You already know the word inburgering is something to do with Dutch residency or taking some exams. But you may not be aware that the government wants to change some of the rules. So what do you need to know if you are a newcomer to the Netherlands – someone who has moved for a job, who is joining a partner or is a refugee with a residence permit?
Kirill Svavolia, who has himself been in the Netherlands for almost seven years, was inspired last year to found Inburgering.org – an online service to help people navigate the system and practise for the exams.
The first question people ask, he says, is which exam they should be doing. “There are three levels,” he says. “For example, if you have a girlfriend in Latin America and if she wants to move to the Netherlands with you with a partner visa then she needs to pass the A1 tests.”
You will probably need to take this exam at a Dutch embassy abroad if you want to apply for an MVV provisional residence permit to join a partner in the Netherlands. There are three parts to the exam, reading, speaking and knowledge of Dutch society and the level is simple and based around practical situations.
Exam tips
“The reading is mostly based around practical stuff, like reading opening hours or navigation signs,” says Svavolia. “For speaking, they will ask a question such as ‘What do you like doing’, and a simple answer like ‘running’ is enough.”
You might need to finish a sentence about what you typically do first thing in the morning – drink coffee, for instance, or eat chocolate. “It’s very simple sentences and sometimes one word suffices,” he says.
This exam is the entry ticket and others will probably follow. For those people whose duty to integrate started before 1 January 2022, an earlier law from 2013 applies and they will need to take the A2 level, which is slightly more difficult than A1.
You can check what applies to you online at Mijn Inburgering or on any letters that you have from exam body DUO informing you that you have a duty to inburger, or take Dutch civic integration exams.
Knowledge migrants
Knowledge migrants may also be asked to do the A2 exam if they later want Dutch citizenship, says Svavolia. “Let’s say somebody moved here from India, and after five years’ living in the Netherlands, they would like to become Dutch. So for citizenship, they will need to do the A2 exam.”
This is the level needed for naturalisation – unless you have an exemption or dispensation and you can typically check with your local council what applies to you depending, on your history, permit, age and personal circumstances.
Things are a little more complex at A2 level but there are some key tips you can use to help you scan the emails, letters and notices you’ll be expected to read and understand – including tricky small words like geen or vanaf. You’ll need to be able to write a short note, listen and answer multiple-choice questions, speak a little and do an exam based on questions about everyday life.
B1 fluency
The next level up is B1, and this is what you’ll need to take if you moved over as a partner. You will typically need to take the B1 exam (unless you qualify for an exemption) within three years. “B1 is everyday fluency, what you need to be very comfortable living in the Netherlands,” says Svavolia.
Each level up requires twice as much vocabulary, he says, and the B1 level is also the level the government uses when it is making an effort to communicate in simple language.
Although a lot of people have worried about the government’s announcement that it wants to shift up the level for naturalisation from A2 to B1, Svavolia points out that this still needs to pass through parliament and be put into effect, so there’s no better time to get started on A2 if you qualify.
Home sweet home
Inburgering.org, which also has podcasts and some free content, aims to help people pass their exams with courses that replicate the €50 DUO exams so that you can practise.
Svavolia points out that this supportive community can be your friend on the way to making the Netherlands your home. “It’s hard when you come from another country,” he says. “You don’t know the customs, you don’t know the rules – they don’t speak your language or know exactly how to make the bridge. A lot of people just feel lost and unfortunately they will leave because they just don’t feel at home here.”
As well as studying hard for your exams, his top tip is to do things you like. “Look at your interests and hobbies,” he says. “If you like doing sports, go somewhere where you will find friends. Nothing happens if you stay passive – you need to take action, but do it by doing what you like!”
Find out more about inburgering and passing your exams at Inburgering.org. Check Mijn Inburgering, DUO or your municipality for the requirements that apply to your situation.
