Do I have to do inburgering? Who is obliged to integrate

Do I have to do inburgering? · Phase 1 · Orientate

Part 1 / 4

Phase 1 · Orientate · Part 1 · 2 min

What is inburgering?

Inburgering — integration — means learning how to take part in Dutch society. The government expects two things of you above all.

You learn Dutch

So that you can work, go to the doctor, and talk to your children's school.

You learn how the Netherlands works

How to look for work, how health insurance works, and which rules and values matter here.

Once you have completed the integration programme you receive an inburgeringsdiploma. You often need that diploma later, if you want to apply for permanent residence or become a Dutch citizen. So inburgering is not about how clever you are. It is about learning the language and being able to manage on your own in the Netherlands.

Two parts — the language, and knowing how the Netherlands works — come together in one diploma, and that diploma opens the door to permanent residence or naturalisation. — Inburgering consists of two things that come together in one diploma. With that diploma you can apply for permanent residence, or become a Dutch citizen.

What is inburgering?

Inburgering — integration — means learning how to take part in Dutch society. The government expects two things of you above all.

You learn Dutch

So that you can work, go to the doctor, and talk to your children's school.

You learn how the Netherlands works

How to look for work, how health insurance works, and which rules and values matter here.

Who has to integrate?

Not everyone who comes to the Netherlands has to. It mainly depends on two things: your nationality, and why you came here.

Usually you do

Asylum status holder — you were granted a residence permit after an asylum application
Family migrant — you are joining your partner or family in the Netherlands
You were granted a residence permit for another reason and you come from outside the EU

Usually you do not

You are from the EU, or from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland
You are in the Netherlands temporarily for work or study
You are still of compulsory school age or under the qualification requirement
You have already reached state pension age
You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more while you were of compulsory school age
You hold a Dutch diploma that grants exemption: vmbo, havo, vwo, mbo level 2 or higher, or hbo or university taught in Dutch

Exempt groups include: people under 18, people above state pension age, people from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, and anyone here temporarily to study or work. Diplomas that grant exemption: vmbo, havo, vwo, mbo level 2 or higher, and hbo or university degrees provided they were taught in Dutch.

Sources: Rijksoverheid — Moet ik als nieuwkomer inburgeren? · inburgeren.nl — Diploma gehaald — accessed 20-08-2026

How do I know whether it applies to me?

You do not have to work this out yourself. DUO checks it for you, in three steps.

Your registration with the municipality goes to DUO, DUO checks whether you are required to integrate, and sends you a letter about it. — You do not have to apply for anything. Your registration with the municipality goes to DUO, DUO checks it, and the letter comes to you.

You register with your municipality

You get a BSN. Together with your residence permit, that is all DUO needs.

DUO checks whether you are required to integrate

If you are, DUO is informed automatically. You do not have to apply for anything.

You get a letter

It says from which date you are inburgeringsplichtig — required to integrate — and how much time you have. Keep that letter: the date in it decides everything later. No letter? Then check Mijn Inburgering with your DigiD.

Marieke Schipper · NT2 teacher

What I see most often: people who wait months because they think they have to apply for something themselves. You do not. DUO sends you a letter. Keep that letter safe — the date in it decides everything later, from your deadline to which act applies to you.

DUO decides whether you have to integrate and sends you a letter about it, once you have a BSN and a residence permit and are registered with your municipality.

Source: inburgeren.nl — U gaat inburgeren — accessed 20-08-2026

Which act applies to you?

This matters, because two acts exist side by side. They have different rules, different costs and different exams. So check your letter from DUO first to see which one applies to you.

Wet inburgering 2013

The old act

Who

You were already required to integrate before 1 January 2022.

Who arranges it

You arrange everything yourself.

Language level

Extra components

ONA, PVT

Wet inburgering 2021

Applies to almost everyone starting now

Who

You became required to integrate on or after 1 January 2022.

Who arranges it

Your municipality guides you.

Language level

Usually B1

Extra components

KNM, MAP, PVT

The Wet inburgering 2021 applies to everyone who became required to integrate on or after 1 January 2022; anyone already required to integrate before that date falls under the Wet inburgering 2013.

Source: Rijksoverheid — Nieuwe wet inburgering — accessed 20-08-2026

So you now know whether you have to integrate. The next question is which language level you already reach. You can find that out today, without arranging anything.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I know whether I have to do inburgering?

You do not have to work it out yourself. DUO checks it as soon as you have a residence permit and are registered with your municipality, and sends you a letter. If you think you missed that letter, log in to Mijn Inburgering with your DigiD.

Do I have to integrate if I am from the EU?

No. If you come from an EU country, or from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, the integration duty does not apply to you. If you want to become Dutch later, naturalisation does have language requirements.

Which diplomas grant exemption from inburgering?

A Dutch vmbo, havo, vwo or mbo level 2 or higher diploma, and a hbo or university degree taught in Dutch. Dutch-language diplomas from Belgium and Suriname count as well. You apply for the exemption yourself at DUO.

What is the difference between vrijstelling and ontheffing?

Vrijstelling means you do not have to integrate, for example because you already hold a Dutch diploma. Ontheffing means a psychological or physical impairment permanently prevents you from sitting the exams; for that an independent doctor examines you. You apply to DUO for both.

Do I have to integrate if I am 16 or 17?

As a rule no: the integration duty starts at 18. If you are younger you fall under compulsory education or the qualification requirement, and you go to school. In some situations you can be required to integrate at that age after all.

Reviewed by Marieke Schipper, certified NT2 teacher — August 20, 2026 This page is a translation of that reviewed Dutch text; the translation itself was not reviewed. The Dutch version is the source.

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