Applying for WIA: when and which documents do I need?
For an ordinary first Dutch WIA application, UWV sends a letter in illness week 88. You then have six weeks to apply; follow the exact deadline in your letter. Check the required documents and send medical information to UWV yourself. Applying does not establish benefit entitlement.
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Detailed explanation, checklist and sources
On this page
1. Check the correct application
This concerns a first Dutch WIA application after long-term illness. Ordinarily, WIA insurance, 104 weeks of illness and being able to earn no more than 65% of your previous wage because of illness matter. Earning capacity is not simply hours worked. AOW pension age, residence abroad and other benefits can affect eligibility; have uncertain circumstances checked.
2. Copy the date from UWV’s letter
UWV says it sends a letter in illness week 88, with six weeks to apply from that point. Use the actual deadline in that letter. If it is missing, the illness date differs or time is almost up, contact UWV immediately. Early WIA on medical advice and agreed postponement have separate conditions; do not postpone yourself while waiting for documents.
3. Allocate documents and responsibilities
Prepare your first illness date, education, bank account and UWV letter. A reintegration report is required if you have an employer or an ex-employer bearing its own Ziektewet risk; it is not automatic in every other sickness-benefit situation. Get copies, list missing items and agree who sends each document. Send medical information to UWV yourself, not through your employer or our chat.
4. Submit through the official route
Use the WIA application on uwv.nl and Mijn UWV. Call UWV for assistance if online filing is not possible. Save the submitted application and receipt details. UWV specifies five working days after applying for later digital documents; postal documents must be sent within one working day, with medical records in a separate envelope. Follow current form instructions and promptly discuss missing items. UWV sends a postal acknowledgement within two weeks.
5. Prepare for assessment and an income gap
Prepare examples of your work, limitations, treatment and daily activities for any interview, including differences between better and worse days. UWV also assesses reintegration and earning possibilities; interviews vary. The acknowledgement states the expected decision date, but waiting times apply. Discuss a possible advance if wages or Ziektewet end before the decision; it is not automatic.
6. Read the decision and choose the next step
Check the start date, benefit type, calculation and reports in the decision. If refused or incorrect, use the objection procedure and deadline stated there; our WIA refusal guidance supports preparation. Seek timely assistance for an income gap or urgency. Our own assistance request can help you find a next step, but neither files WIA or an objection nor suspends a deadline.
Should I wait until my employer has every document?
Do not let the application deadline pass without consulting UWV. Request missing items and discuss timely filing and supplementation. You remain responsible for completeness; an employer’s promise is not proof of receipt.
Documents to prepare
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First illness date and WIA insurance
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Record what happened, when, the response and where to find the letter, message or photo. Mark uncertain dates.
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For each event, note the date, what happened and where the evidence is kept. Example: 3 October — letter received — correspondence folder.
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- First illness date and WIA insurance
- UWV letter and actual deadline
- Employer or Ziektewet status and required papers
- Agreement about who sends each document
- Medical records through your own UWV route
- Receipt, income and next action
Contact with a lawyer
You can use the chat and information without a phone number. A contact request requires a phone number, a verified email address and your wish for telephone contact. Our team assesses which partner fits your question. Data is shared only under the stated consent procedure. A partner or engagement is not guaranteed.
View the current application processSources
Need personal assistance? Request a lawyer through our chat. We explain the next step; submitting a request does not engage a lawyer. The links below support the legal information.
UWV · WIA aanvragen ↗UWV · Wanneer recht op WIA ↗UWV · Documenten WIA ↗UWV · WIA-beoordeling ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice.