When I moved to the Netherlands, I thought learning Dutch would be a breeze. As a German speaker, I assumed the similarities between the two languages would give me an advantage, and I felt confident about passing the inburgering (integration) tests required for permanent residency. However, my journey turned out to be much more challenging than expected, despite the time and effort I invested in learning the language.
I spent most of the two-year Covid lockdowns learning Dutch. I immersed myself in Dutch TV, practiced with self-taught lessons, and even worked with a language coach from the library. By the end of the lockdowns, I felt like I had a decent grasp of the language.
People around me reassured me that the inburgering tests wouldn’t be difficult. Friends and colleagues insisted that most people passed without too much trouble. With these comments in mind, I felt relatively at ease, believing that my background in German and my efforts to learn Dutch would make passing the tests easy.
Unfortunately, that has not been the case. The tests are not that easy and they’re also not easy to study for, unless you take a course geared specifically toward the exams. To make matters worse, my lawyer, who had been helpful during my initial residence permit application, didn’t inform me that I needed to take five inburgering tests to qualify for long-term residency. I thought they were only needed for naturalization.
The challenges didn’t stop there. Booking the tests through the DUO website was a frustrating experience. The site is not very user-friendly, and I struggled to find available test dates and locations. At one point, I had to reschedule three of my exams. I was sure I had changed the dates online, but on the day of the tests, I couldn’t find any confirmation of the changes. Whether it was my mistake or a glitch on the website, it added unnecessary stress to an already complicated process.
When I finally went to take the exams, I found the testing location in Rijswijk to be inconvenient. It’s not close to where I live, and there are almost no places nearby to eat or pass the time between tests. Since the exams are often spaced out over several hours, it was difficult to find somewhere to relax during the breaks.
One of the strangest parts of the inburgering process is the long wait for test results. It can take up to eight weeks to find out whether you passed. When I checked in at the test centre, the staff member casually mentioned this, saying it was noted on the DUO website. I hadn’t been able to find this information online, and the long wait time was surprising. What’s even more confusing is that most of the tests are multiple-choice, which should allow for instant results, much like the theoretical driving test in the Netherlands. The long delay seems outdated and unnecessary.
I still have a few more tests to take, so my inburgering journey isn’t over yet. But through this process, I’ve learned several important lessons. My biggest piece of advice for anyone applying for permanent residency or naturalization is to start preparing for the tests as early as possible. Don’t assume they’ll be easy, even if you have some familiarity with the language. You can take the tests one at a time or all at once, but it’s important to plan ahead and stay on top of the scheduling process.
In hindsight, I would have treated the tests more seriously from the beginning, instead of assuming they would be straightforward. I would also recommend considering a formal language school to help with preparation. While self-study and informal language practice can be useful, structured lessons might give you a better chance of passing. And don’t overlook the resources available at your local library – they often have study materials and coaching programs specifically designed to help with the inburgering tests.
Finally, make sure to register for the tests early and double-check your appointments. It’s easy to make mistakes with scheduling, and you don’t want to add unnecessary stress to an already challenging process.
The inburgering tests have been more difficult than I expected, but I’m confident that with persistence and better planning, I’ll get through it.
Written by Marla Thomson