The IND helps foreign nationals who submit applications for residence in the Netherlands or for Dutch citizenship, if they fulfil the conditions.
However, not everyone who submits an application fulfils the conditions.
A small group of foreign nationals try to get residence permits or Dutch citizenship by issuing incorrect information or documents. It may also happen that, during his period of residence, a foreign national no longer fulfils the permit conditions, and fails to inform the IND to this effect.
The IND checks whether a foreign national and/or a sponsor fulfils and continues to fulfil all the conditions.
If it is established that this is not, or no longer, the case, there may be far-reaching consequences.
This is certainly the case in the case of fraud.
Examples of fraud- The submission of false or forged identity papers.
- The submission of false or forged deeds, such as a birth or marriage certificate.
- The submission of false or forged contracts of employment or salary specifications.
- Posing as someone else.
- Not presenting the situation truthfully together with another party, such as an employer.
- Applying for a residence permit for study purposes while the real purpose is to perform work.
ConsequencesIf the IND ascertains that a foreign national or sponsor does not fulfil the conditions (or does not do so any longer), the IND can take the following measures:
- It can reject an application for a residence permit or the granting of Dutch citizenship.
- It can retract a residence permit that has already been granted.
- It can reverse a granting of Dutch citizenship.
- The IND will report the matter to the police if it has been established that a criminal offence has been committed, such as fraud, forgery, posing as someone else, etc.
The legislation and regulations are to be updated soon through the coming into effect of the Modern Migration Policy Act [
Wet modern migratiebeleid]. From then on the IND will be able to impose administrative fines and claim back the repatriation costs it (and possibly other government organisations) incur(s).
Reporting crimes to the police or other investigation servicesThe IND is legally obliged to report any reasonable suspicion of a criminal offence. If fraud is suspected, the IND reports this to the police or other investigation services. This can eventually lead to a criminal conviction. A conviction can, in turn, have consequences for the foreign national's residence in the Netherlands. For example, the IND can issue an exclusion order with regard to a convicted foreign national and withdraw the residence permit granted. Residence by a foreign national who is the subject of an exclusion order will then not be permitted, and will also be punishable.
Always provide the right information!Make sure that all documents that you have to submit to the IND reflect your true situation. The same also applies to any verbal or written statements you make.
If there is a sudden change in circumstances which are important for the residence permit, you must report this to the IND. This can, for example, apply in the following situations:
- If you have a residence permit for study purposes and you stop studying.
- If you are a student's sponsor, and the foreign national stops studying.
- If you have a residence permit for work purposes and you stop working.
- If you have a residence permit in order to live with someone (for example in the event of marriage, cohabiting, a child staying with a parent or parents), and this cohabitation ceases.
- If your right of residence depends on your (marriage) partner having income from work or his/her own business, and you and your (marriage) partner apply for a benefit from the local authority.
If your situation changes and you are not sure whether you have to inform the IND of these changes, you can also contact the IND info line on: 0900-1234561 (€ 0.10 per minute plus the costs of using your mobile telephone).