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Assad is gone. As a result, there is a new situation in Syria. It is not yet clear what this is going to mean for people in Syria and Syrians in the Netherlands.
If you have just arrived in the Netherlands, you can just apply for asylum.

If you applied for asylum in the Netherlands less than 21 months ago, the IND will not make a decision for the next 6 months. This is called decision moratorium.

If you have already received a negative, the IND will not send you back to Syria for the next 6 months. This is called departure moratorium.

In the first half of 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes a new announcement on the situation in Syria. On this basis, the IND will again make decisions on asylum applications from Syria.

If you have questions about this, call the SAMAH Help Desk.

Policy on asylum seekers is in the news a lot.

The new minister for Asylum and Migration is named Ms. Faber. She wants fewer asylum seekers to come to the Netherlands. And that the rules become stricter for the asylum seekers who are already here. For example, that it becomes more difficult to have family come over. It also wants fewer spots for COA shelters.

What this policy means for your situation is not yet clear. The new rules must first be reviewed by the government. So the rules are not yet final.

Many experts and lawyers also doubt that these new rules are allowed under the law. So much is unclear.

Talk about it with your supervisor (Nidos or COA). You may also send a message to the SAMAH help desk.

Not everyone had an interview with the IND in Ter Apel. That’s because it’s very busy.

You are now in an emergency location because there is not enough room for everyone in Ter Apel.

You are, however, registered as a minor with the IND. So you don’t have to worry about your procedure. That will be fine.

You will receive an invitation from the IND for an interview. We just don’t know how long that will last.

If you have just arrived in the Netherlands, your procedure starts in Ter Apel. Here you officially register yourself. After registration, you go to a location where your procedure starts.

Because many young people are now coming to the Netherlands, you first go to an emergency shelter. It now takes six months or sometimes longer until your asylum procedure starts. (This is because it is very busy).

When your procedure begins, you will first be given time to rest and prepare. You will then also receive information about the procedure and a medical check. That medical check is also to see if you are healthy enough to start the asylum procedure. You will also be given a lawyer.

You will have 2 interviews with the IND. In the first interview, they ask who you are, what it was like in your country and how you traveled to the Netherlands. You will get a report about that. Together with your lawyer you check if that is correct.

The lawyer will also help you prepare for the^2nd interview with the IND. In the^2nd interview, the IND will ask about the reason you fled. It is important that you tell everything honestly.

Do you have no identity documents? Then the IND will investigate whether you are a minor, for example by asking you questions. Sometimes the IND will ask you to cooperate in an age investigation. This investigation will help the IND find out more about your age.

The IND decides whether you will receive a residence permit. With a residence permit, you will be placed in a small-scale shelter in the municipality. You will receive guidance there from a mentor and your guardian.

The IND may say you cannot stay. You will then receive a negative decision. Do you disagree with the IND’s decision? Then you can lodge an appeal. Your lawyer will help you.

Call the SAMAH Help Desk if you have more questions.

You may work in the Netherlands if your asylum application has been pending for at least 6 months.

Your employer must then apply for a permit. That permit is called a work permit.

You also need a BSN number. This is your own personal number with which you are registered in the Netherlands.

To get your salary, you must also have a bank account number.

If you don’t yet have a BSN number, you can already volunteer. Sometimes you will receive a small stipend.

If you earn your own money and live in COA’s shelter, you must give a large portion of what you earn to COA. They call this a co-payment of the cost of shelter.

Make proper arrangements with your employer and avoid being exploited.

A lot of things you can do online (on the computer or on your phone) these days. You need a digital ID for that, which is called your Digi-D.

You can apply for a Digi-D here.

Keep your name and password safe and never give it to anyone else. It’s a bit like your digital passport, which is yours alone.