The European Union’s new migration and asylum pact came into effect today, aiming to reduce illegal immigration and streamline asylum procedures. The Netherlands’ Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) will now be required to process asylum claims within six months, a significant reduction from the current two-year timeframe. This will be achieved through simplified procedures, including self-service questionnaires for applicants and the removal of mandatory health checks. Asylum seekers disagreeing with IND decisions will be directed to court immediately, a change critics fear will increase legal challenges. Priority will be given to new asylum requests to prevent backlogs under the new system, potentially extending wait times for those already in the process. Alongside the pact, the Netherlands is also implementing a two-status system for asylum seekers, and it remains uncertain whether the pact will quickly alleviate pressure on reception centers like Ter Apel, as processing is intended to occur primarily at EU external borders.