Visa and immigration

An entry visa is a sticker placed in your passport at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your own country (or the country in which you legally reside), but it must be applied for well in advance.  

For a stay for up to three months (90 days), you might need a 'short-stay visa' (in Dutch: Visum Kort Verblijf, VKV), depending on your nationality. This visa is also called a ‘Schengen visa’.  

If you will be staying for longer than three months (90 days), you might need a ‘provisional residence permit’ (in Dutch: 'Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf or MVV') to enter the Netherlands.

Your provisional residence permit (MVV) will have to be converted into a residence permit upon your arrival in the Netherlands.

If you are a citizen from an EU, EER-country or Switzerland and you are staying longer than 3 months, you have to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Dutch Government (IND).

All guests with a short-stay visa must register within three working days of arrival with the Immigration Police.

The International Service Desk can make an application for your partner/ child(ren) at the same moment as applying for your own visa.

Information about a new immigration policy in the Netherlands (not yet implemented).