KNM institutions (instanties): who does what in the Netherlands

Institutions is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. Almost every question has the same shape: something happens in your life, and you choose which organisation to contact. Here is who does what, with real practice questions from Kora.

By the Kora team: Alex, Mariel and Abena, who did inburgering themselves. Written with help from AI. Every fact is checked against the official source. How we write our guides

Sources checked on 8 November 2026 (list at the bottom of this page). Kora is independent and not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Plain text version to copy (.md)

What the KNM exam asks about institutions

The wrong answers are almost always real organisations. They just do something else. So learn each organisation together with a situation, not as a list of names.

This theme overlaps with the others: the huisarts is a health question, UWV a work question. This page collects the organisations you meet everywhere.

Who does what

Gemeente (municipality): your address (BRP), passport and ID card, your BSN, bijstand and help with debts. Most municipalities work by appointment.
DigiD: your personal login for government websites. You apply at digid.nl. Never share it.
BSN (burgerservicenummer): your personal government number. You get it when you register with the municipality.
DUO: the inburgering exams and student finance. In Mijn Inburgering you see which exams you still need to do.
IND: residence permits and naturalisation. You hand in a naturalisation request at the municipality, but the IND decides.
UWV: unemployment benefit (WW). SVB: child benefit and AOW.
Belastingdienst: taxes. Dienst Toeslagen: allowances. If your income changes, report it, or you pay back later.
KvK (Chamber of Commerce): register your business here.
Notaris: makes the official deed when you buy a house.
Juridisch Loket: free legal advice, for example about rent, work or debts.
Bibliotheek (library): books, but also computers, courses and help with government websites.

Two police numbers

112: emergencies only. Fire, a serious accident, violence, or a life in danger right now.
0900-8844: the police when it is not urgent, for example to report a stolen bike. You can also report many things online.

Practice questions from Kora

These are real questions from Kora's KNM practice, in Dutch like the exam. In the app, each fact comes back in new words, so you learn the fact and not the sentence.

1. Ravi verhuist naar een andere gemeente. Waar geeft hij zijn nieuwe adres door?
Answer: Bij de gemeente.
Why: You report a move to the municipality. Other organisations then get your address from the BRP.
2. Wat is een BSN (burgerservicenummer) en waar krijg je het?
Answer: Je persoonlijke overheidsnummer, dat je krijgt bij inschrijving bij de gemeente.
Why: You get your BSN when you register with the municipality.
3. Wat is DigiD?
Answer: Je persoonlijke inlogcode voor websites van de overheid.
Why: DigiD is your login for government websites. It is not an ID document.
4. Waar kan Hana zien welke inburgeringsexamens ze nog moet doen?
Answer: In 'Mijn Inburgering' bij DUO.
Why: Mijn Inburgering (DUO) shows which exams you still need. The IND is about your permit.
5. Ouders kunnen kinderbijslag krijgen. Welke instantie regelt dit?
Answer: De Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB).
Why: Kinderbijslag comes from the SVB.
6. Fatima woont een paar jaar in Nederland en wil Nederlander worden. Welke instantie beoordeelt haar aanvraag en beslist over de naturalisatie?
Answer: De IND, de Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
Why: You apply at the municipality, but the IND decides about naturalisation.
7. Ahmed heeft een probleem met zijn verhuurder, maar weinig geld voor een advocaat. Waar kan hij gratis juridisch advies krijgen?
Answer: Bij het Juridisch Loket, dat gratis juridisch advies geeft
Why: The Juridisch Loket gives free legal advice.
8. De fiets van Sara is gestolen. Er is geen spoed. Wat doet zij?
Answer: Zij doet aangifte bij de politie via 0900-8844 of online
Why: A stolen bike is not an emergency: 0900-8844 or online, not 112.

Practice all institutions questions Try one KNM question free, no account

Questions people ask

Which organisation do I contact when I move?

The municipality where you are going to live. It updates your address in the BRP, and other government organisations get your new address from there.

Does the municipality or the IND decide about naturalisation?

The IND decides. You hand in the request at your municipality, which sends it to the IND. For naturalisation you usually need your inburgeringsdiploma.

When do I call 112 and when 0900-8844?

112 is for emergencies: a life in danger, fire, violence happening now. 0900-8844 is the police for everything that can wait, such as reporting a stolen bike.

Is Kora part of DUO?

No. Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. The official information about your exams is on inburgeren.nl.

Practice institutions in your own language

Kora explains every KNM answer in your own language, and asks each fact again in new words. 7 days free, no card needed. It is practice, not a promise: nobody can tell you in advance that you will pass.

Practice all institutions questions

Sources

Sources checked on 8 November 2026. The facts on this page come from these official pages and from Kora's own checked KNM questions. Rules change: if something here differs from an official page, the official page is right. This is general information, not legal advice.

Kora is independent, not DUO. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND, and it cannot book exams for you.