Exemption from inburgering: vrijstelling or ontheffing

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Vrijstelling or ontheffing · Phase 1 · Orientate

Part 1 / 6

Phase 1 · Orientate · Part 1 · 2 min

Vrijstelling or ontheffing: not the same thing

Two words that are often used as if they mean the same, but they mean something very different.

Vrijstelling

You already meet the requirement

Why

You already have a diploma, or you are already sufficiently integrated

Proof

A document: a diploma, a certificate, a work history

Result

You do not have to take (certain) exams

Ontheffing

You cannot meet the requirement

Why

A permanent illness or disability, or special circumstances

Proof

A medical examination or a file about your situation

Result

The inburgering obligation ends, but with consequences — see below

The Wet inburgering 2021 has vrijstelling (article 4), among other things for people who already have a diploma or are otherwise sufficiently integrated, and ontheffing (article 5) for people who, because of a psychological or physical impairment or an intellectual disability, are permanently unable to do inburgering, or because of special individual circumstances.

Sources: Wet inburgering 2021, artikel 4 · Wet inburgering 2021, artikel 5 — accessed 23-08-2026

DUO decides, not you and not your language school. Even if you are sure that a rule applies to you: you have to apply for it and you have to wait for the letter. Only stop learning once that letter has arrived.

Phase 1 · Orientate · Part 2 · 3 min

Who does not have an inburgering obligation at all?

For some groups the obligation does not start at all. That is not a vrijstelling that you apply for; you simply fall outside the law.

You do not have to do inburgering

You are younger than 18
You are older than the pensioengerechtigde leeftijd (state pension age, AOW-leeftijd)
You have the nationality of an EU or EEA country, or of Switzerland
You are here temporarily, for study or work
You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more when you were of compulsory school age (leerplichtig)
You have certain Dutch diplomas — see below

Please note

Do you reach the AOW-leeftijd during your traject? Then the obligation stops there, but you can also no longer borrow money from DUO.
Do you want to naturalise later? Then the gemeente (municipality) or the IND can still ask for an inburgeringsdiploma. Voluntary inburgering is allowed.
Turkish nationality has no longer been excluded since 1 January 2022.

People who are not inburgeringsplichtig include: people younger than 18, people older than the pensioengerechtigde leeftijd, citizens of the EU, the EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and Switzerland, people who are in the Netherlands temporarily for study or work, and people who lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more during the compulsory school age. People who are entitled to AOW no longer have to do inburgering and can also no longer borrow money.

Sources: Rijksoverheid — Moet ik als nieuwkomer inburgeren? · inburgeren.nl — Minder of geen examens doen — accessed 23-08-2026

Marieke Schipper · NT2 teacher

That eight-year rule is often understood the wrong way round, and that is dangerous. It is: eight years or more of Dutch schooling during your leerplicht (compulsory school age) gives a vrijstelling. Fewer than eight years does not give that vrijstelling. People who remember it the wrong way round stop learning and run into a problem later.

Phase 1 · Orientate · Part 3 · 3 min

Which diplomas give a vrijstelling?

This is the most common vrijstelling, and at the same time the point where most of the incorrect information on the internet is found. This is the official list from DUO.

Gives a vrijstelling

A Dutch vmbo, havo or vwo diploma
An mbo diploma at level 2 or higher
An hbo or university diploma, provided it is in Dutch
A Dutch-language diploma from Belgium or Suriname
A staatsexamen NT2 at level B1 or B2

Does not give a full vrijstelling

Praktijkonderwijs — this is not on any official list, however often you read it online
mbo level 1 (entreeopleiding) — this does release you from the ONA exam, but it does not give a full vrijstelling
A foreign diploma that was not obtained in Dutch
A course certificate from a language school without a recognised NT2 exam

DUO names as diplomas that can give a vrijstelling: vmbo, havo, vwo, mbo level 2 or higher, and hbo or wo provided they were obtained in Dutch, plus Dutch-language diplomas from Belgium and Suriname.

Source: inburgeren.nl — Diploma gehaald — accessed 23-08-2026

Partial vrijstelling

Sometimes you do not have to take all the exams. Two common situations:

An NT2 certificate or diploma can give the right to a vrijstelling for certain language parts. Which parts depends on which parts you passed.
Worked in the Netherlands. Under the Wet 2013, work in the Netherlands can give the right to a vrijstelling for the ONA exam. And people who have lived in the Netherlands for ten years and worked for at least five of those years can be fully exempted.

People who have lived in the Netherlands for ten years and have worked for at least five of those years may not have to take any exams at all. Work in the Netherlands in the past year can also lead to a partial vrijstelling.

Source: inburgeren.nl — In Nederland gewerkt — accessed 23-08-2026

Vrijstelling or ontheffing: not the same thing

Two words that are often used as if they mean the same, but they mean something very different.

Vrijstelling

You already meet the requirement

Why

You already have a diploma, or you are already sufficiently integrated

Proof

A document: a diploma, a certificate, a work history

Result

You do not have to take (certain) exams

Ontheffing

You cannot meet the requirement

Why

A permanent illness or disability, or special circumstances

Proof

A medical examination or a file about your situation

Result

The inburgering obligation ends, but with consequences — see below

Sources: Wet inburgering 2021, artikel 4 · Wet inburgering 2021, artikel 5 — accessed 23-08-2026

Who does not have an inburgering obligation at all?

For some groups the obligation does not start at all. That is not a vrijstelling that you apply for; you simply fall outside the law.

You do not have to do inburgering

You are younger than 18
You are older than the pensioengerechtigde leeftijd (state pension age, AOW-leeftijd)
You have the nationality of an EU or EEA country, or of Switzerland
You are here temporarily, for study or work
You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more when you were of compulsory school age (leerplichtig)
You have certain Dutch diplomas — see below

Please note

Do you reach the AOW-leeftijd during your traject? Then the obligation stops there, but you can also no longer borrow money from DUO.
Do you want to naturalise later? Then the gemeente (municipality) or the IND can still ask for an inburgeringsdiploma. Voluntary inburgering is allowed.
Turkish nationality has no longer been excluded since 1 January 2022.

Sources: Rijksoverheid — Moet ik als nieuwkomer inburgeren? · inburgeren.nl — Minder of geen examens doen — accessed 23-08-2026

Marieke Schipper · NT2 teacher

Which diplomas give a vrijstelling?

This is the most common vrijstelling, and at the same time the point where most of the incorrect information on the internet is found. This is the official list from DUO.

Gives a vrijstelling

A Dutch vmbo, havo or vwo diploma
An mbo diploma at level 2 or higher
An hbo or university diploma, provided it is in Dutch
A Dutch-language diploma from Belgium or Suriname
A staatsexamen NT2 at level B1 or B2

Does not give a full vrijstelling

Praktijkonderwijs — this is not on any official list, however often you read it online
mbo level 1 (entreeopleiding) — this does release you from the ONA exam, but it does not give a full vrijstelling
A foreign diploma that was not obtained in Dutch
A course certificate from a language school without a recognised NT2 exam

DUO names as diplomas that can give a vrijstelling: vmbo, havo, vwo, mbo level 2 or higher, and hbo or wo provided they were obtained in Dutch, plus Dutch-language diplomas from Belgium and Suriname.

Source: inburgeren.nl — Diploma gehaald — accessed 23-08-2026

Partial vrijstelling

Sometimes you do not have to take all the exams. Two common situations:

An NT2 certificate or diploma can give the right to a vrijstelling for certain language parts. Which parts depends on which parts you passed.
Worked in the Netherlands. Under the Wet 2013, work in the Netherlands can give the right to a vrijstelling for the ONA exam. And people who have lived in the Netherlands for ten years and worked for at least five of those years can be fully exempted.

Source: inburgeren.nl — In Nederland gewerkt — accessed 23-08-2026

Ontheffing for illness or disability

If, because of a psychological or physical impairment or an intellectual disability, you are permanently unable to do inburgering, you can apply for an ontheffing at DUO. The word permanently is important: a temporary situation does not give an ontheffing, but it may give extra time.

You apply at DUO

Via Mijn Inburgering or with a form. You pay an amount of €225 in advance for the examination.

An independent doctor examines you

The doctor looks at whether you are permanently unable to pass the exams. Bring all your medical information with you.

DUO decides

If you get the ontheffing, you get the €225 back. If it is refused, you lose that amount — and your deadline simply keeps running.

People who, because of a psychological or physical impairment or an intellectual disability, are permanently unable to pass the inburgeringsexamen can apply for an ontheffing at DUO. The medical examination costs €225 in advance; if it is granted, you get that amount back.

Source: inburgeren.nl — Ziekte of handicap — accessed 23-08-2026

Do you think your situation is temporary — an operation, a pregnancy, a death in the family, homelessness? Then do not apply for an ontheffing but for extra time. That is a different procedure, it costs nothing, and it fits better with what you need.

Ontheffing for bijzondere individuele omstandigheden (BIO)

There is also an ontheffing for people who have really tried and can demonstrate that they cannot pass, without there being a medical reason. That is called an ontheffing BIO. You then have to show that you have made a maximum effort: course hours, exam attempts, attendance.

There is one important disadvantage, and it is rarely mentioned: with an ontheffing BIO you cannot naturalise. For Dutch nationality you need the inburgeringsdiploma. So people who want to become Dutch are better off continuing to take exams — voluntarily if necessary, after the obligation has ended.

For naturalisatie and for a permanent residence permit, inburgering is a requirement; the IND describes which proofs count for this. An ontheffing from the inburgering obligation is not automatically enough to naturalise.

Source: IND — Inburgering bij een sterkere verblijfsvergunning en naturalisatie — accessed 23-08-2026

Marieke Schipper · NT2 teacher

This is the conversation I find the hardest. Someone is relieved that the obligation is off the table, and only hears years later that the passport is off the table too. If naturalisation is your goal, discuss that before you apply for a BIO ontheffing.

How do you apply?

First look in Mijn Inburgering

It shows which exams apply to you. Sometimes a vrijstelling has already been processed automatically.

Collect your proof

Diplomas, lists of grades, a statement from your employer, or medical documents. Copies of certified documents.

Submit the application to DUO

Via Mijn Inburgering or by post with the right form.

Keep learning until the letter has arrived

Your deadline simply keeps running while the application is being processed. Stopping on the basis of an expectation is the most expensive thing you can do.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between vrijstelling and ontheffing?

With a vrijstelling you already meet the requirement, for example because you have a Dutch diploma or have worked here for a long time. With an ontheffing you cannot meet the requirement, for example because of a permanent illness or disability. They have a different basis, a different procedure and different consequences.

Which diplomas give a vrijstelling from inburgering?

A Dutch vmbo, havo or vwo diploma, an mbo diploma at level 2 or higher, and an hbo or university diploma obtained in Dutch. Dutch-language diplomas from Belgium and Suriname also count. Praktijkonderwijs and mbo level 1 do not give a full vrijstelling, even though you often read that online.

Do I not have to do inburgering when I reach the AOW-leeftijd?

That is correct. People who are entitled to AOW no longer have to do inburgering; you have to do inburgering until your AOW-leeftijd and not after that. Please note: you can then also no longer borrow money from DUO. If you want to naturalise later, the gemeente (municipality) or the IND can still ask for an inburgeringsdiploma — voluntary inburgering is allowed.

What does it cost to apply for a medical ontheffing?

You pay €225 in advance for the independent medical examination. If the ontheffing is granted, you get that amount back. If the application is refused, you lose it and your inburgering deadline simply keeps running in the meantime.

Can I naturalise with an ontheffing?

Not with an ontheffing for bijzondere individuele omstandigheden (BIO): for naturalisatie an inburgeringsdiploma is required. If becoming Dutch is your goal, discuss that before you apply for such an ontheffing — continuing with the exams voluntarily is then often the better route.

May I stop my course if I have applied for a vrijstelling?

No, not before DUO has decided. Your inburgering deadline simply keeps running while the application is being processed. If your application is refused, you have lost months that you cannot make up. Keep learning until the letter from DUO has arrived.

Reviewed by Marieke Schipper, certified NT2 teacher — August 23, 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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