This is how long family reunification lasts
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The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) is estimated to take between 20 and 24 months to decide on your application for family reunification. After the decision, your family member usually has 3 months to pick up the visa and come to the Netherlands.
The IND will now only begin reviewing your application after 20 months
Have you applied for family reunification within 3 months of being granted an asylum residence permit? Then
After that, the IND takes between 1 and 5 months to make a decision on your application
Has the
1. Your information is complete
If all your information is complete, the IND takes an estimated 4 weeks to decide. This is about a month.
2. You need another interview or DNA test
Does the IND want to ask you more questions? Or does the IND think you should take a DNA test? Then the IND will take an estimated 16 more weeks to decide. This is about 4 months.
3. Your file is not complete
Is your file incomplete and does the IND want to do additional research? Then the IND will take an estimated 20 more weeks to decide. This is about 5 months.
So in total, it will take between 20 and 24 months for the IND to make a decision on your application for family reunification.
If you receive a positive decision, your family member usually has 3 months to travel to the Netherlands
Does the IND decide that your family member may come to the Netherlands? Then your family member has 3 months to pick up a
Sometimes your family member has 6 months to pick up an MVV. For example, if your family member has difficulty travelling to a Dutch embassy due to war. You can discuss this with the IND.
Officially, the IND may only take 6 months on your application for family reunification
First, by law, the IND had to make a decision within a maximum of 3 months of the application. But in 2022, the Dutch government decided
Support from VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) in applying for family reunification
You must apply for ‘family reunification for asylum seekers (post-travel)’ yourself if you are still living in a reception centre.
It is understandable that you still have questions about the procedure for ‘family reunification for asylum seekers (post-travel)’. You may need to apply for a postponement. Or you may need to specify a different embassy due to travel difficulties. There may also be a medical emergency involving your family members.
If you have any questions or if there are any changes, please contact the IND. From 1 December 2025, there will be a dedicated 'family reunification for asylum seekers’ telephone number' that you can call: 088 043 04 00.
You have a home in the municipality
Do you already have your own home in the municipality? If so, VWN or your social worker from another organisation can assist you with ‘family reunification for asylum seekers (post-travel)’.
Your contact at VWN in the municipality can:
Provide information on the family reunification procedure.
Help you fill in the application form.
Liaise with the IND on your behalf regarding 'family reunification for asylum seekers (post-travel)'.
Help you answer questions from the IND regarding your family relationship.
Sometimes VWN can help with a contribution from the
Assist you in practical matters as soon as your family members have arrived in the Netherlands and there is housing for you in the municipality. For example, in applying for benefits and
If your application for 'family reunification for asylum seekers (post-travel)' has been rejected and you want to appeal, VWN can help you find a lawyer.
Applying for family reunification
You can declare the IND in default if the IND takes too long to process your application
If the IND takes too long to process your application, you can declare the IND in default. This means that you officially indicate that the IND must make sure that they fulfill their agreements in time and make a decision about your family reunification. You can also get support from VWN.