Civic integration Act 2021: B1 route, education route, Z route and when A2 applies

Updated on 18 October 2026. Sources: inburgeren.nl, staatsexamensnt2.nl and ind.nl. What you have to do exactly is in your own plan and in Mijn Inburgering.

Under the Civic Integration Act 2021 (Wet inburgering 2021), language level B1 is the rule. Still, in a number of situations you may take an exam at A2, or A2 is enough. That depends on your learning route, on the law that applies to you and on what you want to use your diploma for. Below are the steps, the three routes and those exceptions.

In short

• The Wet inburgering 2021 applies if you became subject to civic integration on or after 1 January 2022. Before that date, the Wet inburgering 2013 applies.
• You have 3 years to complete your civic integration.
• The municipality draws up a personal plan for integration and participation (PIP) with you. It states your learning route and your exams.
• There are three learning routes: the B1 route, the education route (Onderwijsroute) and the self-reliance route (Z route).
• The language exams at B1 and B2 are the Staatsexamen NT2 (NT2 State Exam). The language exams at A2 are DUO's own civic integration exams.
• Since 1 January 2026, all civic integration diplomas are digital.

Step 1: the letter from DUO

Do you have to integrate under the 2021 Act? Then you receive a letter from DUO. That letter only comes once you have a citizen service number (BSN), a residence permit and are registered with the municipality. Even then, it can take another 8 weeks before the letter arrives.

Step 2: the broad intake and the PIP

After the letter, the municipality invites you for an interview. You also take a test that shows what you can already do: the learnability test (Leerbaarheidstoets, LBT). The interview and the test together are called the broad intake (brede intake).

Then the municipality draws up the PIP with you. It states which learning route you follow and which exams you have to take. Once your PIP has been set, DUO sends another letter with the date from which you have to integrate. From then on, your 3 years run.

The B1 route

The B1 route prepares you for paid work or volunteer work.

• Language: within 3 years you take the language exams at level B1. That is Staatsexamen NT2 Programme I, with Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.
• Knowledge: you take the Knowledge of Dutch Society exam (KNM). The participation statement process (PVT) and the Labour Market and Participation Module (MAP) take place at the municipality. Your PIP states whether you have to do the MAP.

B1 not working out? If you have followed at least 600 hours of language classes and you cannot manage the language exams at B1, you can discuss with the municipality whether stepping down to A2 is possible.

The education route (Onderwijsroute)

The education route is mainly for young people. It prepares you for a programme at mbo, hbo or university.

• Language: within 3 years you take the language exams at B1 or B2. That is Staatsexamen NT2 Programme I or II. Your PIP states which one.
• Knowledge: you do the PVT and the KNM exam.

Which programme you need for which course is explained in NT2 State Exam Programme I or II: which one do you need?

The Z route

The self-reliance route (Zelfredzaamheidsroute) is for people who have to integrate and for whom the B1 route and the education route are too difficult.

• Language: you learn Dutch at level A1. You may take language exams at A2, but you don't have to.
• Knowledge: you do the PVT and the MAP.
• Completion: an interview at the municipality. After that you receive a certificate, not a diploma. Exams you have passed are listed on the certificate.

With the Z route certificate you can apply for a stronger residence permit. For naturalisation it is not enough on its own. For that you also need advice from DUO showing that you cannot pass the civic integration exam despite your efforts.

When is A2 still allowed?

Here they are, with the source:

1. You fall under the Wet inburgering 2013. If you became subject to civic integration before 1 January 2022, you take the language exams at A2 or higher (inburgeren.nl).
2. You are in the B1 route and B1 is not working out. After at least 600 hours of language classes, you can discuss stepping down to A2 with the municipality (inburgeren.nl).
3. You are in the Z route. Language exams at A2 are allowed, but not compulsory (inburgeren.nl).
4. You want to naturalise. A civic integration diploma at A2 is enough, under the 2013 Act or the 2021 Act, or a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma of Programme I or II (ind.nl). If you are not required to integrate, you can integrate voluntarily for this.

Note on point 4: there is a draft Naturalisation Test Decree (concept Besluit naturalisatietoets) that would raise the required language level for naturalisation from A2 to B1. This is mentioned in an IND impact assessment of February 2026 (in Dutch). As long as it has not been introduced, A2 applies.

What do the A2 exams look like?

According to inburgeren.nl:

• Speaking A2: on a computer, 35 minutes. You watch videos and answer questions.
• Listening A2: on a computer, 45 minutes.
• Reading A2: on a computer, 65 minutes.
• Writing A2: with pen and paper, 40 minutes, 4 writing tasks.

You register for A2 and KNM in Mijn Inburgering. Do it well in advance: it can take more than 6 weeks before you can take the exam. According to inburgeren.nl, you get the result within 8 weeks. For Speaking A2 and Writing A2, DUO has reported since 31 July 2026 that marking takes longer: up to 16 weeks. If you are close to the end of your integration period and are still waiting for such a result, DUO says you automatically get a 6-month extension.

How the Speaking A2 exam works, part by part, is explained in Dutch civic integration exam A2 Speaking: what the exam looks like.

And the exams at B1 and B2?

You do not register for those in Mijn Inburgering, but with DUO as the Staatsexamen NT2. The result also comes from DUO. Dates, costs and result times are in NT2 state exam dates 2026-2027.

Have you already passed parts of the Staatsexamen NT2 at the level in your PIP or higher? Then you don't have to take them again. Under the 2021 Act you do not have to apply for this yourself.

The diploma

Once you have passed all exams, you request your digital civic integration diploma in Mijn Inburgering. This has been possible since 1 January 2026. A diploma under the 2021 Act states whether you took the language exams at A2, B1 or B2. You can share the digital diploma with the IND and the municipality, for example if you want to naturalise. You can request a paper diploma once for free; sending it takes 8 weeks.

The difference between the Staatsexamen NT2 and the civic integration exam as a whole is explained in The NT2 state exam or the civic integration exam: what is the difference?

At Braials you prepare for the language exams in private lessons: A2 for civic integration and naturalisation, or B1 and B2 as the Staatsexamen NT2. Read more on the NT2 exam training page.