Residence permits
Entry visa (MVV)
If you plan to work in the Netherlands, you may need to apply for an entry visa (MVV) prior to your arrival and/or a residence permit following your arrival. 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. An MVV can be used to enter the Netherlands only once: it is a "single entry" visa.
Once you have received your MVV, you must arrive in the Netherlands within six months from the date of issue. After arriving in the Netherlands, you will be required to apply for a residence permit. This is the follow-up procedure for the MVV.
An MVV is valid only for entry into the Netherlands, it does not validate a stay in the other Schengen countries (although one transit through the Schengen area is allowed).
Your Dutch employer can apply for your MVV at the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), It is also possible to apply for an MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of origin. You will be asked to provide the following documentation/information:
- A full copy of your passport (including the front, blank pages and back).
If your passport is due to expire before the end of your stay in the Netherlands, you will need to make arrangements in advance for an extension of the passport. - A birth certificate (with a certified translation) from the municipality where you were born, including authentication or annotation by the Dutch Embassy in your country of origin.
You will need your original birth certificate in order to collect the MVV from the Dutch Embassy before you leave for the Netherlands, and you will need it once more in order to register with the local municipality when you take up residence in the Netherlands. - The place and country (home country) where you wish to pick up your MVV when it has been issued.
Travelling possibilities during the residence permit application process
It could take several weeks or months for your residence permit to be approved. While waiting for approval, an MVV does not allow you to travel outside the Netherlands, as an MVV is valid for one entry only. If you are planning to travel within a short time of your arrival in the Netherlands, it is advisable that you obtain a "combination visa" which is known as a "D+C visa".
Combined visa ("D+C visa")
A combined visa allows you to enter the Netherlands for a stay of more than three months, to apply for a residence permit, and to then travel freely in and out of the Netherlands and through all the Schengen countries during the first three months after the visa's date of issue. It is intended to bridge the period during which applicants are waiting for their residence permits.
If you have a combined visa but are still waiting for your residence permit after a period of three months, you will face the same travel restrictions as the holders of an MVV. If an emergency should occur which requires you to travel in this period, it may be possible to obtain a special 'return visa'.
How to obtain a combined visa ("D+C visa")
When you go to the Embassy or consulate to collect your MVV, it is often possible to obtain a combined visa instead. Ask the official for a "D+C visa", often it will be possible to issue the combined visa on the spot, it could also take approximately two weeks.
Requirements for a combined visa
If you wish to obtain a combined visa, you will be asked for additional requirements:
- In order to obtain a combined visa, you must have medical (travel) insurance. You are required to present proof of this insurance at the embassy. The insurance policy must be valid for at least the first 90 days of your stay in the Netherlands. Its validity must cover the whole Schengen area. It must at least provide coverage for urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (i.e. flying you home) on medical grounds. It requires a minimum coverage of €30,000 (thirty thousand euro).
- If you ask for a combined visa you may have to wait a further two weeks before you receive your visa. This depends on your nationality. For certain nationalities the embassy is obliged to ask the other Schengen countries whether they have any objections to a person being issued a combined visa. The reason for this is that the combined visa will allow you to travel to all Schengen countries for a period of three months, while the MVV is valid only for the Netherlands. Such a consultation, although it is necessary only for a few nationalities, takes approximately two weeks. If you wish to know beforehand whether this consultation procedure will be required in your case, you can contact the embassy for information.
If you qualify for an MVV and have the required medical insurance, the combined visa should be given to you automatically. However, this is not always the case. Therefore it is advisable to ask specifically for the combined visa. You are not obliged to give a reason for applying for a combined visa although the embassy may ask you for one.
How to recognize an MVV, a short stay visa and a combined visa
If you have already received your visa, you might be wondering which type it is. An MVV, a short stay visa and a combined visa all look very similar. They consist of a sticker in your passport, which looks like this:
The text on the sticker differs. Look at the text in the field that says 'type visum'. If it is marked:
- With a D, the sticker is an MVV
- With a C, the sticker is a short stay visa
- With a D+C, the sticker is a combined visa
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 to the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service): call 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 will be travelling during your short stay, 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 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 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 (e.g. after a short vacation abroad or other visit which has no proven relationship with your official stay in the Netherlands). The visa requirements of the country which you are returning from are not relevant.
Who will be considered for a re-entry visa?
There are three different groups which may be considered for a re-entry visa:
- 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. - Foreign students and labour migrants who have applied for the extension of their residence permit in time and wish to go on a holdiay or visit a relative (this may be subject to change).
- 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?
A re-entry visa costs €40. If the IND was not able to process your residence application in time due to a delay on their part, it is possible to claim compensation from the IND. The IND will consider the facts and circumstances of the case, and decide whether compensation will be granted.
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
You are required to apply for a residence permit (VVR) if you are a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country and you would like to stay in the Netherlands for a period of more than three months.
Please note that you may also need an entry visa (MVV) to enter the Netherlands. In this the case, you will only be able to obtain your residence permit, provided that you have entered the Netherlands on the basis of the MVV and not on a tourist visa.
Your residence permit application paperwork can be submitted at the nearest IND office. Call the IND (0900-1234561) for information.
How to apply for a residence permit
A residence permit must be applied for within 3 days after your arrival. You can apply for the permit at the city hall of the municipality where you are planning to reside. You must submit:
- Your valid passport
- A passport photo
- Your MVV
At the city hall, you will be asked to complete an application form. It is likely that you will be asked for additional documents such as proof of sufficient funds or an employment contract.
In general, a residence permit does not allow employment. Residence and work permits are two separate documents.
When you have applied for a residence permit, you will most likely have to wait for several weeks or even months for your application to be processed. Please note that while you are waiting for your residence permit you are not allowed to travel outside the Netherlands.
