Every foreigner arriving in the Netherlands – with exception of EU/EEA citizens and Swiss nationals –is required to report to the Foreign Police (Vreemdelnigenpolitie) within three days of arrival. This should be done in the municipality where you will be residing. To apply for a Dutch residency permit you will need to meet certain requirements.
Every foreigner arriving in the Netherlands – with exception of EU/EEA citizens and Swiss nationals –is required to report to the Foreign Police (Vreemdelnigenpolitie) within three days of arrival. This should be done in the municipality where you will be residing. To apply for a Dutch residency permit you will need to meet certain requirements.
If you wish to stay in the Netherlands for a period longer than 3 months and if you wish to apply for a Dutch residency permit, you will need an authorization for a temporary stay in the form of a MVV (Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf). If you require a MVV you need to apply for it at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of residence before your departure for the Netherlands.
Not everybody requires a MVV to apply for a residency permit. Nationals of the following countries do not need a MVV; Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the Vatican City.
Residency permit requirements
In order to qualify for a residency permit you will need to fulfil certain requirements. These requirements depend on the motivation of your stay: work, education, family, etc. The IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) will decide whether you fulfil the necessary requirements and if you are in possession of the correct documents. There are various requirements which you will always need to meet. You will always need to be in the possession of a valid passport. To obtain a residence permit you will further need to undergo a tuberculosis test and have a valid health insurance.
If you are not sure whether you fulfil the necessary requirements for a residency permit you can contact the IND by telephone by calling +31 20 889 30 45 or through their website www.ind.nl.
When you have enough information, and you are in possession of all the required documents you can ask for the application form at the local municipal office. Here you will also have to pay a certain fee. To apply for a residence permit you are required:
-To have a valid passport
-Not to have a criminal record
-Not to be a danger for the public and/or national safety
-To have sufficient monetary funds to finance (for example an income through labour or a financial sponsor) your stay in the Netherlands
-To undergo a tuberculosis test
-To have health insurance to cover any medical costs in the Netherlands
It is possible that the reason for your stay in the Netherlands obliges you to fulfil additional requirements. You should check this thoroughly on the website of the IND: www.ind.nl.
If you are coming to the Netherlands on academic grounds you can find more information on www.nuffic.nl.
Where and how to apply for your residence permit
If you do not need a MVV or you are in possession of a MVV, you can apply for a residence permit at the local municipal office (Gemeentehuis).
The municipality will send your application to the IND who will examine your submission. When the IND makes a decision to grant a residence permit they send a message to the municipal office and you will be able to collect it there. If the IND rejects your application you will receive a personal letter at your home address. If you are not granted the residency permit you have four weeks to appeal against the decision.
By law, the IND has 6 months to make their decision but in most cases this process will not take this amount of time.
If you require a MVV and you are not in the possession of this document, you should go to one of the IND offices in either Hoofddorp or Rijswijk in order to apply for a residence permit. Keep in mind that when a MVV is required you always have to try to obtain one. If you do not do this you could be handed over to the Foreign Police (Vreemdelingenpolitie).
