BiB Course: Civic Integration Exam Abroad
The Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland (BiB) stands between you and your MVV entry visa.
We take you through all of it, from signing up to exam day, in around 10 weeks.
Start whenever you are ready. No fixed course dates, no waiting list.
From BiB exam to MVV entry visa
Passing the BiB is what lets you apply for the MVV: the entry visa that gets you to the Netherlands and lets you collect your residence permit here. Pass all three parts, and you have one year to submit that application.
- What: A 10-week route to exam day. We prepare you for exactly what the exam tests, with real exam questions and a full mock exam, and we go through the admin with you so nothing gets missed.
- When: Whenever you want to start. No fixed dates, no waiting list.
- Level: Reading and Speaking are set at A1, the very first level, so you can start from zero Dutch. KNS is not a language test: it is 30 questions on a fixed set of films and topics, which we drill with you.
- What it costs you in total: €350 for 14 hours of live classes, paid to us. The exam fee goes to DUO (the Dutch government body that runs the exam) separately: €150 for the full exam, or €50 per part if you resit one. DUO’s official practice pack, if you want it, and your travel to the embassy are your own costs. All class material comes with the course.
- How many participants: 3–5 students.
- Instructors: Marjolein and Elise, both fluent in English and Spanish, so the first lessons work before you have any Dutch to lean on.
- Plus: One re-exam included. If you do not pass a part, we prepare you again for that part at no extra charge. DUO’s €50 resit fee is yours.
Ready to sign up? Great!
Marjolein takes you from your first word of Dutch to exam day, and answers the paperwork questions along the way. You can start straight away.
Why not just do it yourself?
You can. The reading and the KNS topics you can drill alone, and DUO sells the official self-study pack. But most people who fail the BiB fail Spreekvaardigheid: speaking into a machine, under time pressure, in a language you have only ever read. That is the part you cannot practise on your own, and it is what these 14 hours are for. It is also the biggest stumbling block for most prospective migrants: a failed part means a new appointment, a new wait, and a move to the Netherlands pushed back by months.
What the exam asks of you
Three parts, taken at a Dutch embassy or consulate, or at an external provider. We prepare you for each one with the actual exam questions and a full mock exam before the day, so nothing on exam day is a surprise.
- Kennis van de Nederlandse Samenleving: Knowledge of Dutch Society
- Spreekvaardigheid: Speaking
- Leesvaardigheid: Reading
How the ten weeks run
The lessons are not the slow part. Waiting for an appointment at the embassy is. So that clock starts in week one, while you are still learning.
- Week 1: you register with DUO (the Dutch government body that runs the exam) and book your own appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate. You do both yourself, and we walk you through each step in class and check your booking before you confirm it.
- Weeks 1–9: live classes on Zoom, in a group of 3 to 5 students, plus a full mock exam before you go.
- Week 10: you are exam-ready. You sit the exam as soon as the embassy can fit you in, which is why that appointment gets booked in week 1.
- After that: DUO can take up to 8 weeks to email your result, showing each part separately. Plan your MVV application around that, and submit it within one year of passing, or the whole exam has to be taken again.
Do you need this exam?
Two minutes to check, before you spend anything.
You need the BiB if both are true
- You need an MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, the long-stay entry visa) to move to the Netherlands.
- You are coming to live with your partner.*
Turkish nationals: you have needed this exam since 1 January 2022.
You are exempt if
- You hold EU or EEA, UK, US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean, Swiss, Monegasque or Vatican nationality.
- You are under 18, or you have reached Dutch state pension age.
- You hold an NT2 diploma, or a Dutch-language school or university qualification.
- You are applying for a temporary residence purpose, or joining a family member with a temporary or asylum residence permit.
If your nationality is not in that list, assume you need the exam. We confirm it with you before you pay for anything. The IND publishes the complete set of exemptions and dispensations at ind.nl.
* Or to work as a spiritual counsellor serving the public.
Want more details before signing up?
We’d love to talk to you! Click below to book a 30-minute trial lesson with Elise or Marjolein. We check which exam applies to you and plan backwards from the date you want to move.
