The Netherlands is a popular destination for ex-pats looking to start a new life. How to immigrate to the Netherlands The country offers a high quality of life, excellent healthcare, and a strong economy, whether you are moving for work, study, or family reasons. Why Immigrate to the Netherlands The Netherlands is known for its welcoming culture, beautiful landscapes, and rich history. Here are some top reasons to consider moving to the Netherlands
- High standard of living: The Netherlands has a high standard of living, with excellent healthcare, education, and public services.
- Robust economy: The Dutch economy is one of the strongest in Europe, with a highly skilled workforce and a focus on innovation.
- Cultural diversity: The Netherlands is a melting pot of cultures, with a vibrant arts and cultural scene.
Requirements for Immigration to the Netherlands To immigrate to the Netherlands, you must meet specific needs, including obtaining a residency permit or Dutch citizenship. Here are the essential requirements to keep in mind
- Residency permit: If you are a non-EU citizen, you must obtain a residency permit to live and work in the Netherlands.
- Dutch citizenship: If you are an EU citizen, you can apply for Dutch citizenship after living in the Netherlands for a certain period.
- Age: You must be 18 to apply for a residency permit or Dutch citizenship.
- Health insurance: You must have health insurance to live and work in the Netherlands.
- Income requirements: You must have sufficient income to support yourself and any dependents while living in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands’ immigration policy
The Netherlands is one of the nations in Europe with the highest population densities. It has long been a multicultural community that welcomes immigrants and gains from them both culturally and economically. It has gotten so bad that almost 24.6% of Dutch people are descendants of migrants. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, this percentage increases to over 50%. The Netherlands’ two-tier immigration scheme is similar to many other EU nations. Citizens of the EU and EFTA have unrestricted access to travel and residence in the Netherlands. To reside, work, study, or start a family in the Netherlands, however, most non-EU/EFTA nationals must fulfill specific requirements. As a member of the Schengen Area, the nation allows its many European residents to visit without a passport. The Immigration and Naturalization Service handles immigration to and from the Netherlands and permits. In 2020, the IND held 96,120 requests for residence permits and 43,660 proposals for naturalization.
Who is required to obtain a passport to enter the Netherlands
Citizens of EFTA/EU
Regardless of the duration of their stay, EU/EFTA nationals (EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) do not require a visa to enter, reside in, or engage in employment or study in the Netherlands. Have legitimate Documentation on hand.Â
EU/EFTA citizens must register with their municipal government for stays longer than three months. After that, they’ll receive a citizen service number and be added to the Personal Records Index Many aspects of daily living in the Netherlands, including opening a bank account, call for this social security and tax identification number. You must have appropriate health insurance coverage and provide Documentation proving you have enough money to support yourself and any dependent family members if you are an EU/EFTA citizen staying in the Netherlands for more than three months without finding employment.
Non-EU/EFTA citizens
You might need a visa from a nation outside the EU/EFTA to access and remain in the Netherlands. Netherlands visa rules vary by nationality for brief stays of up to three months. Some nationals, including those from the US, Japan, and Australia, can visit the Dutch visa-free for up to 90 days (or any 90 days within 180 days). Others will have to obtain a short-stay visa, but check each nation’s needs before you travel. Non-EU/EFTA nationals typically require a Dutch visa and residence authorization pertinent to their stay objectives for stays longer than three months. They might also need a work permit to labor.
Dutch passport categories
- The following kinds of visas are available for Netherlands entry:
- 90-day-long short-stay permits are public (or a maximum of 90 days within 180 days)
- Tickets for temporary stay are typically good for up to a year and are issued for a specific reason.
- Long-stay visas, which are valid for more than a year and are used for things like visiting family or working
- return passport
You might require a return visa to re-enter the Netherlands if you leave the country briefly and don’t have a valid residence permit when you return, for instance, if it expires while you are gone. The return visa’s duration varies depending on your situation but usually lasts three months and a year. This visa presently costs €161, or €47 for Turkish nationals and their family members.
Dutch permits for short stays
Dutch permits for a brief visit are only good for 90 days (or 90 days within 180 days). The primary short-stay passport is the Schengen C visa, which enables travel throughout the Schengen Area. If you intend to depart the Netherlands and return within this time frame, you must have a multi-entry rather than a single-entry visa. If you have a reasonable cause, you can typically pay €30 to convert a single-entry ticket to a multiple-entry one. Before your trip, you must apply for a short-stay visa at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your nation of residence. The three types of short-stay visas available in the Netherlands are tourist (holiday and family visit), business visit, and transit stopover permits.
Vacation and passport for family visits
This is the typical Schengen C visitor passport for transiting through the Netherlands. Usually, six months prior to departure, you must file an application in person at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country. You must have the following items in addition to your finished application paper. The paper must be valid and include two passport photos.
Details of your visit to the Netherlands.
Typically, a bank statement demonstrating that you have at least €55 per day available to cover expenses proves that you can support yourself financially during your stay. You will need a sponsor in Dutch who is willing to pay your costs if you don’t have this.
A statement of health insurance.
Information about your lodging, such as the name and location of the hotel you have booked or the people you will be staying with. Proof that you will depart the Netherlands before your visa expires, such as a ticket home on your return journey. Within 15 days, you ought to hear about the status of your passport application. If your visa application is approved, you must typically pick it up from the embassy or port. The short-term tourist visa is not a job permit. However, to work in the Netherlands while holding this visa, you must register for a BSN, and in most cases, your employer will also need to get a work permit from the Employee Insurance Agency. Children aged 6 to 12 pay only €40 instead of the average €80 visa fee. For kids under the age of six, it is gratis. Usually, this Netherlands visa cannot be extended. However, you must spend €30 if your justification for the extension is accepted.
Visiting for Business
The Schengen C passport comes in yet another variant. The conditions, fees, and application procedures are comparable to the vacation and family stay visas. The main distinction is that the trip must be for business when made to the Netherlands. You could be:
- Business or vocational instruction
- traveling to the country to conduct work
- taking part in a meeting or seminar
- participating in a cultural or athletic gathering
- carrying out a political or official mission
- Working or helping on an interim assignment
- finishing a short study session
Typically, you will require a letter of invitation from a company or organization that is either headquartered in the Netherlands or is legally allowed to conduct business there. If you are self-employed and your company is related to your visit, you must also prove that you have a job, study placement, or other connection to your home country. If you are not paying for your journey, you must prove that a sponsoring party—such as your employer, university, or host organization—is footing the bill.
Visa for a layover at an airport
The Schengen A visa is restricted to use in airport passage only. You might require this if you spend the night in a Dutch airport while traveling to a nation outside the Schengen Area. You can enter a Dutch airport’s foreign area thanks to it. You require a short-stay C visa if you plan to travel outside the airport, even for a day.
Temporary Dutch passports
Temporary visas for the Netherlands are available for stays that usually last between three months and a year. For specific work, study, or exchange reasons, these visas may be granted as residence permits in the Netherlands. While some can be restored, others cannot.
MVVs are allowed to live there temporarily.
If you require a visa to enter the Netherlands, which is suitable for the same time as a short-stay visa (90 days). Both the MVV and the residence pass may be applied for simultaneously. Before departure, you must apply for these at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your home nation. You may also submit with the help of a sponsor, typically a Dutch employer or educational institution. You must present a legitimate photo ID (plus biometric information for MVV applications), proof of a clear criminal history, and, if you are over, evidence of your salary to obtain any temporary visas or permits. A civic integration test is also necessary for you to pass before moving. You can take a three-part Dutch language and culture exam using a computer at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country. You have three months from the time your application is accepted to pick it up. It is only suitable for 90 days, so you should visit the Netherlands before then to pick up your residence visa. The registration procedure must be repeated if you cannot arrive on time. If you are not from an exempt country, you must take tuberculosis (TB) test within four months of your arrival in the Netherlands and acquire health insurance.
Trade of cultural goods
This is a temporary visa for young individuals ages 18 to 30 who want to experience and study Dutch culture. You must do this through a recognized exchange school, which will also serve as your host during your stay and submit applications for your residence permit and MVV on your behalf, as needed. The cost is €320 for this visa/permit. You can only submit one application for it, which is not renewable. While in the Netherlands, you are only permitted to engage in volunteer work and must live with a family of two or more individuals. The Working Holiday Program (WHP) visa, available to young people from nine different countries, is an additional option to the standard cultural exchange visa. This visa is available to anyone between 18 and 30 who wants to serve as an au pair for a host family for up to a year. The requirements and fees for this visa/permit are identical to those for the visa for cultural exchange. You must do so through a reputable au pair service to ensure your application is handled correctly. This visa allows you to serve as an au pair for 30 hours per week. No one in your foster family may be related to you in the first, second, or third degree.
Visa for people with expertise
You can travel to the Netherlands for up to a year as an apprentice or trainee to gain job experience. You will require a registered sponsoring group to do this, as they will serve as both your employer and the provider of the work experience agreement and plan. You can do this yourself if you’d like, but typically your sponsor will take care of your visa and permit needs through the IND.
Long-term Dutch permits
If you intend to work, learn, or live with family for an extended period in the Netherlands, you must obtain a long-stay visa. Long-stay visas, like temporary Dutch visas, permit you to leave and enter the Netherlands as long as they are in effect. The basic requirements, such as TB testing and obtaining health insurance, are the same for long-stay visas as for temporary access. Permits for extended stays can last up to five years.
Working Permit
You will require a “Single Permit” if you intend to stay in the Netherlands for more than three months to labor for pay This is a residence and work permit in one (TWV). If you require a visa to visit the Netherlands, the MVV temporary permit may also be required.Typically, getting your GVVA comes after receiving an employment offer. Your job typically requests this, and two weeks after you arrive in the Netherlands, you pick it up from the IND. Your nation’s Dutch embassy or consulate will provide you with an MVV if you require one. You might also be required to pay a minimum wage, depending on your work.
Dutch work-related visas fall under a variety of categories, including
- General permit for most paid work; costs €320; good for one year. For a limit of five years, it may be renewed.
- High-level job highly skilled permit, €320, valid for five years.
- Employees of multinational corporations who relocated to the Netherlands are eligible for an intra-corporate transfer permit with—a three-year expiration date. The company typically meets costs.
- Permit for researchers, suitable for five years and costing €192.
- Another permit for highly qualified workers is the European Blue Card, which is suitable for four years. You can also work for yourself. It cost €320.
Research passport
If you are enrolled in a Dutch institution, and your course of study will last longer than three months, you will need a residence permit. If a passport is required to enter the Netherlands, you will also require an MVV. You must have an acceptance letter from a Dutch educational establishment and fulfill the requirements for admission to the course to be eligible for a student residence permit. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you have the means to sustain yourself during your stay. Your institution will submit a residence permit application (and MVV if necessary).
Relative passport
Families can reunite under Dutch immigration legislation. Family members of EU/EFTA citizens residing in the Netherlands may apply for the same rights as EU citizens and travel without a visa (see above section). The following family members may accompany non-EU/EFTA citizens residing in the Netherlands
Partner or spouse
minors under the age of 18 (including adopted or foster children) In addition to an MVV, if you require a visa to visit the Netherlands, you will need a residence permit if you are joining a non-EU/EFTA family member. The price is €192 for couples and €64 for kids. The permit’s validity is the same time as the joining relative’s. Most of the time, you can work
Conclusion
Immigrating to the Netherlands can be a rewarding experience for those looking for a new adventure. While the process may seem daunting at first, with the right research and preparation, you can make the move successfully. Remember to stay patient, stay positive, and take advantage of all the opportunities that the Netherlands has to offer.