Netherlands long-stay visa; who needs to apply for it?

The long-stay visa allows people to enter the country legally. At the same time, the Residence permit authorizes them to study, work, or stay with a family member.

The long-stay visa for the Netherlands also gets called:

• Netherlands MVV Visa
• Authorization for a temporary stay
• A Dutch provisional residence permit

Who needs to apply for Netherlands long-stay visa?

Whether you need a Netherlands long-stay visa is a matter of your nationality. The below list doesn’t need a long-stay visa for the Netherlands:

• EU, EEA citizens
• Switzerland nationals
• The citizens of:
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Canada
  • Japan
  • Monaco
  • Vatican City
  • USA
  • South Korea.

• You will live with a relative who is a member of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland.
• You possess a valid residence permit from another Schengen country.
• You have had a valid Dutch Residence Permit in the last two years to the date of application.
• You hold a valid Residence Permit from a European Community member.
• You have had a valid EU Blue Card for at least 1.5 years.
• You are going to run a start-up in the Netherlands.
• You will be working for the Dutch branch of the company.
• You are not older than 12, were born in the Netherlands, and live with your parents.

How to make 100% sure?

You can use another way to make sure that you need a long-stay visa or not. You could visit the website of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to know.

The website asks your nationality and a few other questions. Then it will tell you whether you need a long-stay visa or not.

Purpose of stay

When you wish to apply for Netherlands Residence Permit, you need to have a purpose for your stay. As you need a long-stay visa to enter the country and then apply for Residence Permit, having the purpose of a visit is essential. Your purpose could be:

• Work for a Dutch employer.
• Study
• Participating in an exchange program.
• You are self-employed and want to work as one.
• You are a highly skilled migrant.
• You will join your partner.
• You are looking for a job or want to start your own business.

How to apply for Netherlands long-stay visa?

The application process for Netherlands long-stay visa is as follows:

1. Do you need a visa?

First, you need to know whether you need an MMV visa or not. As explained above, not everyone needs a long-stay visa. See the section above to know whether you are among the exempted countries or not. If not, you need to apply for a long-stay visa.

2. The civic integration exam

One of the preconditions of the MMV visa is the civic integration exam. The test evaluates your knowledge of Dutch society and language. You need to take the test in the Dutch embassy or consulate you apply to. The current fee for the test is 150 EUR.

Who is exempt from the civic integration exam?

You don’t need to take the civic integration exam if you fall in the below groups:

• You have a university degree, a Dutch language qualification, or a valid civic integration certificate.
• You are applying for:
  • A medical visa
  • Studying in the Netherlands
  • Au Pair
  • Work for a Dutch employer
  • A residence permit adoption
  •  Independent person working under an international treaty.
• You are a Turkish national.

If you come into one of the above groups, you don’t need to take the civic integration test. If so, passing the exam is a must for Netherlands long-stay visa.

Find more information about the exam from this link. 

3. Purpose of stay

Having a valid purpose for a visit is another requirement for a long-stay visa. Your purpose could be studying, working, or staying with a close family member.

Keep in mind that each purpose requires particular conditions. For instance, studying in the Netherlands needs:

• Admission from a university or education center
• Language requirement
• Have enough funds
• Proof of accommodation
• Etc.

Providing that you want to work in the Netherlands, you need a job offer or employment contract from a Dutch employer. The requirements for the purpose of the visit are different for each one. You should mine what are yours.

4. Where to apply

If you apply for the Netherlands long-stay visa on your own, find out where to apply for it. You could apply to:

• The Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country or a neighboring country.
• A visa center (like VFS).

The Government of the Netherlands website can help you to find out where to apply for a long-stay visa. Put your nationality in the field, and it will tell you where to apply.

5. Applying

Two people can apply for the Netherlands long-stay visa:

You apply for the visa

In case you are applying on your own, you need to apply to the Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country. You need to gather the required supporting documents. Then you have to set a meeting with the embassy and visit them on time. They will ask you questions about the purpose of your visit and decide on your application.

Your sponsor applies for the visa

Providing that you have a sponsor in the Netherlands, he/she can apply on your behalf. The sponsor needs to apply directly to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).

The sponsor needs some supporting documents. So you have to send him/her everything the officials require. Your sponsor will inform you of the procedures to follow. Please keep in mind that you and your sponsor should be in contact with each other.

6. Fee and the necessary steps

You also have to pay the fee for visa processing. The fee depends on:

• The purpose of your visit
• The country you apply from
• The services the Dutch embassy or consulate provides you

If your sponsor applies on your behalf, she/he might have to pay the fee.

Depending on the purpose of your visit, nationality ad other factors, you might have to go through different procedures. For instance, the Dutch embassy could ask for further requirements. You might have to submit the requirements in a neighboring country.

7. Visa processing

Now you need to wait until the Dutch authorities process your visa. The processing time is various for each applicant. It depends on:

• Your nationality,
• Your particular case,
• The time of the year you apply
• Whether your documents are complete or not
• If the officials require further documents

When your visa is ready, the Dutch officials inform you or the sponsor. They will notify you on how to pick it up. At this moment, you have three months to enter the Netherlands.

The Dutch authorities might refuse your application. They have the right to do so. For example, if they find something suspicious in your background or a criminal background, they might reject you.

Now you and the sponsor can object or appeal. Providing that the Dutch officials find you eligible to object, they will send you a letter on following the procedure.

What are the requirements for a Netherlands long-stay visa?

The requirements for a Netherlands long-stay visa depend on the purpose of your visit or your Residence permit. There are particular requirements for each one:

• Netherlands Work Visa
• Netherlands Family Visa
• Netherlands Student Visa
• Netherlands Au Pair Visa
• Netherlands Working Holiday Visa

However, some of the general requirements for a Netherlands visa are as follows:

Passport 

Valid for the whole duration of staying in the Netherlands. It can not be older than ten years.

TB test 

When you enter the Netherlands, you need to take a TB test. However, a few countries are exempt from taking the test.

Photos 

You need two identical photos of yourself taken in the latest three months.

Antecedents certificate

This is part of your application form. It requires you to provide information about your criminal background. The officials require you to state that you have provided the right information.

Keep in mind that children under 12 don’t need to complete this form.

As explained, the requirements for the Netherlands long-stay visa depends on the purpose of your visit. So there are more requirements.

How long can you stay in the Netherlands under a long-stay visa?

Netherlands long-stay visa is valid for 90 days. During this period, you have to complete the application for Residence Permit.

When moving to the Netherlands, bring every piece of requirements that you might need for a Residence Permit.

Let’s sum up…

When you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you might need a Netherlands long-stay visa and Residence Permit.

The text explained who needs a long-stay visa and how to apply for it. It also explained the requirements. Please remember that the requirements vary by the purpose of your visit.

See the left sidebar to know about other types of Netherlands long-stay visas. Your purpose of stay is one of them like work or study.

If you have knowledge or experience about visas, please share them with us in the comment section below. Let other candidates light their ways.

To know more about other countries’ visas, go through the menu of the site.