# Do expats have to do inburgering? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/do-expats-need-inburgering ยท Sources checked 2026-11-14 Not everyone who moves to the Netherlands has to integrate. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don't, and people who come for a temporary purpose, like study or highly skilled work, usually don't either. Many people still take the exam later, by choice, for permanent residence or a Dutch passport. Your letter from DUO decides what applies to you. ## The short answer Inburgering (civic integration) is not for everyone who lives in the Netherlands. Whether you have to do it depends mostly on your nationality and on why you live here. Here is the short version, from Rijksoverheid and the IND. This guide explains the official public rules, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice. Your own letters from DUO, the IND or your municipality decide what applies to you. - You do not have to integrate if you have the nationality of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland. - You also do not have to integrate if you come to the Netherlands for a temporary purpose, like study or work as an expat. - The IND counts work as a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) and the European Blue Card as temporary purposes under the integration law. - In all other cases you have to integrate. DUO sends you a letter about it automatically. - Even if you do not have to, you can integrate by choice. Permanent residence and Dutch citizenship usually need the inburgering exam at A2 level. ## Who does not have to integrate Rijksoverheid lists who does not have to integrate. You are not required to if you have the nationality of: - a country of the European Union (EU) - Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland - Switzerland - [Rijksoverheid: Moet ik als nieuwkomer inburgeren? (in Dutch)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/vraag-en-antwoord/immigratie-naar-nederland/moet-ik-als-nieuwkomer-inburgeren) ## Other people who do not have to integrate On the same page, Rijksoverheid says you also do not have to integrate if one of these applies to you: - You are younger than 18. - You are older than the state pension age. - You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more while you were of school age. - You have Dutch diplomas, certificates or proof of certain education in the Dutch language. - You come to the Netherlands for a temporary purpose, for study or work (as an expat, for example). ## Highly skilled migrants and other temporary purposes Your residence permit has a purpose, like study, work or living with a partner. The IND publishes which purposes count as temporary under the integration law (Wet inburgering). Some of them: - Study and exchange. - Work in paid employment, and work as a self-employed person. - Work as a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant), and the European Blue Card. - Researcher, intra-corporate transfer and the orientation year for highly educated persons. - Living with a family member whose own residence purpose is temporary. This can include the partner of a highly skilled migrant. - [IND: temporary residence purposes under the Civic Integration Act](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-residence-purposes-under-the-civic-integration-act) ## The part that surprises many expats The IND uses a second list for a different question: can you get a more secure right to stay? On that list, highly skilled migrant, European Blue Card, paid employment and self-employment count as non-temporary. With a residence permit for a non-temporary purpose, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. The IND says that permit usually needs the civic integration diploma at A2 level. So you may never get a letter that says you must integrate, and still need the exam later, if you want to stay for good or become Dutch. - [IND: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-and-non-temporary-purposes-of-residence) - [Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences](https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation) ## Partners of Dutch citizens Being the partner of a Dutch citizen is not on the official list of people who do not have to integrate. Rijksoverheid says that for partners of Dutch citizens who need a provisional residence permit (mvv), integration starts in their own country, with the exam abroad. The IND has its own list of nationalities that do not need the exam abroad. That list is longer: it also has, for example, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan. That list is only for the exam abroad. For integrating in the Netherlands, Rijksoverheid's nationality list only has the EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Your letter from DUO decides. If you came for your partner, read our step-by-step guide. - [Moving to the Netherlands for your partner: inburgering step by step](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partner-step-by-step) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (and who is exempt)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) ## The 2013 law or the 2021 law If you do have to integrate, there are two laws. Which one applies depends on when your duty to integrate started. - Wet inburgering 2021: you had to integrate from 1 January 2022. Your municipality guides you. It does a broad intake with you and makes a personal plan, the PIP. - Wet inburgering 2013: you already had to integrate before 1 January 2022. You arrange your integration yourself. The language exams are at A2 level. - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [Which inburgering exam do I have to take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam) ## Integrating by choice (the voluntary route) inburgeren.nl says you can also integrate voluntarily. That means you do not have to, but you want to. For example to naturalise, or to apply for a stronger residence permit. Here is what the official pages say about this route: - Permanent residence: the IND usually asks for the civic integration diploma at A2 level. - Naturalisation: inburgeren.nl says you first need the inburgering exam at A2 level, or the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2. - If you never had to integrate, the IND says you do not have to do the PVT (participation statement) for naturalisation. - You register for KNM and the A2 language exams in Mijn Inburgering, with DigiD. For the Staatsexamen NT2 (B1 or B2), you register through DUO's Staatsexamen pages. - Each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro, according to inburgeren.nl. Fees can change, so check before you book. - DUO says that if you integrate by choice, you can borrow money for a course and exams until 3 years after you registered with your municipality. This also counts for people from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland. The course must be at an approved school. - [inburgeren.nl: integration in the Netherlands (voluntary integration)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [Which exam do you need for naturalisation?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation) ## How to check your own situation Nobody needs to guess. These are the official ways to find out: - The letter from DUO. Under the 2021 law, DUO writes to you once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a registration with your municipality. It can take up to 8 weeks after that. - Mijn Inburgering. Log in with DigiD on inburgeren.nl. It shows what you have to do, and from when. - No letter after 8 weeks, and you think you have to integrate? Contact DUO. - The step-by-step plans on inburgeren.nl show the steps for different situations, in several languages. - For permanent residence or naturalisation, the IND decides. Check the IND pages for your own case. - [Mijn Inburgering: log in with DigiD](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/log-in-to-mijn-inburgering/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: step-by-step plans in several languages](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/step-by-step-plans-several-languages.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: contact DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/contact/contacting-duo.jsp) ## What you can do now If you do not have to integrate but plan to stay, it helps to know the A2 exam early. You can start learning Dutch at your own pace. Kora lets you practice every A2 exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO. - [How long does inburgering take?](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) - [A study plan for the inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) ## Questions ### Do highly skilled migrants (kennismigranten) have to do inburgering? Usually not. The IND counts work as a highly skilled migrant as a temporary purpose under the integration law. But if you later want permanent residence or Dutch citizenship, you usually need the inburgering exam at A2. ### Do EU citizens have to integrate in the Netherlands? No. Rijksoverheid says people with the nationality of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland do not have to integrate. They can still do it by choice. ### I am married to a Dutch citizen. Do I have to integrate? Often, yes. Being the partner of a Dutch citizen is not on the official list of people who do not have to. Your letter from DUO and Mijn Inburgering show what applies to you. ### Can I take the inburgering exam if I do not have to? Yes. inburgeren.nl calls this voluntary integration. People often do it for naturalisation or a permanent residence permit. You register in Mijn Inburgering with DigiD. ### Is there an official check to see if I have to integrate? The official answer comes from DUO. Under the 2021 law, DUO sends a letter once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a municipal registration. Mijn Inburgering shows what applies to you. If 8 weeks pass without a letter, contact DUO. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: who does not have to integrate](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/vraag-en-antwoord/immigratie-naar-nederland/moet-ik-als-nieuwkomer-inburgeren) - [IND: temporary residence purposes under the Civic Integration Act](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-residence-purposes-under-the-civic-integration-act) - [IND: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-and-non-temporary-purposes-of-residence) - [IND: civic integration for a more secure residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/civic-integration-for-more-secure-residence-permit) - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation (PVT exemption)](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/civic-integration-for-naturalisation) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (exempt nationalities)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) - [Rijksoverheid: when integration starts in your home country](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/immigratie-naar-nederland/vraag-en-antwoord/moet-ik-al-met-mijn-inburgering-beginnen-in-het-land-van-herkomst) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2021](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/nieuwe-wet-inburgering) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2013](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/wet-inburgering-2013) - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate, letters, voluntary integration](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation (A2, or Staatsexamen NT2 B1 or B2)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/naturalisation.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering for an exam](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO (also when integrating by choice)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: step-by-step plans in several languages](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/step-by-step-plans-several-languages.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you.