Welcome to the Netherlands!

Whether you have just arrived or been here for a while, a lot of things are still uncertain. In the Netherlands we are happy to offer you shelter for as long as it is necessary. For example, there are larger municipal shelters you can stay at. But you can also stay with a guest household. RefugeeHomeNL was established to arrange temporary stay of Ukrainian refugees at guest households in the Netherlands. We offer support at all stages, from sign up to departure, to ensure the stay is safe and pleasant for both the guest and the guest household members.

How does RefugeeHomeNL work?

Are you looking for a safe and homely shelter in the Netherlands? Then you can register yourself and other people in your group (partner, children, other family members) for a stay at a guest household. At the registration stage, you clearly state who you are and what you want and expect from your stay. RefugeeHomeNL links you to a suitable guest household. Many thousands of households have applied to offer their help. They have all had an intake interview and have been screened thoroughly. This is how we ensure a suitable and safe place for your stay. When we find a good match, we will schedule an introductory meeting for you. Does that suit both parties? Then we decide on a period of stay that can generally last for 3 months. You will receive all the necessary support from RefugeeHomeNL during the stay and around the time of departure.

"RefugeeHomeNL is intended for all people who fall under the Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55 EG) of the European Union. It regulates the right to shelter, medical care, education of minor children and the possibility to work. You will fall under the Temporary Protection Directive in the following cases:
1. You have Ukrainian nationality.
2. You have a valid permanent residence permit in Ukraine (issued no later than February 23, 2022).
3. You have a valid temporary residence permit in Ukraine (issued no later than February 23, 2022) and are registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) of a Dutch municipality before 19 July 2022.
4. You lived in Ukraine as a family member/roommate of someone who falls under the Directive.

More information on this topic can be found at https://www.refugeehelp.nl/ru/get-help/legal-registration/legal-stay.

I would like to stay at a guest household

1 1. Sign up

Do you fall under the Temporary Protection Directive? Then you can sign up for a stay at a private guest household in the Netherlands. You can register quickly and easily online or at one of our offices around the country.

In addition to the information about yourself (and the group accompanying you), you provide us with the details regarding your wishes and expectations from the potential homestay. Your application will be processed within a few days and you will receive a message about the follow-up actions.
2 2. Meet & Match

RefugeeHomeNL links you to a suitable guest household. They have all had an intake interview and have gone through a careful screening.

Under the guidance of RefugeeHomeNL you will meet each other. Should there be a good impression from both sides afterwards, you can then decide together regarding the period of stay.
3 3. The Homestay

RefugeeHomeNL and the collaborating parties offer you as a guest all the support you need during the stay. We help you make come to good agreements so that the stay can go smoothly.

If necessary, we can also envolve some additional help.
4 4. Departure

Generally, one period of stay lasts three months. You can also count on the support of RefugeeHomeNL around the time of departure. After that you can decide whether you would like to sign up again for another stay at a guest household.

But you and your current host can choose to extend your stay, if you both want. Should the period of stay be ended earlier, we will help you with that too of course.

I would like to stay at a guest household

I have some more questions

Frequently asked questions and answers

Staying with a guest household has many advantages. You will be supported by the members of the guest household as much as possible in your everyday life activities, e.g going to school, looking for a job, sports, hobbies, cooking and shopping. It can be nice to stay in a relaxed, homely environment. It is not uncommon for the guest and the guest household members to develop friendships for life.
Thousands of guest households in the Netherlands have now registered with RefugeeHomeNL. These are the people who really want and are able to help others. For example, they have a guest room, a garden house or even entire spare housing at their disposal. The guest households are located all over the Netherlands. When you register, you can indicate your preferences, e.g. where you and your goup members want to live, whether you have a job or your children need to go to school. We will take this into account as much as possible when making a match.
All the guest households who register with RefugeeHomeNL are carefully evaluated. They go through a screening interview that follows their registration. Families are also asked to provide the Certificate of Good Conduct. During your stay we will maintain close contact both with you and the guest household members. We also consider such matters as safety, well-being and trust. In addition, the guest households receive information about how to identify the risks related to your safety and to call in help if there are doubts about this.
Registering with RefugeeHomeNL and the support you receive from us and our partners is completely free. You will receive a monthly living allowance through the municipality in which you have registered (at a municipal shelter or with a guest household). This living allowance is intended to provide for your daily needs and living expenses. Together with the members of the guest household, you decide whether you will share (part of) this living allowance with them. This is not obligatory. RefugeeHomeNL mediates in this and helps you and the guest household members come to an agreement regarding this matter.
We first go through a careful matching process. Then, based on both your wishes and the offer of the guest household, we plan an introduction meeting for you. If that suits both sides, you can stay with the guest household for a period of 3 months. But what if, for example, you get into an argument with some members of the guest household or you don't like them, or you would rather go back to the municipal shelter or back home? No problem. In all those cases, RefugeeHomeNL and its partners are ready to come to a good solution as quickly as possible.
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