Reimbursement for assessment takes time

In Ibrahim’s case, the lawyer submitted the invoice for reimbursement along with the iMMO report. A positive decision followed shortly thereafter, but the IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service) did not respond to the reimbursement request. After some time, the lawyer submitted another request. When that request also remained unanswered, two reminders followed: first after a few months, and again more than six months after the initial request. Finally, almost a year later, the IND indicated that the reimbursement fell within their internal guidelines and would be granted after all.

This case demonstrates that the reimbursement process is often lengthy and complex. iMMO investigations are labor-intensive and expensive. iMMO charges a fee based on the rates for expert reports in criminal cases. In 2025, this rate amounted to €8,470, while the actual costs were around €17,000.

The IND assesses requests for reimbursement based on an internal guideline. This guideline states that reimbursement only occurs if the iMMO report demonstrably contributed to the decision to grant asylum, and in principle only for initial applications. For subsequent applications or when other factors are decisive, the IND rejects the reimbursement – even if the iMMO report was substantively relevant.

According to iMMO, the outcome of the asylum application should not be the determining factor, but rather the substantive role a report plays in the decision-making process. The distinction between initial and subsequent applications is also irrelevant, according to iMMO. Approximately 40% of applications submitted to iMMO are subsequent asylum applications. Shame and fear often prevent those involved from being able to speak about traumatic experiences until later—a dynamic that the Council of State recognized in its ruling of December 13, 2023.[1] For this reason, many iMMO reports are only submitted within a repeated asylum application.

[1] Council of State, December 13, 2023, (202108163/1, ECLI:NL:RVS:2023:4620) point 6.3