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Preparing to report to prison

You receive an official notice to report to prison to serve a sentence. Check your identity details, the institution, date and time. Discuss uncertainty about the sentence with your lawyer or the competent authority.

Duration: 1:46

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This video summarises the main points. The full article provides more detail, exceptions and official sources. This information does not replace advice about your case.

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Criminal Law in the Netherlands.

You receive an official notice to report to prison to serve a sentence. Check your identity details, the institution, date and time. Discuss uncertainty about the sentence with your lawyer or the competent authority.

Create an overview of care tasks, work agreements, rent and payments. Agree who can carry out necessary tasks. Arrange appropriate permissions rather than assuming a family member has access to everything.

Check which information and medications may or must be taken along according to the instructions. Discuss special care questions through the authorized care provider and the institution. Do not change treatment on your own initiative.

Report detention to relevant authorities via their own procedure. Check benefits, insurance and current obligations separately. Do not assume that one notification will take care of all administration.

If you have an urgent reason to request postponement, seek advice immediately. Short application deadlines may apply. The instruction to report remains in force unless a different decision is made.

Read the facility's instructions and make a list before leaving. Save important contacts and confirmations. Check the journey and reporting time and ask for an explanation in a timely manner if something is not clear.

Read the full explanation on the Criminal Law in the Netherlands website.

Understand the supporting sources

Sources and supporting information

Here you can find the sources for this page. Open the original publication for the full explanation, conditions and exceptions.

  1. DJI: self-reporter, call letter, preparation and request for postponementOpens in a new tabdji.nlhttps://www.dji.nl/justitiabelen/volwassenen/zelfmelder
  2. DJI: self-detector information sheet, version September 30, 2025; insurance is suspendedOpens in a new tabdji.nlhttps://www.dji.nl/documenten/2023/03/20/informatieblad-dji-zelfmelders
  3. DJI: health insurance continues to exist, suspension and notification during detentionOpens in a new tabdji.nlhttps://www.dji.nl/over-dji/organisatie-dji/directie-individuele-zaken/zorgverzekering
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