Leiden Expat Center

Residence permits

Entry visa (Machtiging Voorlopig Verblijf / MVV)

Depending on your nationality, you might need an entry visa for the Netherlands. For stays of over 90 days, this entry visa is called a provisional residence permit. The Dutch term is machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, which is abbreviated to "MVV".
Check the visa wizard to find out if you need a provisional residence permit. In certain cases you may also need a work permit.

The necessity of the above mentioned documents depends on:

• the purpose of your stay;
• the intended duration of your stay;
• your nationality.

In addition, you will need to arrange adequate health insurance.

What is an MVV?

An MVV is an entry visa required for a stay in the Netherlands of a period longer than three months. The MVV allows you to multiple enter the Netherlands. Once you have received your MVV, you must arrive in the Netherlands within six months from the date of issue.
The provisional residence permit is a sticker in your passport (type 'D' visa). This sticker will allow you to enter the Netherlands. However, the sticker does not give you the right to stay in the Netherlands. You must obtain lawful residence by applying for a residence permit on arrival.

If you need to travel outside the Netherlands after arrival, you can do so on the basis of your MVV. The MVV allows you to travel within the Schengen area. 

How to aply for a Provisional Residence Permit (MVV)

Your Dutch employer or host institution will probably handle most of the paperwork in the form of an “advisory procedure”. This precedes the formal application for the provisional residence permit. You must submit this formal application yourself in person at a Dutch embassy or consulate.

Advisory procedure
The “advisory procedure” is a shortened procedure. This involves your Dutch employer or host institution asking the Dutch immigration authorities (IND) to advise the Dutch embassy or consulate about your planned application for a provisional residence permit.
Your employer will send all the necessary paperwork to IND. IND will then assess if you meet all criteria. 

If IND concludes that you are not eligible for a provisional residence permit, your employer will be notified.

If IND concludes that you are eligible for a provisional residence permit, it will notify both the employer and the Dutch mission accordingly. From that moment on, you may hand in your formal application to the Dutch embassy or consulate. Since IND has already assessed your case, this is a mere formality. The embassy or consulate will confirm your identity based on your passport, and you will need to complete a form.

An advisory procedure usually takes between 2 and 9 weeks. This depends on the purpose of stay for which the employer applies and whether a work permit is needed.

Applying for the provisional residence permit
You must apply for a provisional residence permit in person at a Dutch embassy or consulate. It is not possible to authorize somebody else to apply on your behalf. You may visit the nearest Dutch mission in your home country. It is also possible to apply at a Dutch embassy or consulate in another country, as long as you have lawful residence in that particular country. Lawful residence means that you have a residence permit for that country, that will be valid for at least another 3 months. If you hold a tourist visa, you do not qualify as a lawful resident.

The embassy or consulate might ask you to show a legalised birth certificate.
Find out where the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate is located on the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Here you read more information on what documents you need for a provisional residence permit.

For more information about a MVV please visit the website off the IND.

Short stay visa (and short stay residence permit)

A short stay visa is a travel visa which is valid for a maximum period of three months. It can be valid for entering the Netherlands once or several times, depending on which type you have applied for. With a short stay visa, you may also travel freely through all the countries that have signed the Schengen agreement (this is why it is sometimes called a 'Schengen visa'). At present, over 20 countries are included in the Schengen area.

How to apply for a short stay / Schengen visa
A short stay / Schengen visa must be applied for in person at the Dutch embassy in your country of origin. The short stay visa will be issued for a particular purpose such as tourism, work or study. The Dutch embassy will require the following:

• A valid travel document
• Items substantiating the purpose of your trip (e.g. a letter of invitation from the host institution)
• Proof that you have sufficient means to support yourself during your stay (€34 per day) and to travel back home or to a third country where you are permitted to stay
• Proof of adequate health insurance (it must cover medical emergency evacuation/repatriation)

Multiple entry short stay / Schengen visa

If you plan to travel outside the Netherlands during your stay, you must apply for a multiple entry Schengen visa.

Important notice:

• The maximum period of stay on a short stay visa is 90 days.
• Short stay visas can never be extended.
• Within any period of 180 days, the number of days you are allowed to stay in the Schengen area on a short stay visa cannot exceed 90 days.

Short stay residence permit
After your arrival, you must report the “Vreemdelingenpolitie” (the aliens police): call 0900-8844 within 3 working days to make an appointment in order to obtain your "Short Stay Residence Permit" in your passport.

Re-Entry visa

If you need to travel abroad and you do not yet have a valid residence permit, and your MVV is not longer valid you can apply for a re-entry visa. A re-entry visa enables you to return to the Netherlands after travelling abroad. Please note that a re-entry visa does not allow you to travel to other Schengen countries. It is advisable to inquire with each country that you wish to visit whether or not a visa is required.

Who needs a re-entry visa?
You will need a re-entry visa if you: are a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country / you do not have the Canadian, US, Japanese, Australian or New Zealand nationality, and you do not have a valid Dutch residence permit when you re-enter the Netherlands.

Who will be considered for a re-entry visa?
There are three different groups which may be considered for a re-entry visa:

1. Persons who are forced to leave the Netherlands for urgent matters and have documents to prove this. Grounds that are considered to be urgent and may be applicable are:

• Serious illness or death of a relative (first or second degree)
• Attending a wedding of a relative (first or second degree)
• Taking part in an excursion abroad as part of a study.

2. Foreign students and labour migrants who have applied for the extension of their residence permit in time and wish to go on a holiday or visit a relative (this may be subject to change).
3. Foreign students and labour migrants who have applied for their first residence permit and wish to go on a holiday or visit a relative will be considered individually.

Period of validity of a re-entry visa
A re-entry visa is granted for a maximum period of three months.

What is the cost of a re-entry visa?
The date on which the application is received determines the fee applicable at that time.
For more information please call the IND 0900 1234561 (€0.10 p.m.)

How to get a re-entry visa
In order to apply for a re-entry visa, you need to make an appointment with the IND two weeks prior to your application. You can call the IND service number for an appointment: 0900-1234561. Re-entry visas can only be collected in person at one of the IND offices.
The nearest IND offices are located in Rijswijk, The Hague and Hoofddorp. When you make an appointment you will be informed which office to go to in order to collect your re-entry visa.

Residence Permit 

Foreign citizens who wish to stay in the Netherlands for a period longer than three months require a residence permit. An exception is made for citizens of EU-, EER- countries and Switzerland (this also applies for their family members): people who belong to this category require a document which proves the legitimacy of their stay (‘bewijs van rechtmatig verblijf’). For more information, please check the section ‘EU-Burgers’ (EU-Citizens) on the IND website ( ) In some cases, a foreign citizen will require an entry visa (MVV). For more information, please check the section ‘MVV on the IND website.

Please note:
Entry Ban (‘Inreisverbod’)*
If you do not apply for an MVV in your country of residence prior to travelling to the Netherlands, you risk an entry ban (‘inreisverbod’) for Europe. This does not apply for EU/EER- citizens and their family members.

Applying for a residence permit
If you wish to obtain a residence permit for the Netherlands, you are required to meet the criteria which apply for the permit. Every permit has its particular criteria and entry requirements. You can apply for a residence permit at the IND. Please check the section
Residence Wizard for an explanation of the application process.

The cost of a residence permit
Please check the section ‘Kosten’ for a summary of prices of residence permits. You will be required to pay for the application and processing of your residence permit. If your application is rejected, you will not be eligible for a refund of your expenses.

Travelling with a residence permit
A residence permit is not a travel document: you cannot travel on a residence permit. If you intend to travel, you will require a valid travel document.

*An ‘inreisverbod’ (entry ban) is a ruling of the Dutch government stating that it is prohibited for a person to enter the Netherlands and a large part of Europe for the duration of at least one year. You will receive a ‘terugkeerbesluit’ (return ruling) stating the duration of your entry ban. You will be penalised if you do travel to the prohibited area while entry is prohibited.
For additional information, check the section ‘inreisverbod (terugkeerbesluit)’.

Here you can check which countries are part of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Schengen area.
Please note: Switzerland is not an EU/EEA member state. EU rules are applicable, however.

Source Indication Euraxess and IND.