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Many foreigners in the Netherlands are confused about which Dutch language exams they should prepare for: level A2 or B1. Some hear that the new integration law requires B1, while others are told that A2 is sufficient for Dutch citizenship or permanent residence.
The answer depends on your circumstances. Your integration obligation, the law governing that obligation, and the purpose of taking the exams all matter. This guide explains who must integrate, when B1 applies, and which groups can still use A2, including eligible spouses of Dutch citizens who live abroad.）
What changed under the new law “Wet Inburgering 2021”?
Despite its name, the Wet inburgering 2021 came into force on 1 January 2022. It applies to people who first became subject to compulsory integration on or after that date. The new system gives municipalities, or gemeenten, a central role in guiding newcomers through an individual integration programme.
The main differences from the preceding system (2013) are:
| Aspect | Wet inburgering 2013 | Wet Inburgering 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Language standard | A2 or higher | Normally B1, with alternative routes and permitted adjustments |
| Organisation | Greater responsibility for individuals to arrange their own preparation | Municipal intake, guidance and a Personal Integration and Participation Plan, known as the PIP |
| Learning routes | Preparation for the applicable integration exams | B1-route, education route or self-reliance route |
| Labour-market component | ONA, where applicable | MAP, where required by the route |
The new system connects language learning with participation in society, including work and education. Your PIP identifies your route and the requirements you must complete.
What is inburgeringsplicht?
Inburgeringsplicht means the legal obligation to complete civic integration in the Netherlands. It generally concerns adults from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland whose residence circumstances bring them within the compulsory integration system. Common groups include asylum residence permit holders and many migrants joining a partner or family member who are Dutch/EU citizens, or holders of permanent residence.
However, the obligation does not apply to every foreign resident. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, people under 18, people who have reached state pension age, and migrants staying for specified work or study purposes generally fall outside compulsory integration.
DUO (Education Department of the Netherlands) informs you by letter if you must integrate. Under the new system, you normally have three years, with the starting date and deadline communicated through the process involving your PIP. Check your DUO correspondence and Mijn Inburgering rather than calculating the deadline from your arrival date.
Who takes B1 level?
B1 is the standard target for people who:
- First became subject to compulsory integration on or after 1 January 2022; and
- Are assigned to the B1-route.
This commonly includes qualifying family migrants and asylum residence permit holders entering the new system. In most situations, nationality and residence circumstances play a big role determining whether the obligation applies.
On the B1-route, the language requirements cover reading, listening, speaking and writing, normally through the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 level. You must also complete Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM) and the applicable participation components, including PVT and MAP. Therefore, passing the language exams alone does not necessarily complete your integration obligation.
There are two other routes. The education route prepares learners for further education and involves Dutch at B1 or B2. The self-reliance route, or Z-route, is for people for whom the other routes are too difficult. It has its own learning and participation requirements and does not require passing language exams. It ends with a municipal interview and a certificate.
Who can still take A2 level?
People covered by the older integration system
If your integration obligation began before 1 January 2022, the older rules generally continue to govern your case. Under the Wet inburgering 2013, the language level is set on A2 in most cases.
Your exam date does not automatically move you into the new system. Someone completing a 2013 Act obligation today does not become subject to B1 simply because the exams take place after 2022. Additional requirements such as ONA and PVT depend on when the obligation began.
The key date is therefore when your integration obligation began, rather than simply when you entered the Netherlands.
People without the inburgeringsplicht (including arrivals on or after 1 January 2022)
People who have no compulsory integration obligation may nevertheless need an integration diploma when applying for Dutch citizenship or a particular residence status. This can include highly skilled migrants who arrived after 1 January 2022.
Under the current rules, the language minimum for naturalisation remains A2. The IND also lists at least A2 as the integration requirement for a regular permanent residence permit, unless an exemption applies. Arriving after January 2022 does not, by itself, make these applicants subject to B1.
Having no integration obligation does not mean you must take A2 merely to continue living here. The need for exams depends on the application you wish to make (for example, applying for permanent residence or naturalisation). Equally, passing A2 for an application does not automatically remove an existing B1 obligation under your PIP if you become obligated to integrate later (for example, getting a partner visa based on your partner who is a Dutch citizen).
People formally permitted to take A2 within the B1-route
The new law allows the municipality to lower some or all language exam requirements from B1 to A2 where the conditions are met, after the assessment by the municipality.
This requires substantial effort: at least 600 qualifying hours of Dutch lessons at an eligible institution, together with evidence that the learner has made sufficient effort. The municipality assesses the situation, and the approved adjustment must be recorded in the PIP. A learner cannot simply choose A2 because it appears easier or quicker.
Spouses of Dutch citizens who have always lived abroad
An eligible foreign spouse applying for Dutch citizenship from abroad currently takes the naturalisation test at A2 level. The introduction of the Wet Inburgering 2021 did not automatically raise this overseas naturalisation test to B1.
The test abroad consists of reading, writing, listening and speaking at A2, plus KNM. It can be taken through the relevant Dutch embassy or consulate-general.
It is possible to use the spouse route without having lived in the Netherlands. However, separate eligibility conditions apply. These generally include at least three years of marriage or registered partnership and living together with the Dutch partner. The applicant must also generally live outside the country of their own nationality. Marriage alone does not establish eligibility.
Who can be exempted or dispensed under the new law?
An exemption, or vrijstelling, usually recognises that someone already meets relevant requirements. A dispensation, or ontheffing, may be available where someone cannot fulfil them. Depending on the circumstances, relief may cover the entire obligation or only particular components.
The main possibilities include:
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Qualifying education or diplomas. Certain Dutch qualifications, and qualifying Dutch-language qualifications from Belgium or Suriname, can support an exemption. DUO assesses the qualification and decides which requirements are covered. Not every diploma qualifies.
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Existing NT2 results. A recognised NT2 diploma or relevant certificates can remove the need to repeat corresponding language components. This does not automatically remove KNM or municipal participation requirements though.
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Demonstrable integration through long residence and work. A person who has lived continuously in the Netherlands for at least ten years and worked here for at least five years may qualify. Voluntary work can count. Under the 2021 Act, Dutch must be at B1 level, assessed through a DUO interview. Residence and employment alone are insufficient.
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Serious illness or disability. Full or partial medical dispensation may be possible following assessment by Argonaut and a decision by DUO. If the condition is temporary, extra time or adjusted exam arrangements may be more appropriate.
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Exceptional individual circumstances. A dispensation may be available in exceptional, lasting personal situations where integration remains impossible and other exemption or extension options are unavailable.
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People who lived in the Netherlands for at least eight years during compulsory school age may also fall outside the integration obligation.
The older dispensation based on extensive lessons and repeated unsuccessful exam attempts (aantoonbaar geleverde inspanningen) shall no longer apply to compulsory integration under the 2021 Act.
Finally, exemption from compulsory integration does not automatically establish exemption for citizenship. For example, a dispensation due to personal circumstances is usually insufficient for naturalisation; the IND assesses the naturalisation requirements separately.
Prepare efficiently with Inburgering.org
Once you know which level applies, focused preparation can help you make better use of your study time.
Inburgering.org offers an online platform built around the integration and NT2 exams covering levels from A1 to B2. Its exam-oriented approach combines practice in reading, listening, speaking and writing with knowledge-of-society exercises, vocabulary tools and feedback.
Practising the relevant question types and working within exam time limits can help you identify weaknesses and become more comfortable with the test format. With materials across A1, A2, B1 and B2, learners can choose preparation suited to their particular goal.
The platform works on computers, tablets and phones, making regular practice easier to fit around work and family commitments. Free exercises are available to explore before choosing a course. Explore Inburgering.org
For learners under the 2021 Act, use online practice alongside the arrangements in your PIP. Note: independent practice does not automatically count towards compulsory course-hour requirements.
Contact Pathway Partners for guidance
Uncertain whether A2 or B1 applies to you? Planning to apply for permanent residence or Dutch citizenship? Your residence history, nationality, DUO correspondence and PIP can all affect the answer.
At Pathway Partners, we can help you understand how the integration rules relate to your immigration plans and assess the requirements relevant to your circumstances. Contact Pathway Partners for advice on the inburgeringsexamen, family migration, permanent residence and Dutch naturalisation.