Price, deadlines, the step-by-step registration process, and what to bring on exam day.
In 30 seconds
- The full exam costs €150. Each separate module costs €50.
- You pay DUO, receive your candidate number by e-mail, and only then schedule at the embassy.
- The result arrives within 8 weeks — usually in 2 to 4 — and is valid for 1 year.
- Failed a module? You only retake that one and only pay for that one.
How much it costs
- Full exam: €150, paid to DUO.
- Separate module: €50 each (KNS, reading, or speaking).
- Retaking a module: €50. You do not pay again for what you already passed.
Deadlines
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Exam result | Up to 8 weeks — usually 2 to 4 |
| Validity of the pass | 1 year from the date |
| MVV visa assessment (IND) | Up to 90 days, by law |
The pass is valid for 1 year. The visa application must be submitted within that year — after that, the exam would have to be retaken.
The step-by-step registration process
Registration is divided between DUO and the embassy, in that order. Skipping a step does not work: the embassy only opens the schedule after DUO confirms the payment.
- Register on the DUO portal with your details exactly as they appear in your passport. A swapped name causes trouble to correct later.
- Pay the €150 via iDEAL/Wero (if you have a Dutch account) or by international transfer.
- Wait for the kandidaatnummer — DUO sends it by e-mail as soon as the payment goes through.
- Schedule at the embassy through the NederlandWereldwijd.nl website, choosing the day and time.
- Show up on the day with your valid original passport, the appointment confirmation, and a recent passport-style photo.
If you fail one module
You do not lose the others. You register again only for the one you missed, pay €50, and schedule a new date. The modules you passed remain valid.
But the cost is not just the money. It is waiting again for the embassy's schedule, waiting again for the result, and watching the visa deadline pass while you wait. Arriving prepared costs far less than retaking.
The calculation nobody makes: the price of retaking
The €50 for the retake is the small part. What weighs is the rest:
- New fee: €50 for the module you missed.
- New trip: if the embassy is in another city, add transport and often a hotel night.
- New wait: the embassy's schedule, plus up to 8 weeks for the result.
- The visa deadline moving forward: for those separated from family, this is the cost that truly hurts.
In practice, a single retake usually costs more than the entire preparation. And the #1 reason for failure is trainable: too little speaking practice out loud and KNS studied at the last minute.
How to take the exam only once
- Only schedule when the practice tests say you are ready — a stable score of 7 or higher on Spreken and 25 out of 30 or higher on KNS.
- Speak out loud every day. It is the part you cannot improvise on the day.
- Take all three tests in the same visit if the embassy is far away. Saves an entire trip.
- Check the calendar. The pass is valid for 1 year; the MVV application must be submitted within it.
After knowing the cost and the date, the next step is studying: start with how to study from scratch and practice with the official format before the day.
You will spend €150 anyway. Preparing well costs a fraction of that
Practice tests in the official format, vocabulary that comes back at the right moment, and a pronunciation tutor that corrects your speech before it counts for a grade.
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I take the exam?
At the embassy or consulate-general of the Netherlands in the country where you live. The appointment is scheduled on NederlandWereldwijd.nl, after DUO sends your number.
What do I bring on the day?
Valid original passport, the appointment confirmation, and a recent passport-style photo. Without the passport, you cannot take the exam.
When does the result come out?
By e-mail, with the PDF statement, within eight weeks. In practice it usually arrives in two to four.
This series has 8 parts
- Part 1 — Overview: from the A1 exam to the MVV visa
- Part 2 — What the Basisexamen inburgering buitenland is
- You are here: Part 3 — How much it costs and how to register for the Basisexamen
- Part 4 — How to study for the Basisexamen from scratch
- Part 5 — KNS: the 100 official questions
- Part 6 — Spreken: examples of questions and pronunciation
- Part 7 — Practice test in the official format
- Part 8 — Passed. Now what? From the MVV visa to the BSN
Next part ? How to study for the Basisexamen from scratch
What works, the mistake that makes most people lose months, and how to practice the part that fails the most.