Residence Permit (Verblijfsvergunning)

You need a residence permit in order to legally live in the Netherlands. Different types of residence permits apply to different situations.

Do you need a residence permit? Country of origin & duration of stay

  • EU, EEA and Swiss Citizens
    If you are a national of any EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you are not required to apply for a residence permit to live and work in the Netherlands. Nonetheless, after four months, you are required to register in your local municipality (gemeente).
  • Short Stay
    Short stay visitors are not required to apply for a residence permit. However, you may require a short stay visa to enter the Netherlands depending on your country of origin.
  • Long Stay
    You must apply for a residence if you are staying in the Netherlands for more than 90 days regardless of your country of origin or purpose of visit.

How to apply for a residence permit in the Netherlands?

How you apply for your residence permit depends on several factors

  • Having your employer or other sponsor in the Netherlands apply for your residence permit
    Often times, you must have a sponsor to come into the Netherlands. This can be done by a partner, an academic institution or a recognised employer ».Your sponsor will have to submit an admission and residence application (TEV) to the Immigration and Nationalisation Service (IND ») in the Netherlands.
  • Apply for your residence permit yourself
    In case you need an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV), you must apply for it in the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of origin or in the country where you have resided for the last three months. This procedure is known as an admission and residence application (TEV).In case you only need a residence permit, you can apply for it to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) once you have arrived to the Netherlands.

    Not sure whether you require a MVV? You can check here.

IND Assessment

The IND will check whether you have all the requirements for a residence permit. If, in a first instance, your permit is denied, you can object the decision. The legal assessment time for residence permit applications is up to 90 days.

This page is meant to give you an overview of the Dutch immigration law. For complex immigrations situations we advise to contact an immigration lawyer.

Dutch residence permit costs and application fees

You can check prices on the IND application costs page.

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This page is meant to give you an overview of the Dutch immigration law. For complex immigrations situations we advise to contact an immigration lawyer.

For a complete overview of the procedure, requirements, exemptions and costs associated with residency in the Netherlands, visit the IND webpage.