Deadline
Netherlands: “ongegrond” in your asylum decision, meaning and appeal deadline
This word appears in asylum decisions (Netherlands). Below you find what it means, the appeal deadlines and what to do now. The exact deadline is written at the end of your decision; always follow it.
What does it mean?
Your application was examined and rejected as “unfounded” (Vw 2000 art. 31). If the word “kennelijk” (manifestly) is not there, this is the normal rejection: the deadline is longer and as a rule you stay in the Netherlands while the beroep runs.
Deadlines
| What to file | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Appeal to the court (beroep) at the rechtbank | 14 days |
| Further appeal (hoger beroep) to the Raad van State; counted from the court ruling | 28 days |
The deadlines run from the day after the decision was handed to you or sent; the day the letter reached you may be later. Go by the earlier date.
For applications made before 12 June 2026 the old deadlines may still apply. Follow the deadline in your decision.
This is an estimate and deliberately shows the EARLIEST possible day. Your exact deadline is stated at the end of your decision; always follow the deadline in your decision. Some countries add extra days for decisions sent by post; do not rely on them.
Can I stay in the country?
If you file the beroep in time, as a rule you may stay in the Netherlands until the court decides (Vw 2000 art. 82). If the clause at the end of your decision says otherwise, follow it.
If the court also says no
If the court rejects the beroep, a further appeal (hoger beroep) to the Raad van State is possible. Its deadline is in the table above; it counts from the day of the court ruling, not from the ministry's decision.
What to do now
- Write down the day the decision reached you and keep the envelope.
- Read the appeal clause at the end of the decision (rechtsmiddelenclausule): the exact deadline and the court are there. If it differs from this page, follow your decision.
- You can file the beroep with the court yourself, in writing; no lawyer is required at this first level.
Official source
We prepare your appeal letter. Write to us before the deadline passes.