Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland: The A1 Exam Abroad
Table of Contents10 sections
The basisexamen inburgering buitenland is the Dutch civic integration exam that people who need an mvv (provisional residence visa) take abroad, on a computer at a Dutch embassy or consulate. It tests Dutch at A1 level and basic knowledge of Dutch society in three parts, each marked from 1 to 10, and you pass a part with a 6 or higher.
Below you will find who takes it, what each part looks like, fees, results, the free official material, original sample items and what happens after you move.
In short: three parts on a computer at a Dutch embassy or consulate. KNS (30 questions, 30 minutes), Lezen (19 questions, 35 minutes) and Spreken (22 items, 30 minutes). About 2 hours if you do all parts on one day.
Each part is marked 1 to 10 and a 6 or higher passes. The fee is 50 euro per part, 150 euro in total, and results come within 8 weeks.
The free self-study pack and the official practice exams cover the format. Passing does not end your integration obligation once you live in the Netherlands.
What the basisexamen inburgering buitenland is
The exam is for people who need an mvv to come and live in the Netherlands. Most of them are partners and family members of someone who already lives there. You sit it on a computer at a Dutch embassy or consulate, and all three parts on one day take about 2 hours.
Its level is A1, a beginner level, which is why many people search for it as the inburgeringsexamen A1. The exams you may take later, inside the Netherlands, are at a higher level, usually A2 or B1.
How many people take it, and how many pass
Candidate numbers are fairly steady: 7,811 in 2022, 8,995 in 2023 and 8,988 in 2024. Most pass each part at the first attempt, but not all.
Part | First-attempt pass rate (2024) |
|---|---|
KNS (knowledge of Dutch society) | 96% |
Lezen (reading) | 76% |
Spreken (speaking) | 76% |
KNS is the part almost everyone passes, because every question and answer is published in advance. In reading and speaking, about one candidate in four does not pass the first time. That is where most of your practice time should go.
The three parts of the exam
Part | Items | Time | Marked by |
|---|---|---|---|
KNS | 30 questions | 30 min | Computer |
Lezen | 19 questions | 35 min | Computer |
Spreken | 22 items | 30 min | Assessors |
KNS: knowledge of Dutch society
KNS stands for Kennis van de Nederlandse Samenleving (knowledge of Dutch society). Each of the 30 questions shows a photo with a spoken question, and you choose between 2 answer options. You have 30 minutes.
Here is the most useful fact about this part: every question and its answer appear in the photo book of the official self-study pack. Work through the photo book until you know each photo and its answer, and you have covered every question the exam can ask.
Do not confuse KNS with KNM (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij), a separate society exam you may take later in the Netherlands.
Lezen: reading
Lezen has 19 questions on short texts, with 35 minutes in total. That is almost two minutes per question, which leaves room to read calmly. The texts are short, so the real challenge is knowing everyday words, not reading fast.
The official reading practice exam has all 19 questions and shows you afterwards which answers were right. It is the closest thing to a full rehearsal you can get.
Spreken: speaking
Spreken has 22 items in 30 minutes: 10 questions you answer and 12 sentences you complete. The full list of speaking items is published, so you can see every item before exam day.
Assessors score each item on two points. Adequacy (0 to 1) asks whether you did what the item asked. Pronunciation (0 to 1) asks whether the words come across clearly. A one-word answer can be enough, and there are no extra points for long sentences.
A short, clear answer is safer than a long one you stumble through. Practise out loud and record yourself on your phone so you can listen back.
Scoring, fees and results
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Fee per part | 50 euro |
All three parts | 150 euro |
Pass mark | 6 or higher out of 10, per part |
Results | Within 8 weeks |
Failed part | Retake that part and pay again |
Build the wait of up to 8 weeks for results into your plans. If you fail one part, you retake only that part and pay the 50 euro fee for it again.
The self-study pack and free practice exams
The official self-study pack (zelfstudiepakket) is available in 33 languages. You can download it free or buy it. It contains the photo book for KNS, which holds every KNS question and answer.
Free practice exams are on naarnederland.nl. Each one shows you something different:
- KNS: 5 sample questions, enough to see how the photo and spoken question work on screen.
- Lezen: all 19 questions, and afterwards you see which answers were right.
- Spreken: all 22 items, but without feedback. You have to judge your own answers or ask a Dutch speaker to listen.
A sensible order: the photo book first, then the reading practice exam once you know basic everyday words, then the speaking practice exam several times. Take the reading practice once early to find gaps and again close to your exam date.
Sample reading items
These two items were written for this guide at A1 level. They are not taken from the exam or the self-study pack. Use the official practice exam to see exactly how questions appear on screen.
Sample 1: a sign on a shop door
Tekst: Bakkerij De Molen. Open: dinsdag tot en met zaterdag, van 8.00 tot 17.00 uur. Maandag en zondag gesloten.
Vraag: Op welke dag is de bakkerij open?
- A. Op maandag.
- B. Op woensdag.
- C. Op zondag.
Answer: B. Wednesday falls between Tuesday and Saturday (dinsdag tot en met zaterdag). The sign says the bakery is closed (gesloten) on Monday and Sunday.
Sample 2: a message from a friend
Tekst: Hoi Sara, morgen ben ik jarig! Kom je om 15.00 uur bij mij? Ik maak een taart. Groetjes, Lina
Vraag: Waarom stuurt Lina dit bericht?
- A. Ze is morgen ziek.
- B. Ze wil een taart kopen.
- C. Ze nodigt Sara uit voor haar verjaardag.
Answer: C. Jarig zijn means it is your birthday, and Lina asks Sara to come at 15.00. She makes (maakt) the cake herself, and nothing in the message says she is ill.
Sample speaking items
The real speaking items are all published, and you should practise those first. The samples below are new ones in the same two styles. Use them to check that you can handle an item you have not memorised.
Three questions with model answers
- Vraag 1: Wat eet u 's ochtends? Model answer: 's Ochtends eet ik brood met kaas.
- Vraag 2: Hoe gaat u naar de supermarkt? Model answer: Ik ga met de fiets naar de supermarkt.
- Vraag 3: Met wie woont u samen? Model answer: Ik woon samen met mijn moeder en mijn broer.
Each answer reuses the verb of the question (eten, gaan, wonen) and adds one piece of information. That keeps adequacy safe, because the assessor hears that you understood. It also keeps the sentence short enough to pronounce clearly. A shorter answer such as Brood met kaas can also be enough.
Two sentence completions
In this item type you finish a sentence. Our samples are printed here; the official practice exam shows how the real items are presented.
Zin 1: Ik ga naar de supermarkt, want ... Model completion: ... ik heb geen melk meer.
After want the word order stays normal: ik heb, not heb ik. The ending also has to fit the first half of the sentence, because that is what adequacy checks.
Zin 2: In de winter is het buiten vaak ... Model completion: ... koud.
One word is enough here. Koud (cold) is the simplest correct ending, and nat (wet) would also make sense. Do not try to say more than you can pronounce well.
What happens after you arrive in the Netherlands
Passing the basisexamen inburgering buitenland does not end your integration obligation (inburgeringsplicht). Once you live in the Netherlands, the inburgering rules apply to you, and under the Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021) there are three routes:
- B1 route: for most people. The exams are the Staatsexamen NT2 programma I (B1) for reading, listening, writing and speaking, plus KNM. You also do MAP and the participation statement (PVT), which are not exams.
- Onderwijsroute (education route): mainly for young people heading to MBO, HBO or university. NT2 at B1 or B2, plus KNM.
- Z-route (self-reliance route): target level A1 and no exams required. Instead there are lessons, participation hours and a final interview.
DUO runs the exams in the Netherlands. You book them in Mijn Inburgering with DigiD, and it can take more than 6 weeks before you can sit an exam, so book early. The details are on inburgeren.nl.
If you later want to naturalise, the current language requirement is A2, met by the A2 inburgeringsexamen or the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2. The government plans to raise it to B1, but as of October 2026 that change is not in force and has no date. See naturalisation on inburgeren.nl.
Next steps
For the exams you may face after arrival, from KNM to the Staatsexamen NT2, read our full inburgeringsexamen guide. Mocko is building Dutch practice, and you can ask for it from that page.
FAQ
No. The basisexamen inburgering buitenland is taken abroad, at a Dutch embassy or consulate, at A1 level, by people who need an mvv. Any exams you take in the Netherlands after you arrive are separate and at a higher level.
