This is how lodging with a host family works while you wait for a house

If you already have asylum status and you are waiting for a home of your own, you can temporarily lodge with a host family. This host family can include friends, family, or even unknown people who open their homes to people with asylum residence permits.

Normally, lodging lasts 3 months. Lodging can be longer if you still do not have a home after those 3 months and your host family and you want to extend lodging.

There are currently too few places to stay in reception centres run by the

The lodging arrangement does not affect the waiting period for a home of your own. The municipality must make sure that there is a home for you as soon as possible.

You must meet certain conditions to use the lodging arrangement:

• You are 18 years of age or older.

• You have a

  citizen service number (BSN)
  .

• You can register with the municipality at the address where you will be lodging.

• You have had an interview with COA and are waiting for a home in the community.

• You do not need any intensive medical treatments.

• You have found a general practitioner in the municipality where you will be lodging or you can register with your host family's GP.

• You speak English or a little Dutch.

• If children are lodging with you, their compulsory education must not be compromised. The host family must then be near their school.

During lodging, you retain the right to COA facilities. Only the right to a place in a reception centre expires during the period of stay. This means the following:

• You get living allowance and food money from COA.

• You get an allowance of € 75 extra per week (if you are 21 years or older). In a family with more people, the 2nd family member who is going to stay gets € 25. Other family members get € 12.50 per week with a maximum of € 125 for the whole family.

• Reimbursement for your medical care will continue through COA. You are covered by the

  Regeling Medische zorg Asielzoekers (RMA)
  . You are also entitled to reimbursement for travel to your GP or hospital. You can request this from COA.

Together with the people you are lodging with, you will sign a contract of stay. You will receive a letter explaining the possible financial consequences for the people with whom you stay. The stay can have consequences for them regarding, for example, the amount of welfare benefit or the allowances of your host family.

After signing the contract, you must register with the municipality within 5 days at the address where you will be lodging. If you have a contact from

If you still do not have your own home after 3 months, you can ask COA if you can stay with your host family for longer.

If you do not want to, you will get another place in the reception centre at COA. This might be in a different location than where you were before.

If during lodging you are offered a home by your municipality, the staying arrangement stops.