Dutch residence permits: choose the right route

Use this guide if you are moving to the Netherlands or choosing a residence route for a family member.

The IND (External site, opens in a new tab) decides residence applications. A referent (sponsor) is the person or organisation supporting your application. An erkende referent has approval from the IND.

The table gives common starting points, ordered by nationality, then family, work, study or asylum. For other routes, use the sections below. Open the exact IND route to check all its conditions.

You do not need a residence permit. You only need to register with the IND if it previously ended your right of residence as an EU citizen. For up to 3 months, a valid passport or national identity card from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland is enough.

For a stay longer than 3 months, you must meet the conditions for your situation. Examples include genuine and effective work, study with health cover and sufficient funds, or sufficient funds if you are not working. The IND conditions for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens (External site, opens in a new tab) also cover people looking for work.

If you will stay more than 4 months, register in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen, Personal Records Database) at your gemeente (municipality). The BSN (burgerservicenummer, citizen service number) and municipality-registration guide explains how.

Check separately which health insurance applies to you.

If your family member is an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you may qualify for toetsing EU-recht (External site, opens in a new tab). You can apply only from inside the Netherlands. A Dutch citizen falls under this route only in specific free-movement situations, such as returning after living with family in another EU country.

The evidence depends on your relationship. Examples include passports, marriage or birth records, proof of a lasting partnership, or proof that you depend on your family member. You also need evidence of your family member's lawful residence, health cover and sufficient income. The national partner route has different income and exam rules. Use the EU-law conditions for your case.

For free movement and EU-law family residence, open the route that matches your situation:

• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: right to stay (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Family member under EU law (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Returning with a Dutch citizen after living in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland (External site, opens in a new tab)
• IND registration if your EU residence right was previously ended (External site, opens in a new tab)

The national partner permit (External site, opens in a new tab) is for joining a Dutch citizen or residence-permit holder when EU law does not apply. Some residence purposes prevent a permit holder from sponsoring a partner. Check the IND partner page for that condition.

You must be able to prove your relationship. You must live together and register at the same address. Both partners must normally be at least 21. Both partners meet the age condition from 18 if they were already married when both lived outside the Netherlands.

The sponsor normally needs independent, sustainable and sufficient income. Exemptions exist. The IND income requirements and exemptions (External site, opens in a new tab) explain how the source, duration and amount of your income count.

From 1 July through 31 December 2026, the standard partner amount is €2,337 gross sv-loon (salary used to calculate social insurance contributions) per month without holiday allowance.

The standard adult application fee is €254 in 2026. Another fee or an exemption can apply.

Your nationality and circumstances decide whether you need a machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf (MVV, provisional residence permit). The MVV is an entry visa. For a partner application requiring an MVV, you must normally pass the basisexamen inburgering buitenland (civic integration exam abroad) before applying. Vrijstellingen (exemptions) and ontheffingen (waivers) exist. Use the civic integration exam abroad guide to check the exam requirement and the MVV family guide for the procedure.

Family routes use different conditions. Open the exact IND route for the person who will join you:

• Partner (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Minor child joining a parent (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Child born in the Netherlands (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Adopted child (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Foster child (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Residence with a minor Dutch child (Chavez) (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Family reunification after asylum (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Other family life under Article 8 ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) (External site, opens in a new tab)

For the kennismigrant route (External site, opens in a new tab), an IND-recognised employer normally applies for you. If you have Turkish nationality, your employer does not need recognition. You can also submit the application yourself in that case. Check the IND rules for Turkish highly skilled migrants (External site, opens in a new tab). You normally need an employment contract. A wetenschappelijk onderzoeker may instead use an appointment decision that meets the IND requirements. Your pay must be in line with similar jobs and meet the applicable income requirement.

For a first application in 2026, the standard gross monthly thresholds without holiday allowance are €5,942 for people aged 30 or over and €4,357 for people under 30. The reduced threshold is €3,122 for qualifying graduates and researchers. Separate income rules apply if you are a wetenschappelijk onderzoeker or arts in opleiding (doctor in specialist training).

The reduced threshold depends on eligibility for the zoekjaar (orientation year for graduates and researchers). The IND lists cases for current or former zoekjaar holders and people who qualify without having held that permit. Relevant applications must meet the listed timing conditions, including the 3-year limit after graduation, a doctorate or expiry of a research permit. Extensions and employer changes can use different age rules. Check the IND salary table and reduced criterion (External site, opens in a new tab) for your case.

The standard application fee is €423 in 2026; fee exceptions can apply.

Other paid employment may require a GVVA (External site, opens in a new tab) or another work route. For the GVVA, the employer or employee can apply. The employer can be recognised or unrecognised. Confirm the exact work purpose before checking sponsor recognition or using the kennismigrant salary figures.

For work, compare the job or activity before using a salary threshold. These are the IND work routes:

• Highly skilled migrant (External site, opens in a new tab)
• European Blue Card (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Intra-corporate transfer: manager, specialist or trainee (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Researcher under Directive (EU) 2016/801 (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Short-term researcher mobility from another EU country (External site, opens in a new tab)
• GVVA: combined residence and work permit (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Paid employment outside the GVVA procedure (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Orientation year after qualifying study or research (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Innovative start-up (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Essential start-up employee (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Self-employed business (External site, opens in a new tab)
• International Trade Regulation project (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Internship or work experience (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Work experience through an EU programme (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Temporary service provision for an EU/EEA or Swiss company (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Cross-border work while living in another EU country (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Seasonal agricultural work (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Seafaring crew service (External site, opens in a new tab)
• British services under the EU–UK Trade Agreement (External site, opens in a new tab)

For higher education, only your IND-recognised education institution can submit the application. You need enrolment in an accredited full-time programme and enough money for your stay. Check the higher-education student residence permit requirements (External site, opens in a new tab).

The 2026 study amount for higher professional education or university is €1,130.77 per month. You must show enough money for 12 months. For example, using your own savings in 2026 means €1,130.77 × 12 = €13,569.24 for living costs. Tuition fees are extra. The IND study-income requirements (External site, opens in a new tab) explain which evidence counts.

The standard application fee is €254 in 2026; fee exceptions can apply.

You must obtain at least 50% of the credits each study year. If you fall short, the institution first checks whether you have a valid reason. Without a valid reason, it must report the shortfall to the IND. The IND then checks whether you still meet the study conditions.

Choose the study route for your education level or existing EU study permit. The orientation year is listed with work routes above:

• University or higher professional education (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Secondary or vocational education (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Part of your studies with a permit from another EU country (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Pilot: final year of mbo level 4 (External site, opens in a new tab)

Asylum is a procedure for people who need protection. You report in person after reaching the Netherlands. See the steps to apply for asylum in the Netherlands (External site, opens in a new tab). The application is free. You apply yourself and do not need a sponsor. Bring identity documents and evidence of why you need protection if you can. The IND decides which asylum procedure applies and whether you qualify.

Family reunification connected to an asylum permit is a separate route. For civic integration duties after a positive decision, see who must integrate in the Netherlands.

For asylum and the renewal of asylum documents, use these official routes. Permanent asylum is marked closed to new applications:

• First asylum application (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Second or later asylum application (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Renewal of asylum residence document (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Permanent asylum: applications closed from 12 June 2026 (External site, opens in a new tab)

For an au pair or a cultural stay, compare the exchange routes. Each has its own age, nationality and sponsor conditions:

• Au pair (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Working Holiday (WHP/WHS): cultural stay with holiday work (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Cultural exchange (External site, opens in a new tab)

If another EU country gave you EU long-term resident status, check these Dutch routes. That status alone does not allow you to settle here:

• Moving from another EU country as an EU long-term resident (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Economically inactive EU long-term resident (External site, opens in a new tab)

If the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement covers you, choose its residence or frontier-worker document. British people outside that agreement use another route, such as the work routes above:

• Temporary residence under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Permanent residence under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Frontier-worker document under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (External site, opens in a new tab)

For medical, humanitarian or other special circumstances, open the matching route. Ask the IND which application and evidence fit before submitting:

• Returning after earlier Dutch residence or citizenship (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Medical treatment (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Honour-related or domestic violence (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Private life under Article 8 ECHR (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Other humanitarian and special permits (External site, opens in a new tab)

The special-permit page also covers trafficking victims or witnesses; children under a supervision order and qualifying family; temporary child placement under the Hague Child Protection Convention; inability to leave through no fault of your own; qualifying westernised Afghan girls and family; and terminal illness. Its non-temporary routes include Hague placement until 18 and children whose parental authority has ended. It also covers NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) personnel and family. Privileged diplomats, consular staff and international-organisation employees and their qualifying family use a special status rather than a residence permit. The Aachen student accommodation pilot is closed to new applicants; existing permits can be extended. Ask IND about the exact special route.

If you already live here, compare continued residence, a change of purpose and permanent status. Renewing the card and qualifying for a new status are separate procedures:

• Change your residence purpose (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Continued residence on non-temporary humanitarian grounds (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Keep EU-law residence after a family situation changes (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Extend a regular temporary permit (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Regular permanent residence (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Dutch EU long-term resident status (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Permanent EU-law residence for citizens and family (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Permanent permit for (former) privileged persons and family (External site, opens in a new tab)
• Renew an existing permanent residence document (External site, opens in a new tab)

Temporary protection for displacement from Ukraine is a separate protection status. Check the IND eligibility and proof rules (External site, opens in a new tab) before using an ordinary permit route.

Work through these checks in order before you submit an application:

1. Match your nationality and purpose to the route: free movement, toetsing EU-recht, a national permit or asylum.
2. Check who can submit the application and whether the organisation must be recognised by the IND.
3. Recheck the IND income amounts (External site, opens in a new tab), application fees (External site, opens in a new tab) and evidence for your route on the day you apply.
4. Make a personal evidence list from the exact IND page and application form.

Income amounts can change on 1 January or 1 July. Exceptions depend on the route.

Your purpose of stay and circumstances decide which route you can use. Check any exam requirement after choosing the residence route.

If the family member you are joining is an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, check toetsing EU-recht before using the national partner conditions. If your family member is Dutch and has used free movement, check whether EU law applies to your case.

If you are below a standard income figure, check the rule for your route before treating it as a refusal. EU-law cases use different conditions from national partner permits. National partner applications can have income exemptions. The kennismigrant reduced threshold applies only when its conditions are met.

If you have fewer than 50% of the credits for your study year, contact your education institution about the reason and evidence it needs.

If two residence routes may fit or an exception matters to your case, ask the IND or a qualified immigration adviser before applying.

Arrange foreign certificates, translations and legalisation early. Use the IND document list for your route to decide what you need.

Check civic integration proof for these applications: verblijfsvergunning regulier voor onbepaalde tijd (regular permanent residence permit) and EU-langdurig ingezetene (EU long-term resident) status. See Permanent residence: civic integration proof for the IND for the proof the IND accepts.

Continue with these guides for your documents and arrival:

• Documents to arrange before moving to the Netherlands
• MVV: joining a partner or family member
• Your first 90 days in the Netherlands