In the PVT you learn about the rights, duties and values of Dutch society. At the end you sign a short statement that says you want to take part in it. The PVT is required and your gemeente (municipality) organises it. It is not a language exam. There is no score and nothing to fail.
This guide explains what the PVT is, what you do and how long you have.
What does PVT stand for?
PVT stands for participatieverklaringstraject. That long Dutch word has two parts. The participatieverklaring is the participation statement, a short document you sign. The traject is the route to it: a few sessions that your gemeente arranges.
You will often see both terms. People say "the PVT" for the whole process and "the participatieverklaring" for the document itself.
What do you actually do in the PVT?
According to DUO, the gemeente teaches you about the rights, duties and values of Dutch society in a few sessions. After that, you sign the participatieverklaring.
The sessions are practical, not academic. They cover how things work here and what is expected of everyone. There is nothing to study and no exam at the end. The sessions are often in a group, sometimes with an interpreter. So you do not need strong Dutch to follow them. After you sign, your gemeente registers your signature with DUO.
Because there is no test, the main thing is to be there. Watch for the invitation from your gemeente and note the date. If a session is at the same time as your work or an appointment, ask your gemeente early for another date. That is better than missing it.
The values behind the participatieverklaring
The statement is based on four core values of Dutch society: freedom, equality, solidarity and participation. In Dutch these are vrijheid, gelijkwaardigheid, solidariteit and participatie.
By signing, you declare that you want to take an active part in Dutch society and that you respect these values. The participatieverklaring says this in simple words. It is a statement of intent. It is not a promise to agree with everything. It is also not a test of your opinions.
Is the PVT mandatory, and what is the deadline?
Yes. The PVT is a required part of inburgering under the Wet inburgering 2021. You have your full inburgering term to do it: normally three years, counted from the date your gemeente set your PIP. Under the old 2013 law the limit was one year. So you now have more time. Under the 2021 law the PVT is free. Under the 2013 law it is free for asylum status holders and costs €150 for everyone else.
Your gemeente runs the whole PVT. It offers the sessions, arranges the signing and records it. If you are not sure when your sessions are, ask your contact person at the gemeente. If you do not finish the PVT in time and have no right to extra time, DUO can give you a fine of €340. Asylum status holders never get a fine.
How the PVT fits with the rest of inburgering
The PVT is one part of inburgering, together with the language exams and KNM. People often confuse them. The language exams test your Dutch. KNM is a knowledge exam about Dutch society, with a score. The PVT is neither. It is the sessions plus the signature, with no score.
In short, the language parts and KNM are exams. The PVT is something you attend and complete. So your study time is best spent on the exams. The PVT rarely causes delays. The language exams usually need the most work. If you want a plan for those, we wrote a guide on how to prepare for the inburgering exam. For the standard route we also have a course for the inburgering exam B1.
The PVT is attendance plus a signature. KNM and the language parts are real exams that you can practise for. With our inburgering practice exam you can do those parts with a timer. That way they feel familiar before exam day.
The short version
The PVT (participatieverklaringstraject) is the part of inburgering where your gemeente teaches you about Dutch society. At the end you sign a statement that you want to take part in it. It is required and it is about values, not language. There is nothing to fail. You have your full inburgering term to complete it. Note the dates your gemeente gives you. The parts that need preparation are the language exams and KNM. Those are the parts our online inburgering course trains.