When you receive the inburgeringsdiploma and what it states
You receive the inburgeringsdiploma (civic integration diploma) as soon as DUO records passing marks for every mandatory component of your integration programme. The exact content shown on the diploma depends on the legislation governing your integration trajectory. Under the Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021), the digital document explicitly states the language level you achieved across your examinations, whether that is A2, B1, or B2, whereas diplomas issued under the Wet inburgering 2013 do not show a level because that curriculum was fixed at A2.
This rule applies to all candidates required to sit the regular civic integration examinations. It does not apply in the same way to candidates in the Z-route (self-reliance route). If you completed the Z-route, you do not sit the standard exam suite and you do not receive a diploma from DUO. Instead, your gemeente (municipality) issues a certificaat (certificate) after your final interview.
Candidates taking the Staatsexamen NT2 (State Examination Dutch as a Second Language) at B1 or B2 level follow a different timeline. If you passed all four exam sections after 1 January 2021, DUO sends your paper diploma to your home address automatically within four weeks by registered post. If you completed your final exam component before 2021, DUO does not print the diploma automatically; you must request it by sending an email to their NT2 desk. Diplomas and certificates obtained after 1 January 2011 are in Mijn diploma's.
Downloading the digital diploma through Mijn Inburgering and Mijn diploma's
Your official integration credential is ready for an inburgering diploma download in the national diploma register as soon as DUO processes your final result. To access it, sign in to Mijn Inburgering using your DigiD app or DigiD with SMS verification. Once inside your personal portal, navigate to the tab labelled Diploma. Clicking this section directs you straight into Mijn diploma's, which is DUO's secure central registry for recognised educational achievements in the Netherlands.
DigiD is required.
Inside the registry, you can download a certified digital extract (uittreksel) of your diploma in PDF format. DUO states that this digital diploma has the same value as a certified copy. You can download the PDF as many times as you want without paying any fee.
DUO gives one rule for using it: use the digital diploma digitally. A printout is not valid.
The digital download from the registry is accessible to anyone who passed examinations under either the 2013 or 2021 integration acts, as well as anyone who passed the Staatsexamen NT2 after 1 January 2011. If you completed a state exam before 2011, your results do not appear in the online portal, meaning you cannot obtain an instant download and must submit a manual archive request instead.
A paper diploma: once for free, then for a fee
DUO provides every successful candidate with the option to order one original paper diploma at no charge. Because the standard procedure changed to a digital-first system, DUO no longer posts a paper version to your house automatically. If you want a physical certificate to frame or archive, you must log in to your account on inburgeren.nl, go to the Diploma tab, and click the button to request a paper diploma. DUO will process the order and post the physical diploma to your registered residential address within eight weeks.
This first paper copy is free.
Subsequent paper copies carry a charge. If you request a second paper copy because the first one was misplaced, or if you ask for an extra print later, DUO charges a fee of €72. You can arrange this paid copy by filling out the official contact form inside your portal or by scheduling an appointment at a regional DUO service desk. Once your payment clears, DUO prints the copy and mails it to your home address within eight weeks.
This paper-order service applies strictly to civic integration diplomas issued by DUO. If you finished the Z-route, DUO cannot issue or reprint your document because the Z-route certificate is produced exclusively by the municipality that supervised your integration trajectory.
Lost diploma or a certified copy needed: what to do
A certified copy (gewaarmerkte kopie) of your integration diploma is no longer something you need to order through the mail or get stamped at a desk. Under current Dutch regulations, downloading the official digital diploma from Mijn diploma's fulfills the legal requirement entirely. DUO states that the digital diploma has the same value as a certified copy.
Printouts are invalid.
A printout is not valid, DUO says: use the diploma digitally. If an organisation asks for a certified copy, send or upload the digital file. That is free.
If you lose a previously issued paper diploma, evaluate your practical situation by considering the following four options:
- Download the digital diploma from your portal at any time for free to use as immediate, legally recognized proof.
- Submit an inquiry using the online contact form in your personal portal to purchase a replacement paper document for €72.
- Book an in-person appointment at a DUO service desk if you need an official representative to assist you with ordering a replacement paper certificate.
- Contact your local municipality directly to request a duplicate certificate if you were enrolled in the Z-route rather than the examination track.
If you completed the Staatsexamen NT2 before 1 January 2011 and have lost your documentation, the registry cannot generate a digital extract. In that specific case, you must apply through DUO's diplomahulp service for a Verklaring afgelegd examen (statement of examination taken), which carries a processing fee of €72.
Using the diploma for naturalisation or a stronger residence permit
Your civic integration diploma is the official document required by the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) when applying for permanent residence or Dutch citizenship. When submitting an application for a permanent regular residence permit, an EU long-term resident permit, or a non-temporary humanitarian permit, the IND requires evidence that you have satisfied the civic integration requirement. The IND accepts the electronic PDF diploma obtained via an inburgering diploma download from the official registry. You do not need to wait eight weeks for a physical paper copy to submit your immigration dossier.
DUO names naturalisation as an example of what the digital diploma is for. Use the digital file, not a print.
Certain categories of immigrants are excused from presenting an integration diploma to the IND:
- Nationals of Belgium or Luxembourg.
- Individuals who have reached the statutory AOW (state pension) retirement age.
- Holders of a document exemption, for example on a Dutch diploma (DUO lists vmbo, havo, vwo, mbo level 2 or higher and Dutch-taught hbo or university degrees).
- Individuals with a dispensation (ontheffing) on medical grounds, for particular individual circumstances, or, under the 2013 law only, for demonstrable effort with DUO's recommendation.
If none of these exemptions apply to your case, you must retain your digital diploma and submit it to prove your integration status. You can verify your complete examination history and legal compliance at any time by logging into your portal on inburgeren.nl before starting your application with the IND.