Inburgering in the Netherlands

This page explains inburgering after arrival in the Netherlands.

Inburgering covers language, daily life, work and participation. If you are inburgeringsplichtig (required to integrate), you must complete the parts that apply to you. Your route also decides which official proof you receive.

DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) (External site, opens in a new tab) sends you a letter about your duty. Your letter and Mijn Inburgering (My Integration) show your personal tasks and deadline. Under Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021), also check your persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie (PIP) (personal integration and participation plan).

The general inburgeringstermijn (integration term) is 3 years. Use your own deadline, including any extra time DUO has granted. The integration deadline and extra-time guide explains how to check it.

Your nationality, age, residence permit and education can affect whether you must integrate. Check your DUO letter and Mijn Inburgering for the decision in your case. Under the 2021 Act, your gemeente (municipality) also guides you.

The ordinary duty applies from age 18 until AOW (state pension) age. It applies to qualifying newcomers from outside the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. A qualifying non-temporary residence purpose can create a duty. Government guidance on who must integrate (External site, opens in a new tab) describes these conditions. Your residence permit and education also matter.

The legal age range starts at 16. People subject to leerplicht (compulsory education) or kwalificatieplicht (the duty to obtain a basic school qualification) are exempt. The 2021 Act, Articles 3 and 4 (External site, opens in a new tab) sets this scope.

You can start early at 16 or 17 if you are exempt from those education duties. Ask DUO to start early (External site, opens in a new tab). Starting early brings a three-year term. Finishing late can lead to a fine. Asylum status holders are exempt from late-completion fines (External site, opens in a new tab).

These groups can have different duties:

• Family migrants and people with an asylum residence permit may receive an integration duty.
• People with a student or highly skilled migrant residence permit can usually choose whether to integrate.
• People with a qualifying Dutch diploma (External site, opens in a new tab) may qualify for full exemption. DUO decides which parts still apply.

Under the 2021 Act, your earlier integration duty is treated as continuing if you stayed in the Netherlands for a temporary residence purpose for at most 1 year between two periods when you were required to integrate. Besluit inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Decree 2021), Articles 2.1 and 2.2 (External site, opens in a new tab) set these rules. Check DUO's decision for your own permit.

You can also integrate voluntarily, for example to obtain proof for permanent residence or naturalisation (becoming a Dutch citizen). Voluntary integration and the early-start request for eligible 16- and 17-year-olds have different conditions.

The date you became required to integrate decides which law applies. Check that date in your official information. The 2013 and 2021 Civic Integration Acts comparison explains how the law changes your exams, planning and responsibilities.

The 2013 and 2021 laws apply to these duty dates:

• Wet inburgering 2021 applies if you became required to integrate on or after 1 January 2022. Your gemeente holds a brede intake (initial assessment) and makes a PIP with you. The plan assigns one of three learning routes.
• Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013) applies if you became required to integrate on or after 1 January 2013 and before 1 January 2022. You arrange more of the process yourself. You take language exams at A2 (basic Dutch) or higher and the knowledge exams that apply to you.

If your duty began before 1 January 2013, check with your gemeente which older rules apply.

Under the 2021 Act, your gemeente sets your PIP. DUO then sends another letter with your term start date. The date your duty began and the date your three-year term starts can differ.

Your PIP assigns one of these three learning routes under the 2021 Act.

The Z-route ends with a conversation at your gemeente.

If you follow the B1-route, have completed at least 600 hours of language lessons and cannot take the B1 exams, discuss with your gemeente whether you can take A2 exams instead. The gemeente decides whether you can change level. The 2021 Act routes and requirements guide explains the routes in more detail.

Your route can include the parts below. Your PIP or Mijn Inburgering shows which ones you must complete. The inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam) guide explains the exam parts and costs.

• Dutch language exams: Lezen (reading), Luisteren (listening), Schrijven (writing) and Spreken (speaking) at the required level.
• Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM) (Knowledge of Dutch Society): an exam about Dutch society.
• Participatieverklaringstraject (PVT) (participation declaration process): learning about basic Dutch values and signing the participatieverklaring (participation declaration).
• Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie (MAP) (Labour Market and Participation Module): work and participation tasks under the 2021 Act.
• Oriëntatie op de Nederlandse Arbeidsmarkt (ONA) (Orientation on the Dutch Labour Market): work-related tasks under the 2013 Act, depending on your duty date and exemptions.
• Staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2) (Dutch as a Second Language State Exam): B1 or B2 language exams for some routes or for higher-level proof.

If you must complete PVT under the 2013 Act, its deadline is 1 year from registration with the gemeente. Under the 2021 Act, you have 3 years. DUO explains the PVT deadlines (External site, opens in a new tab).

Passed NT2 language exams can count towards your integration requirements. Under the 2021 Act, a passed part at the level in your PIP or higher counts in place of that language exam without an exemption application. Under the 2013 Act, apply for exemption for the parts you passed. KNM, MAP, PVT or ONA can still apply.

If your duty began before 1 January 2015 and you have a full NT2 diploma, you may qualify for exemption from all integration exams. Apply to DUO for exemption. Check DUO's NT2 exemption conditions (External site, opens in a new tab).

After completing all required parts outside the Z-route, you receive an inburgeringsdiploma (civic integration diploma). For the Z-route, your gemeente gives you an inburgeringscertificaat (civic integration certificate) instead.

If you complete the Z-route and also pass all integration exams, contact DUO about an inburgeringsdiploma (External site, opens in a new tab).

Start with your registration and official information. Follow the preparation steps for your law:

1. Check that you have a burgerservicenummer (BSN) (citizen service number), a residence permit and registration with your gemeente. For help with the registration, use the BSN and gemeente registration guide.
2. Check your DUO letter for your integration duty and law. The letter can take up to 8 weeks after all three conditions above are met. If 8 weeks have passed without a letter, contact DUO. Under the 2021 Act, the gemeente also contacts you.
3. Check your start date, deadline and tasks in the official Mijn Inburgering portal (External site, opens in a new tab). You log in with the DigiD (Dutch digital identity) app or SMS (text message) verification.
4. If the 2021 Act applies, prepare for your brede intake.
5. If the 2021 Act applies, read your PIP before booking exams.
6. If the 2013 Act applies, make a study and exam plan.
7. If the 2013 Act applies, check DUO's loan conditions (External site, opens in a new tab) to see whether you can borrow or need to pay yourself.
8. Keep copies of letters, diplomas, course contracts, exam results and municipality messages. You may need them for an exemption, extra time or proof for Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) (Immigration and Naturalisation Service).

The exam abroad, NT2 and naturalisation serve different purposes:

• The basisexamen inburgering in het buitenland (civic integration exam abroad) (External site, opens in a new tab) tests Dutch at A1 (beginner Dutch). Some applicants must pass it before applying for a machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf (MVV) (provisional residence permit) to live with a partner or work as a religious minister. Exemptions apply. Integration after arrival is a separate process.
• Staatsexamen NT2 tests Dutch at B1 or B2. It can form part of an integration route or provide proof for work or study. It has a separate registration process through MijnDUO (My DUO) (External site, opens in a new tab).
• Naturalisation has a separate application and other conditions. Integration proof is often required. You apply through your gemeente; the IND decides your naturalisation application (External site, opens in a new tab).

Integration proof can also help with permanent residence (External site, opens in a new tab). Dutch citizenship through naturalisation requires a separate application and decision.

Choose an exam guide after checking your official level and goal. A school's level advice can differ from the requirement in your PIP or Mijn Inburgering. Use your official requirement to choose from the guides below.

The Dutch language levels guide explains A1, A2, B1 and B2. For exam practice, start with DUO's official practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab). Then use Inburgering.org's free practice hub for extra practice at your level.

If you are unsure whether you must integrate, check your DUO decision first. If you have a letter under the 2021 Act, work with your gemeente on your PIP. Under the 2013 Act, plan the exams listed in Mijn Inburgering.

Use your own deadline when planning. If PVT applies under the 2013 Act, check its separate one-year deadline. Before paying for a course or exam, compare it with your official requirements.

• Who must integrate in the Netherlands
• What to do after a DUO integration letter
• Which Dutch exam do you need?