statutory pension age. You may also qualify through at least 8 years of residence in the Netherlands from age 5 through the end of the school year in which you turned 16. You need BRP registration during those years; the years can be interrupted. Certain diplomas, permanent medical reasons, sufficient integration, demonstrable effort or particular individual circumstances can also qualify. Each case needs the evidence named in the appendix.
• DUO advice: if you cannot pass despite your efforts, you can request advice under the Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013). This advice route applies only under that Act. DUO sets conditions for course hours, a listed school and exam attempts, or a literacy route (External site, opens in a new tab).
• Medical evidence: if illness or disability permanently prevents you from taking the exam, use the IND integration appendix (PDF, 225 KB) (External site, opens in a new tab). It names the DUO decisions, letters or designated medical assessments that can count. An ordinary doctor’s note alone is not one of the listed options.

An MBO (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, secondary vocational education) level 1 diploma does not exempt you from this requirement. The same applies to a standalone NT2 (Nederlands als tweede taal, Dutch as a second language) diploma. The IND appendix (External site, opens in a new tab) states this limit. Check the proof required before relying on an NT2 diploma or one passed component.

If you still need to pass, use DUO’s official practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) first. For extra practice, use Inburgering.org’s free mock exams.

Yes. The IND’s rule for Turkish nationals (External site, opens in a new tab) has applied since 1 January 2025. You usually need integration proof for permanent residence and EU long-term residence. The rule also applies to humanitarian non-temporary residence after family residence, with the exception below. The transition ran from 2022 through 2024. The usual exemptions remain, including for people under 18 or at AOW (Algemene Ouderdomswet, state pension) age.

For applications submitted before 1 January 2025, the IND transition notice (External site, opens in a new tab) says the other conditions, such as income, had to be met before that date. It requires at least 5 years of lawful residence when the IND assesses the application. It also says applicants without 5 lawful years in 2024 cannot use the exemption. If these dates give different answers in your case, ask the IND to confirm how it assesses your pending application.

An exception to the integration requirement can apply to the humanitarian non-temporary permit for voortgezet verblijf na verblijf als familielid (continued residence after living as a family member). It does not apply to regular permanent residence or EU long-term residence. EU–Turkey association law sets this exception.

To use this exception, you must meet all three conditions below. The IND page for Turkish citizens (External site, opens in a new tab) describes the work-related exception. The IND appendix (External site, opens in a new tab) lists the conditions:

• You fit one of these categories: a Turkish employee living and working legally in the Netherlands; a family member of a Turkish employee; or a Turkish national planning to work as an employee.
• You have held a permit for at least 3 years to live with a family member who has a non-temporary right of residence.
• You meet every condition for extending that permit.

For regular permanent residence (External site, opens in a new tab) and EU long-term residence (External site, opens in a new tab), your current permit must still be valid when you apply. The IND says you can apply from 3 months before it expires. If you have already lived here with a permit for more than 5 years, you can choose when to apply without waiting for the expiry date.

For example, if your permit expires on 31 January 2027, the 3-month window starts on 31 October 2026. Check that you also meet the residence-period and other conditions.

For asylum permit holders, form 6011 (PDF, 874 KB) (External site, opens in a new tab) says to apply no earlier than 3 months before reaching 5 years of continuous lawful residence. Use that form and the IND route page to check your application date.

The IND page for your route links to the application form. Use certified copies where the form or integration appendix requires them. A copy of your inburgeringsdiploma does not need certification. Keep your originals. If you apply at an IND desk, you can bring them for staff to copy.

Follow these steps to include your integration evidence with the residence application:

1. Check the IND page for your residence route.
2. Check the application form for the diploma, certificate or exemption evidence it asks for.
3. Collect the required documents.
4. Submit your residence application and the required evidence.

For an online application, use your digital diploma file. DUO says a print of that file is invalid (External site, opens in a new tab). For a written application, use a copy of your paper diploma. If you have an asylum residence permit, you must apply for EU long-term residence in writing.

Check these points before you send the application:

• Use the proof for the IND residence requirement. A DUO integration obligation or exemption is a separate matter; follow the IND appendix for what counts.
• Collect missing evidence before applying. An incomplete application can extend the time the IND needs to decide.

If you already have a diploma or Z-route certificate, collect the proof your IND form requests. If you rely on an exemption or dispensation, match your circumstances to the appendix and include its evidence. The diploma meets only the integration requirement; check the other residence conditions too.

Keep your current permit valid through the application date. Start collecting documents before the last week of your permit, especially if you need certified copies or DUO advice.

• Inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam): levels, parts and costs
• Integration exemptions and special cases
• Integration proof for naturalisation