The intended introduction of the dual status system in the Netherlands affects the validity period of asylum permits. This will depend on the grounds on which international protection is granted to the applicant, either refugee protection or subsidiary protection. Other EU Member States already distinguish between two types of asylum permits with different durations of stay.
Ad Hoc Query EMN Netherlands | International protection
How long are asylum permits valid in other EU member states?
22 January 2025
Validity period of permits in the EU
The Dutch government is preparing to introduce a dual status system and revise the validity period of asylum permits. Currently, all people with an asylum permit are granted the same status (and rights). Based on European legislation, a dual status system distinguishes between asylum seekers who fall under the refugee definition of the UN Refugee Convention and those who receive subsidiary protection (people who have fled due to a threat to their life or person as a result of arbitrary war violence).
At the request of the Dutch government, the European Migration Network provided insight into the validity period of the two types of residence permits in other EU Member States (see images).
Shorter duration of stay for subsidiary protection
Other countries already distinguish between the two forms of international protection. As a rule, residence permits of people granted refugee protection are valid for a longer period. People granted subsidiary protection receive a different permit with different rights, including a shorter duration of stay.
Participating countries – Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), Czech Republic (CZ), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (EL), Hungary (HU), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Netherlands (NL), Austria (AT), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE)
**An Ad Hoc Query (AHQ) is an EMN instrument used to collect information on migration and asylum policy in EU Member States and EMN Observer Countries.
