Do you want to apply for a residence permit?

A residence permit

If you come from outside the EU or European Economic Area and want to live and work in the Netherlands for more than three months, you must apply for a residence permit via the Toegang- en Verblijfprocedure’ (TEV) procedure. From the outset, you must have valid reasons for wanting to live in the Netherlands, for example marriage, family reunification or employment. It is important that you choose the purpose that best fits your situation as this will influence which permit application you submit.

Entry and residence procedure

Applying for a residence permit is no easy task. First, you must meet the following conditions before filing your residence permit application to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND):

• You must have a valid provisional residence permit (MMV- Machtiging tot Voorlopig)
• You must have a valid passport or an identity card which allows you to cross borders
• You must demonstrate that you can provide for yourself
• You must comply with your reason(s) for staying

If you meet the above requirements you can then send your application to the IND. When doing so, you must provide as many documents as possible to back up your reason(s) for staying in the Netherlands. Provide, for example, a certificate of registration for the university you will be attending, or an employment contract with a reference from someone at the company you will be working for. The IND will reply to your application within ninety days. If your application has been approved, you will receive a residence permit that will be valid for one year. After five years you will be able to apply for a permanent residence permit.

It is recommended that you hire an immigration lawyer to help you with the application procedure. A lawyer can also help you state your reason(s) for staying in the Netherlands and translate if necessary.

A lawyer doesn’t have to be expensive!

This will be apparent from the price indications that you will receive from various lawyers. You may also be eligible for a government reimbursement that provides for the costs of legal aid. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need any advice, or visit www.lawspot.nl/en to register your case.