Civic integration in Amersfoort

Welcome to Amersfoort! You have a residence permit and will be moving here soon. Or you already live here. The municipality considers it important that you feel at home quickly. That you can take part alongside the other residents and integrate. Here is how that works.

Right of residence

The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst)) has decided that you may stay in the Netherlands. This is called right of residence. You can find more information at www.ind.nl. 

Civic integration: compulsory or voluntary

The Education Executive Agency (DUO, Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) then decides whether you have to complete civic integration. You will receive a letter about this. You can find more information at www.inburgeren.nl.

According to DUO, you may not have to complete civic integration. But you may still want to learn Dutch and other things about life in our country. That is possible, but different rules apply:

  • I have to complete civic integration: residence permit after
    • asylum for yourself or a family member
    • to be with your Dutch partner or family
  • I want to complete civic integration: residence permit for work
     

I have to complete civic integration

Who has to complete civic integration and what does that mean for you? If you and/or your partner may stay in the Netherlands after an asylum application, or if you came to the Netherlands to be with your Dutch partner or family. Then you must complete the integration process. In Amersfoort, Integratiewerk will help you with this. Read below how this works.

Are you still living in an asylum seekers' centre (AZC) in the Amersfoort region and will you be moving to Amersfoort? Then you can already start the integration process. This is called ‘Early start integration’. IntegratieWerk will contact you about this automatically.

Costs

If you or your partner has a residence permit following an asylum application, you do not have to pay for your integration. If you have a residence permit to be with your Dutch partner or family, you do have to pay for your integration yourself. Visit Inburgeren.nl for your options and the conditions. In Amersfoort, IntegratieWerk is the organisation you can contact for integration. When you make a plan with them, they will also discuss the costs with you and how you can pay them. Their contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Housing

You are still living in an asylum seekers' centre (AZC) or in emergency shelter, and you have been told that you may stay in the Netherlands and will be moving to Amersfoort. Integratiewerk will invite you as soon as possible to discuss what type of home you can get in your situation. After that, Integratiewerk will look for accommodation for you in Amersfoort. So you do not have to look for it yourself.

Sometimes there are not enough homes available. You will then have to wait a long time before it is your turn. That is not pleasant and requires patience.

Een pan staat in zijn deuropening met zijn hand op de deurklink terwijl hij ons aankijkt

Learning Dutch and other skills

Integration is different for everyone. You have to do it yourself, but Integratiewerk will help you. Together you will make a plan (mandatory): a Personal Integration and Participation Plan (PIP). This sets out what you are going to do: how you will learn Dutch and how you will prepare for studying or working. But it may also cover things like exploring the city, how healthcare works in the Netherlands, insurance, school for your children, taxes or managing money.

Goal: to feel at home in Amersfoort and live your life independently.

Een glimlachende vrouw zit aan een tafel en schrijft in een werkboek

Questions

Een breed glimlachende man, zitten aan het bureau van een medewerker

I want to complete the integration process

The Education Executive Agency (DUO) determines whether you need to complete the integration process. You will receive a letter about this. If you came to the Netherlands for work, the letter usually states that you do not have to complete the integration process by law. Read more at www.inburgeren.nl.

Assistance

But the Municipality of Amersfoort believes it is important that you also feel at home in our city as soon as possible and can live independently. So that you learn where you can go for language lessons, meeting people, finding work or voluntary work, and much more. Take a look at www.samenindebuurt033.nl/organisaties to see which organisation can help you.

Other questions