You follow this route as an asylum seeker in the Netherlands | NOW

What can you expect if you are over eighteen and apply for asylum in the Netherlands? This is what the General Asylum Procedure looks like.

In April, May and June, 7,050 people applied for asylum here. According to statistics agency CBS, there are 9 percent more applications than in the previous quarter.

If you want to stay in the Netherlands, you need a residence permit. You get this if you are a refugee and you meet the conditions in the Refugee Convention. A refugee can be persecuted in his own country because of his race or nationality, religion, political ideas or the group he belongs to (eg the LGBTQ+ community). He gets no protection in his country.

Not every asylum seeker is a refugee. An asylum seeker applies for protection in another country. That country first investigates whether he really needs that protection: whether he is a refugee. This happens during the asylum procedure. The General Asylum Procedure applies to most asylum seekers.

Step 1: sign up

When you arrive in the Netherlands you must first register. You can do this at the registration center of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) in Ter Apel. Unless you come by plane or boat, then a different procedure applies (see the explanation at the bottom of the article).

Step 2: register

You will be asked questions about who you are, where you come from and what your story is. You have to identify yourself. And pictures are taken and you have to give fingerprints. It will also check whether your travel documents are genuine.

Step 3: apply for asylum

You officially apply for asylum. You do this by signing an asylum application. You also fill in an application form from the IND.

Step 4: a place to sleep

You will receive shelter, food and – if necessary – medical care.

Step 5: first conversation

You will be interviewed by the IND at least three days after your application. The service wants to know who you are, where you come from, how you traveled and why you are applying for asylum.

Step 6: six days of rest

You will have at least six days to recover from your trip. These days are also intended to prepare you for your asylum procedure. Usually you go to an asylum seekers center, where you get a medical check, information and a lawyer.

Step 7: General Asylum Procedure

The General Asylum Procedure often takes six days. It can also last nine days, if the IND needs more time. Or if you need more attention because of your health.

• Day 1: In an interview with the IND you explain why you are applying for asylum.
• Day 2: You check the report of this conversation with your lawyer and you pass on additions and errors.
• Day 3: the IND makes a first decision. There are three options:
  • You will receive a temporary residence permit.
  • You will continue in the Extended Asylum Procedure (see other procedures), because the IND needs more time for an investigation.
  • The IND does not intend to issue you a residence permit.
• Day 4: If you do not agree with a rejection, you can write a letter to the IND.
• Days 5 and 6: The IND reads the letter and checks whether the decision needs to be adjusted.

For a nine-day procedure, the steps are the same. Only some steps take two days, instead of one.

Do you have a residence permit?
If you get a residence permit, it is valid for five years. If you still need protection after five years, the permit can be extended for an indefinite period. You can then stay in the Netherlands.

No residence permit
If your asylum application is rejected, you must leave the Netherlands within 28 days. If you don’t, you could be forced to leave the country.

In appeal
You can appeal the decision of the IND with your lawyer. You do that in court. After that, you may still appeal.

Other procedures
In addition to the General Asylum Procedure, there are other procedures:

• If more time is needed for research, you will enter an Extended Asylum Procedure. The IND must make a decision within six months. The procedure can be extended to 15 months.
• The simplified asylum procedure applies, for example, if you come from a safe country or already have protection in another country.
• If you enter via Schiphol, you follow the border procedure. You will stay in a closed reception location close to Schiphol.
• If you are younger than eighteen, the Asylum Procedure for Unaccompanied Minor Aliens (AMV) applies.

Different rules apply to Ukrainian refugees. With the correct passport they can travel freely to the EU. They can report to the municipality. Ukrainians are allowed to stay in the Netherlands for at least 90 days and longer if necessary.

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