Here is what you can do to properly prepare for your asylum procedure in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, it can take a long time before your asylum procedure starts and you get your first interviews with the IND. You may not remember all parts of your flight story as well as you do now. Below you can read how best to prepare for the procedure if you have to wait a long time.
Your personal story is becoming increasingly important
Since 1 July 2024, the IND considers your personal flight story even more important in the asylum procedure. Even more important than the situation in your country. When assessing your asylum procedure, the IND mainly looks at whether they believe your personal story. Therefore, the documents that support your personal story have also become even more important. Before 1 July 2024, they looked more at the general circumstances in your country or of your group. The IND still looks at that now, too. But your personal circumstances have become more important. It is therefore very important that you can tell your personal story to the IND in as much detail as possible.
Write down your own flight story in detail
During the 2 interviews with the IND, tell them why you are applying for asylum in the Netherlands. And why it is dangerous for you to go back to the country you came from. Sometimes it takes a long time before you have your 1st interview with the IND, then you may forget things or remember them in less detail. To make sure you do not forget important information, you can do the following:
1. Write down your flight story in detail in the correct order
Write down all the general and personal events that caused you to leave your country. Write down the dates, locations, names of people involved and other important details.
2. Read back your own story regularly to remember the important details
Over time, you sometimes forget the exact sequence of events. Or you forget details that are less important to you, but are important to the IND. Try to remember this well because you are not allowed to bring your written notes about your flight story to the interviews with the IND. So you must be able to tell your story well and know it by heart.
3. Collect evidence to accompany your flight story
Collect documents from each event you describe that support your story. These could be photographs, medical reports, official documents, newspaper articles or statements from witnesses that confirm the story. It is also important that you have the original documents. The IND is more likely to believe those.
It may still be the case that the IND does not believe your story despite these documents. Or that the documents are insufficient evidence. So having documents does not automatically mean that your asylum application will be approved. Nevertheless, the IND is more likely to believe you if you have documents that confirm your story. Especially if they are original documents. So always try to find documents that confirm your story.
Example of how to write down your own flight story in detail
Example of what evidence you can gather to accompany your flight story
You can get help substantiating your flight story
You can ask for help from lawyers or VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN). They can give you legal advice or help you substantiate and strengthen your story. VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) will then do a
During your asylum procedure, you have rights
You have rights in the Netherlands when you apply for asylum. Is one of these rights being violated? Then report this to your lawyer or to VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) at your location. The following rights are particularly important to know during the asylum procedure: