Check your law and dates before you book
Save your DUO letter and log in to Mijn Inburgering (External site, opens in a new tab) (My Integration portal). Check which law applies, your start date and what you must complete. You normally have 3 years. Under Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021), your gemeente (municipality) first sets your personal plan. Under Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013), you arrange your course or self-study yourself.
What should you check before paying or booking?
Your law and residence status determine who guides you and how you pay. Check all three details before you choose a course or exam:
- Law: confirm whether Wet inburgering 2021 or Wet inburgering 2013 applies in Mijn Inburgering.
- Dates: find the start date confirmed by DUO and write down the deadline in your DUO letter.
- Required parts: check which exams and other tasks apply in Mijn Inburgering. Under the 2021 Act, also check your personal plan.
If you think you do not have to integrate, check who must integrate in the Netherlands and ask DUO to confirm your situation. For the wider process, see what inburgering involves.
What does your DUO letter mean?
Your first letter under Wet inburgering 2021 confirms your inburgeringsplicht (civic integration obligation). Your gemeente then invites you for a brede intake (initial interview and learning test). The test is the Leerbaarheidstoets (LBT, learning ability test).
After the intake, your gemeente and you make a persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie (PIP, personal integration and participation plan). The PIP sets your learning route and the exams and other parts you must complete. DUO then sends a second letter confirming your start date. Your inburgeringstermijn (integration period) is normally 3 years. Check the sequence in DUO’s guidance on starting integration (External site, opens in a new tab).
Under Wet inburgering 2013, your DUO letter gives your start date. You take language exams at A2 or higher. You can study by yourself or choose a school. Your other required parts depend on when your obligation began.
The 2013 system includes Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM, knowledge of Dutch society). Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (ONA, Dutch labour-market orientation) also applies if your obligation began on or after 1 January 2015. Participatieverklaringstraject (PVT, participation declaration programme) also applies if it began on or after 1 October 2017. Exemptions may change your personal list. Check DUO’s exam requirements (External site, opens in a new tab) and Mijn Inburgering.
Use this table to choose your first action. Check your start date in your DUO letter or Mijn Inburgering. Use your PIP for your route and required parts.
You can scroll wide tables sideways.
| Your law | Who guides you | First action | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet inburgering 2021 | Gemeente and DUO | Attend the brede intake and discuss your PIP. | PIP and Mijn Inburgering |
| Wet inburgering 2013 | DUO | Check your start date and required parts. | DUO letter and Mijn Inburgering |
| Unclear | DUO and your gemeente | Ask DUO about your law and dates. Ask your gemeente about the intake. | Mijn Inburgering and DUO contact |
What should you do in your first week?
Use these steps in your first week, before paying for a course or booking an exam:
- Save a copy or photo of your DUO letter. Keep the envelope or digital message if it shows a date.
- Log in with DigiD (Dutch digital ID). Mijn Inburgering requires the DigiD app or SMS verification.
- Write down your law, confirmed start date, deadline and required parts.
- Put the dates in your calendar: gemeente appointments, your PIP meeting, exam deadlines and payment dates.
Then prepare for the process that applies to you:
- Under Wet inburgering 2021, prepare notes about your education, work experience, health, childcare and learning needs for the brede intake.
- Under Wet inburgering 2013, choose between self-study and a school. If you may use a DUO loan, check whether the school qualifies before signing a contract.
Check possible exceptions early. A qualifying diploma (External site, opens in a new tab) may mean fewer or no exams. A qualifying Dutch education programme (External site, opens in a new tab) may mean a temporary exemption or extra time.
If illness or disability affects your exams, check DUO’s adapted-exam options (External site, opens in a new tab). You may also qualify for extra integration time. A serious illness or disability may mean fewer or no exams. If special circumstances prevent you from integrating, check DUO’s exemption options (External site, opens in a new tab).
What if your letter is missing or incorrect?
DUO sends the letter after all three conditions are met: you have a burgerservicenummer (BSN, citizen service number), a residence permit and registration with your gemeente. It can then take another 8 weeks to arrive. If 8 weeks have passed and you still have no letter, contact DUO about your letter (External site, opens in a new tab).
If your letter gives the wrong law or dates, ask DUO to check them. Check your name, address, BSN and residence details with DUO and your gemeente. If you moved, report the move to your new gemeente. It updates your Basisregistratie Personen (BRP, Personal Records Database). Our guide to reporting a move explains the process.
If you cannot log in, use the DigiD login problems guide. Mijn Inburgering lets you check required exams, exam bookings, results and DUO letters.
If your deadline is close, check DUO’s extra-time rules (External site, opens in a new tab) and our guide to the integration deadline and extra time. Contact DUO or your gemeente before the deadline passes. If you have a letter about a missed deadline, check DUO’s fine rules (External site, opens in a new tab) and our integration fines guide before you respond.
Who pays for your course and exams?
Under Wet inburgering 2021, your gemeente chooses and pays for your course if you are an asielstatushouder (asylum-status holder). Your first 2 attempts at each exam are free when you take the exam at the level in your PIP or higher. Exams below that level and further attempts cost money. As an asylum-status holder under this law, you cannot get a DUO loan. Check DUO’s payment rules (External site, opens in a new tab) before booking.
Under Wet inburgering 2021, you arrange and pay for your course yourself if you do not have asylum status. You may qualify for a DUO loan. Under Wet inburgering 2013, you can also pay yourself or use a DUO loan if you qualify. A loan-funded course must be at an approved school. Check DUO’s loan conditions (External site, opens in a new tab) and school-choice rules (External site, opens in a new tab) before signing.
Course hours may matter if you later need extra time. Ask your school how it reports attendance to DUO. Under Wet inburgering 2013, if hours are missing in Mijn Inburgering, ask your school to report them. DUO’s course-hours guidance (External site, opens in a new tab) explains what to do if digital reporting fails.
What should you arrange before you commit?
If your law or dates are unclear, ask DUO to confirm them before paying or booking. Under Wet inburgering 2021, attend the brede intake and check your PIP with your gemeente. Under Wet inburgering 2013, plan your study around the parts in Mijn Inburgering. Use the deadline confirmed by DUO. Before signing a course contract, check who pays and whether the school qualifies for a loan.
- Author
- By Inburgering.org team
- Reviewer
- Reviewed by Kirill Svavolia
Official Sources
- DUO: U gaat inburgeren (starting civic integration) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Letter conditions, 8-week waiting period, intake, personal plan, start date, 3-year period and self-study under the 2013 Act.
- DUO: Welke examens (which exams) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Where to check your law and required parts; A2 or higher under the 2013 Act; ONA and PVT start-date conditions.
- DUO: Hoeveel kost inburgeren? (how much does integration cost?) (External site, opens in a new tab) - Course funding, two free exam attempts and their level condition, loans, Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie (MAP, labour market and participation module) and PVT cost rules.
- DUO: Mijn Inburgering (External site, opens in a new tab) - DigiD login methods; personal details, required exams, bookings, results and DUO letters.
- DUO: choosing a school (External site, opens in a new tab) - Who chooses the school under each law and which schools qualify for loan-funded courses.
- DUO: integration loans (External site, opens in a new tab) - Who may borrow and the approved-school requirement.
- DUO: fewer or no exams (External site, opens in a new tab) - Possible exemptions for diplomas, serious illness or disability, and special circumstances.
- DUO: studying in the Netherlands (External site, opens in a new tab) - Temporary exemption for qualifying Dutch education and possible extra time.
- DUO: adapted exams for illness or disability (External site, opens in a new tab) - When exam adaptations, extra integration time or fewer exams may be possible.
- DUO: extra integration time (External site, opens in a new tab) - Reasons that may qualify for extra time under each law.
- DUO: course hours and extra time (External site, opens in a new tab) - Under the 2013 Act, check recorded hours and ask the school to report missing hours.
- DUO: fines (External site, opens in a new tab) - Rules after a missed deadline and the exception for asylum-status holders.
- DUO: contact about civic integration (External site, opens in a new tab) - How to ask DUO about your letter or get help with Mijn Inburgering.
- Rijksoverheid (Dutch government): registration and personal records (External site, opens in a new tab) - Report a move to the new municipality and ask your municipality to correct personal records.
- Gemeente Den Haag (The Hague municipality): starting integration (External site, opens in a new tab) - Confirms that DUO sends a letter with the integration end date.