Science - June 9, 2005
IND knowledge desk works
The immigration office IND is satisfied with the quicker procedures that have been introduced for knowledge workers.
This procedure does not apply to foreign students. This group now has its own ‘fast desk’ at IND, which has been set up so that students can arrange the papers they require within three weeks at the start of a new academic year. Although there were problems at first – IND did not have residence permits ready on time – the service has now improved.
A spokesperson for the Dutch organisation for higher education, NUFFIC, confirmed this: ‘The lines of communication between the different parties have been made shorter, and the IND people are now better trained. Sometimes the communication is not as easy as we would like, but nearly all students at least have clarity about their case within a few weeks.’ / HOP, SVO