Basisexamen Inburgering

[Trellum]

It's no secret I am currently getting ready for the basisexamen inburgering.   I hadn't discussed this openly before because for several reasons    I have so many questions regarding to the exam in itself,  because I have heard so many things from people who have taken it one or two years ago, but it seems they have changed the way they conduct those exams. It seems they no longer use computers and now they use humans  to check the student's answers.  I'm also not sure, but it seems they removed the ''nazeggen'' sections as well as the 'verhaal'' one as well, but I actually need to check if that it's true.

I have already checked the practice exams: http://www.naarnederland.nl/en/category/voorbeeldexamens  and those sections no longer seem to be part of the speaking exam.  Does anyone know if this is a fact? Someone who has taken this exam in the last 6 months?  I'm starting to get nervous! I was told all i have to do i memorize all I have learnt from the language pack we bought ''Naar Nederland'' and I should be fine. 

[YesPecan]

Hi Trellum,

Congratulations on passing your Inburgering exam! 

I'll be taking the same exam too, but I'm so disappointed that it takes 2 months to wait for an exam date... So many things were delayed on my side and we have no choice now but to wait and wait. How long did it take for the exam results to come in for you? And did it take long for the mvv to be approved?

Wishing you best of luck on your Dutch lessons!

 

PS: Thanks for the tips! Will check out that link shortly.

[Trellum]

On 5/10/2016 at 7:23 AM, YesPecan said:

Hi Trellum,

Congratulations on passing your Inburgering exam! 

I'll be taking the same exam too, but I'm so disappointed that it takes 2 months to wait for an exam date... So many things were delayed on my side and we have no choice now but to wait and wait. How long did it take for the exam results to come in for you? And did it take long for the mvv to be approved?

Wishing you best of luck on your Dutch lessons!

 

PS: Thanks for the tips! Will check out that link shortly.

 

Oh no!!!   Why is it taking so long?  Where are you taking your exam?    So sorry about the late reply   I didn't see this until now!   I'll tell you about my experience.  You see, right after paying the fees they sent us both an e-mail letting us know we had  to e-mail  the embassy and ask what dates were available.  I did, he told me whole December was available.  So I picked December 3.  If I recall right I did this one month ahead.  I was called by an embassy employee one day before the exam, to confirm my appointment and to let me know they'd not be able to see me at the time we had agreed. 

 

Long story short:  the day of the exam came.   They made me wait one hour or so   But ok, I used that time to study.   I remember it was a Friday when I finally got my results.  It was December 18, a cold evening.  They let us know through e-mail, then they told us we could proceed with the MVV application.  It took me and my fiance a while to gather all the papers we needed, but we did. He mailed the application (feb 17), then made the payment (feb 29).  It was until march 26 we got a letter from the IND letting us know my MVV had been approved, all I had to do was going to Mexico city to pick it up.

 

I son't know if in your country they do it the same way... but  traveling to the embassy to get my MVV wasn't easy.  I had to get my passport picture taken there, because I couldn't find a decent photographer who could comply with all the requisites the IND was asking.  So yeah... make sure to get your passport picture taken at the photo studio they recommend in the embassy's web site, otherwise they will not accept your application. 

 

In my case I had to leave my passport at the embassy,  I have heard it's like this for everyone.  I got it back 8 days later... with my visa in one of its pages   It looks like a stamp   A very fancy one   Valid for only 3 months.  By the way,  if you come from another part of the country, you will have to buy a shipping label so you can get your passport back.  Take copies of everything you want to keep, otherwise they will keep the originals. 

 

If you want to know more about the exam... let me know.  And yes, it's true what I heard about those exercises being removed.  Be careful though... they use words that you are not even taught in the course... that is the reason I got a 9 in the reading exam 

[YesPecan]

On 6/2/2016 at 8:08 AM, Trellum said:

 

Oh no!!!   Why is it taking so long?  Where are you taking your exam?    So sorry about the late reply   I didn't see this until now!   I'll tell you about my experience.  You see, right after paying the fees they sent us both an e-mail letting us know we had  to e-mail  the embassy and ask what dates were available.  I did, he told me whole December was available.  So I picked December 3.  If I recall right I did this one month ahead.  I was called by an embassy employee one day before the exam, to confirm my appointment and to let me know they'd not be able to see me at the time we had agreed. 

 

Long story short:  the day of the exam came.   They made me wait one hour or so   But ok, I used that time to study.   I remember it was a Friday when I finally got my results.  It was December 18, a cold evening.  They let us know through e-mail, then they told us we could proceed with the MVV application.  It took me and my fiance a while to gather all the papers we needed, but we did. He mailed the application (feb 17), then made the payment (feb 29).  It was until march 26 we got a letter from the IND letting us know my MVV had been approved, all I had to do was going to Mexico city to pick it up.

 

I son't know if in your country they do it the same way... but  traveling to the embassy to get my MVV wasn't easy.  I had to get my passport picture taken there, because I couldn't find a decent photographer who could comply with all the requisites the IND was asking.  So yeah... make sure to get your passport picture taken at the photo studio they recommend in the embassy's web site, otherwise they will not accept your application. 

 

In my case I had to leave my passport at the embassy,  I have heard it's like this for everyone.  I got it back 8 days later... with my visa in one of its pages   It looks like a stamp   A very fancy one   Valid for only 3 months.  By the way,  if you come from another part of the country, you will have to buy a shipping label so you can get your passport back.  Take copies of everything you want to keep, otherwise they will keep the originals. 

 

If you want to know more about the exam... let me know.  And yes, it's true what I heard about those exercises being removed.  Be careful though... they use words that you are not even taught in the course... that is the reason I got a 9 in the reading exam 

Thanks lots lots lots Trellum for your detailed reply!!

 

I'm so happy for you that it all worked out eventually! And wow, a 9 for Reading is excellent!!! Congratulations and keep up with the great work.

 

How lucky, the process didn't take very long for you. Only 3+ months from exam date up till mvv approval! Wow!! I hope it will be just as speedy for me.

 

I was panicking earlier because I heard it was going to take a timeframe of about 6-7 months from the time I book the exam until I get the mvv, which includes a 2 months wait for an exam date. I was so ready to take the exam that week when I called the embassy but was told the next available slot was probably 2 months away, ie in July. I was really disappointed. So I quickly booked for the exam (this was in mid May) and within 5 days (the whole process of payment, confirmations from DUO and calling the Dutch embassy in Singapore), I finally got the exam date, which is next week!  So it isn't as long as I thought. That gave me about 5 weeks to revise all 65 lessons on the naarnederland website.

 

I was sooo sooo ready to take the exam a month ago, but now, I'm not sure if I'm 100% ready for next week's exam. Hah!! A little nervous, yes.

 

Just a bit of info, I'm from Singapore. My Dutch husband and I got married in Singapore in January. We've already registered our marriage with his local gemeente in April (after a few hiccups with my passport/name details, which is now sorted). We made a visit to the IND office and a nice officer explained to us what we needed to do - pass the inburgering exam first, then apply for the mvv. It may take 3 months max to hear back from them on the mvv application. We're planning for my move late this year, but I am hoping it would be sooner so I can have more time to give notice to my current employer.

 

Yes, I read on another thread about the words not taught in the naarnederland course appearing in the exam. I'm not sure if it was another person who mentioned it. Did that happen often for you? Or did it appear on one or two questions? My vocabulary is still one of my weaknesses, besides listening and answering... and a lot of times, I just cannot absorb anymore. Words like vreselijk and verschrikkelijk are terrible words to remember! And one thing I really dislike is, they use multiple words for the same meaning, eg heel veel, zeer veel, heleboel. It's very confusing for beginner level when no explanation is given. A lot of initiative is required when self-studying.

 

What would you recommend I look up - more adjectives, names of animals...?