This is how age verification works if the IND has doubts about your age
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) can do age testing if they have doubts about whether you are younger than 18. This is because if you are younger than 18, you have other rights during the asylum procedure. You only get these rights if the IND is sure you are younger than 18.
The IND checks your age upon arrival in the Netherlands
On arrival and in the Netherlands, you register with the IND. The IND andthe police verify your identity and also your age. If you have documents, such as a passport, the IND knows for sure how old you are. But if you have no documents or if the police think your papers are not genuine, the IND is not sure how old you are. Then the IND will investigate your age.
The IND first examines your age in an interview
If the IND doubts your age because you have no documents or because they think your documents are not genuine,
The IND also checks whether you have already been to another European country and under what age you are registered in that country. If you are already registered in another European country with your age, the IND usually adopts that age.
Sometimes the IND also does a physical examination of your age
It may be that after the interview with you, the IND still doubts whether you are a minor. And if your details and age are not stored in another European country either, the IND may ask you to cooperate with an age test. X-rays will then be taken of your hand (wrist) and collarbone. From the X-rays, doctors can tell approximately how old you are.
This is what you can do if you disagree with the results of the examination
Does the IND's examination reveal that you are over 18 when you are sure you are under 18? Then you can do two things.
Do you disagree with the result of the physical examination? Then you may always ask for another doctor to examine you again. This is called asking for a 'second opinion'. You must then arrange for a second doctor to do the examination for you.
Contact your contact person at VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN) if you need help with this. Do you disagree with the IND's decision? Then you can appeal the IND's decision. This means that you tell the IND that you do not agree. The IND will then re-examine their decision. Does the IND still say that your age is wrong? Then you can appeal to the court. Contact your lawyer if you want to object or appeal.