At present it is not possible to pick up your civic integration diploma from the exam location. 

From 4 September 2021 a number of changes came into effect that will impact travel to the Netherlands.

Since March 2020, travel to the Netherlands has been restricted with several measures. These travel restrictions originate from European law regulations drawn up by the European Commission on the one hand, and national regulations on the other hand. This article provides an overview of the current restrictions. We will also discuss exceptions to the entry restrictions.

On May 12, 2021, the government announced that travel restrictions for the following travelers from outside the EU will be relaxed:

If you want to travel to the Netherlands from a country not on the safe countries list, you will be exempted from the EU entry ban if you have proof of vaccination. This proof needs to be issued according to certain requirements in order to be accepted.

...about submission of applications and procedures during the COVID-19/corona measures

It has been several weeks since the COVID-19/corona measures have been implemented. The offices and desks of the IND, as well as Court buildings, are mostly closed. Many people are under the impression that this means all procedures have been put on hold and it is not possible to submit an application for a residence permit, for an extension of a residence permit or for a change of an existing residence permit. This impression is not correct. Both the IND and the judiciary are working remotely as much as possible.

To be eligible for a residence permit as a highly skilled migrant, your employer will have to comply with the salary criteria. Until now, recent graduates would be eligible for the lowest salary threshold, provided an application is lodged before the end date of the 'orientation year permit'.

The travel restrictions for the EU, the Schengen member states and the UK recommended by the European Commission, have been extended until July 1, 2020. The rules, recommended by the EC about three months ago, remain in place: all non-essential travel will be banned, unless a waiver applies.

Travel restrictions

Since March 2020, traveling to Europe has become a lot more difficult. Travelers from outside the EU can only travel to the Netherlands if their visit is deemed essential. In fact this meant that nobody could enter the Netherlands unless one of these exemptions applied.

From 15 December, 2020, travelers by airplane or by ship, who are 13 years or older and arrive from a country that is not on the list of safe countries, must show a negative test result upon arrival at the (air)port in the Netherlands.

^{[update 3 July 2020]}

The outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis in the Netherlands has an effect on all residents of the Netherlands. Whether you are holder of a residence permit or just visiting, you may be faced with difficulties to return home. In this article, we will explain how the corona measures will affect foreign nationals who are in the Netherlands and cannot return home.

For more information, please contact Thomas van Houwelingen.

By Hermie de Voer

If you are Dutch and you live outside of the Netherlands and outside of the European Union as a dual national, you will need to renew your Dutch passport every 10 years to prevent the loss of your Dutch nationality. The law governing this matter states: 

Adults will lose Dutch citizenship if they also have a foreign nationality and if they have their main residency outside the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Saint Martin, and outside of the territories to which the Treaty on European Union applies during their adulthood, for an uninterrupted period of ten years...

The loss of Dutch citizenship after 10 years of residency outside of the EU will not take place, if the dual national applies for a new Dutch passport, a Dutch identity card or a Dutch nationality certificate in time. This is stated in the law as follows:

The period of ten years will be interrupted by the issuance of a declaration of possession of Dutch citizenship, a travel document or Dutch identity card within the meaning of the Passport Act. From the date of issuance, a new period of ten years commences.

Since 9 March 2014, the validity of a Dutch passport is 10 years. This means that the period of validity of the passport runs synchronously with the period for loss. Therefore you must  be very careful when exactly you apply to renew your passport in order to avoid losing your Dutch citizenship.

In plain language we usually say that you have to apply for a new Dutch passport every 10 years. However, if you apply for a renewal the day before your Dutch passport expires, your new Dutch passport would only be issued after the 10-year mark and you would lose your Dutch citizenship. For this reason, I always advise to apply for a new Dutch passport after 9 to 9,5 years so that the new passport will be issued to you within the period of 10 years. The crucial moment here is the date of issuance. You have to ensure that you have a new Dutch passport in your possession within 10 years of the expiry date.

How do you do that in times of a global corona/covid-19 crisis? When you live abroad, applications for renewal of your Dutch passport must be filed in person at a Dutch diplomatic post. These are closed until 6 April 2020 in any case.

Scheduling an appointment to apply for a Dutch passport via the digital appointment system does not seem possible, not even for a date after 6 April 2020. The following text appears on the website at various Dutch diplomatic posts on different continents: "No date(s) available for an appointment". It is striking that the Dutch diplomatic posts do not provide uniform information on their websites.

The website of the Dutch embassy in Canberra, Australia has so far been the most informative. It states that passport or ID card applications are neither being accepted at an embassy or consulate general nor at the passport counter at Schiphol, at least until 6 April 2020. However, it is still possible to apply for a passport or ID via a border municipality in the Netherlands. How this will work in practice is unclear, considering there may be no incoming flights available. 

In short, it seems that if you, as a Dutch citizen with dual nationality, live outside of the Netherlands and the European Union and your passport expires soon, you will not be able to extend your Dutch passport on time.

I advise everyone in the current situation of the corona/covid-19 pandemic to apply in writing for a renewal of your Dutch passport, ID card or a Dutch nationality certificate, at the nearest Dutch diplomatic post before your current Dutch passport, ID or declaration expires.

Make sure you can also prove that you have done this. So, send the application by registered mail or, if possible, by fax with a confirmation that the fax has arrived. This way you can prove that you have applied for a renewal or a declaration within the 10-year period and have thus tried to prevent the loss of your Dutch nationality.

I cannot guarantee that this will be sufficient to retain your Dutch nationality. What I do know is that you will lose your Dutch nationality if you do not attempt to extend your Dutch passport in time.

Hermie de Voer

From 24 June 2021 onwards the following countries will be added to the list:

^{[update: July 27 2020]}

On July 16 the Minister of Justice and Security announced that travel restrictions for unmarried partners from non-EU countries would be relaxed from July 27, 2020. Further details have been published.   

^{Update 1 June 2021}

As of 1 June 2021, the ban on flights from India, South Africa and countries in Central and South America has been lifted.

The Dutch Cabinet has decided to adopt the EU-proposal of an entry ban for non-essential travel. Entry into the Netherlands from a third country (outside the EU and Schengen member states and the UK) is banned up until 1 July 2020. 

On April 28, 2020 the IND announced that embassies will resume issuing MVV's (entry clearance visas) to family members of Dutch citizens with an MVV approval for the purpose of stay ‘family’, if local circumstances allow.

^{[update 31 July 2020]}

The Dutch Immigration Department has confirmed that travelers living in a country for which travel restrictions still apply but who, based on their nationality, are exempt from the entry clearance visa (MVV) requirement, can enter the Netherlands if they hold an IND approval letter confirming that they are granted a residence permit in the following categories:

The Dutch government has announced that it will update its COVID-19 entry requirements on February, 25, 2022. The main changes are related to self-quarantine and proof of vaccination.

Since Belgium prohibited all non-essential travel aswell, the waiting times for transport of goods and service provision traffic at the border with the Netherlands have increased significantly. A vignette is now available for cross-border workers with crucial professions or who provide vital services. With this vignette they can pass the border controls more quickly.