Understanding the Delays in IND Asylum Decisions

Currently, applicants for asylum and family reunification (follow-up) have to wait a long time for a decision. The IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service) understands that it is difficult to wait for your decision. There are several reasons for the long waiting times. We briefly explain these reasons below. We also explain what measures we are taking to give you clarity about your future as quickly as possible.

A High Number of Asylum Applications
The number of refugees remains higher than the number of decisions the IND is able to make. As a result, the number of applications continues to rise. Additionally, more and more unaccompanied minor refugees are coming to the Netherlands. These are children under 18 who have fled without parents. Furthermore, the number of family reunification (follow-up) applications has also increased.

A Combination of High Volume and Limited Capacity
Many people are applying for asylum or family reunification in the Netherlands. The IND is working hard to make decisions on all of these applications. However, the pressure remains high, and waiting times are long. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to compensate for this pressure by hiring more people. Making a decision on an asylum or follow-up application is complex and requires careful attention. Training and onboarding new staff takes time.

Approach to Waiting Times

The IND is hiring new staff to shorten the waiting times. Making a decision on an application is complex and requires careful attention, so it takes time to train and onboard new staff. As a result, hiring staff does not immediately have a visible effect on shortening the waiting times. Additionally, the IND is hiring staff who can take over the administrative work from decision-making staff. This allows the decision-makers to have more time to process asylum and follow-up applications.