The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) has used what they are calling a “virtual assistant” to help with the processing of the over 17.000 applications for residence permits that were received from international students this year. The computer automation allowed applications in the Netherlands to be processed quickly, carefully and for 24 hours a day.

Computer handles majority of residency applications for students

By the end of July, the IND had received 17.187 applications for residence permits from students outside the EU. To handle the large number of applications, the Dutch immigration office would usually hire around 15 workers with temporary employment contracts, but this year another method was chosen for the first time.

Using automated processes, the IND’s “virtual assistant” was able to process more than 13.000 applications between March and July. Although supervision from human employees was needed, time was still saved as training temporary staff was no longer necessary. 

High approval rate for residence permit to study in the Netherlands

The IND receives complete applications from Dutch institutes of higher education that have already been checked to ensure all the conditions are met. When the IND receives the applications, the virtual assistant helps with checking that all the required documents are correct, such as proof of identity and finances. 

Having the applications go through multiple stages of checking means that the approval rate for the applications is very high, according to a spokesperson at the IND. 99 percent of students’ applications for residence permits were approved last year and for 2024 “we are also approaching 100 percent," said the spokesperson. 

Almost 25 percent of international students were from outside the EU. Most of the people studying in the Netherlands come from China, India, America, Turkey and Indonesia. Successful applicants are able to collect their residence permits on August 24, September 12 and October 5 at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. 

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