The Minister for Migration and Asylum has sent a Plan of Action to the Senate and House of Representatives outlining a reorganisation of how pending asylum applications are processed, with the aim of reducing waiting times and providing applicants with earlier clarity. The plan states that the IND will aim, as far as possible, to issue an initial decision on all outstanding applications within three years.
From 12 June 2026, when the EU Pact enters into application, new asylum applications will be prioritised so that the decision deadlines under the Pact can be met. As a result, more than 54,000 applications submitted before that date will generally be processed later, although the new procedure is intended to help speed up their handling overall.
The revised approach includes grouping similar cases together, working with teams focused on specific categories of applications, and applying simplified procedures where appropriate based on country policies and expected prospects.
From 1 October 2026, the first groups of applicants will be processed under this new system. The IND will continuously monitor progress and publish figures on the processing of both new and outstanding applications.
According to the IND, the backlog is partly the result of asylum application numbers in recent years exceeding the IND's capacity.
- Immigration and Naturalisation Service | Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (5 June, 2026), IND gaat openstaande aanvragen versneld behandelen [IND will process outstanding applications more quickly],