Preparations for application
Before you start the application process, you will need certain information. The most important items of information are listed below. The procedures for admission to the Netherlands are fairly complex and usually take a few months. You can reduce the chances of disappointment by being well prepared.
Do you meet the requirements for admission?
Before applying for an MVV, you should first find out whether you think you meet the requirements for admission to the Netherlands. The requirements for residence permit applicants vary according to the purposes for which the different residence permits are issued. If, for example, you are applying for purposes of family reunification, your partner will have to have a sufficient income and adequate housing. If you are planning to study in the Netherlands, an entirely different set of requirements apply. If you do not meet the relevant requirements, it is useless to start the MVV procedures since your application will be rejected. Various other information pamphlets explain the requirements for the different purposes for which residence permits are issued.
Do you need an MVV to enter the Netherlands?
All aliens need an MVV to enter the Netherlands, except nationals of European Union Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden), or any of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland (including Liechtenstein).
Aliens of all other nationalities require an MVV. Even if you are a national of a European Union Member State, you can apply for an MVV before entering the Netherlands so as to be sure whether you will be granted a residence permit.
Which documents are required?
Before applying for an MVV, it is important to find out which official documents are required for your application. The document requirements differ according to the purpose of the applicant's stay in the Netherlands. If, for example, you are planning to live with a Dutch partner, you will need to provide proof that you are not married. In addition, the municipality (gemeente) in which you are planning to live in the Netherlands may require you to submit various other official documents.
Official foreign documents must be legalized.
You can have your foreign documents legalized by submitting them to the competent authorities in the country where they were issued and requesting them to confirm that the documents were issued by the proper authorities. Usually your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Justice - or those of the country where the documents were issued - can provide such confirmation. Once legalized, the documents should be submitted for approval to the Dutch embassy or consulate general (CG) in the country where confirmation took place. It is important for you to find out in time which documents you need to legalize. Legalization requirements will differ, depending on the purpose of your stay in the Netherlands.
In Ghana, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and the Dominican Republic, documents do not only have to be legalized, but also verified. Verification takes place at the Dutch embassy or consulate and entails checking all of the documents' contents. This procedure usually takes several months and can be expensive. Applicants are responsible to pay all necessary costs. You can also contact the Dutch embassy for more information about legalizing exit documents.
To obtain more information in the Netherlands, contact the Legalization Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (+31-070-3484787, extension 5901; open from 09:00-12:00 and from 14:30-17:00).
Application procedures
Applicants for the MVV must apply in person at the Embassy in Hanoi or CG in Ho Chi Minh City. Applicants may, however, have the application procedures initiated in the Netherlands via a sponsor (a person in whose home they will be staying or a prospective employer).
Applying for an MVV abroadOnce you are sure that you:
a) have become sufficiently familiar with the requirements for residence in the Netherlands and believe that you meet those requirements; b) need an MVV to enter the Netherlands;
c) have had the necessary documents legalized (and, if necessary, verified)
you can go to the Embassy or CG.
MVV applications can be made at the Embassy or CG. Depending on the purpose of your stay, you may be asked to submit various other documents, such as a birth or marriage certificate. For your convenience you can print out the visa application form and fill it out before you come to the Embassy or CG.
The diplomatic representative will submit a formal request to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands for authorization to issue the MVV. Incidentally, the Visa Service is located in the same complex with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) of the Ministry of Justice in the Hague.
The Visa Service will request information from the Aliens Police in the city/town in which you plan to reside. The Minister of Foreign Affairs (Visa Service) will decide whether to approve your application based on that information, and will notify the Embassy or CG where you applied of that decision. The Embassy or CG, in turn, will inform you of the decision. If your application is rejected, you can submit an appeal against the decision to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Visa Service) via the PO box address at the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The letter you receive notifying you of the decision will inform you of the procedures for appeal.
If your application has been approved, you do not automatically receive an MVV. the Embassy or CG will first have to verify whether you meet certain formal requirements, such as whether or not you have a valid passport. For this reason, you are advised to wait until you have your MVV before you buy a ticket. In buying your ticket, make sure to take account of the maximum validity period for your MVV. The Embassy's or CG's authorization from the Visa Service to issue you an MVV remains valid for a maximum of six months. The MVV itself has to be used within the specified period of validity, which extends up to a maximum of six months. If you meet the formal requirements, the Embassy or CG will issue you the MVV in the form of a sticker in your passport. Usually, there is a processing fee. Once you have the visa sticker, you can travel to the Netherlands.
Arrival in the Netherlands
After arriving in the Netherlands, you must request a residence permit - within three working days - from the Aliens Police Department of the police in the city/town in which you are residing or staying. You cannot apply for a residence permit without the MVV. If you have entered the Netherlands without a valid MVV and attempt to apply for a residence permit, your application will automatically be rejected and your trip will have been pointless. You will receive a residence permit if you meet all the relevant requirements. These requirements apply to a range of areas, such as your partner's income and whether or not you pose a threat to public peace and order or to national security. Although these issues are examined during the MVV application process, the Aliens Police conducts one final check before issuing residence permits.
Employment in the Netherlands
In accordance with the Employment of Foreign Workers Act, an employer cannot employ a foreigner without an employment permit from the Central Employment Board. The employer must first fill a vacancy from the pool of job applicants immediately available in the Netherlands. Subsequently it will be determined if applicants from other member states of the European Community are available. Only after these two applicant pool are exhausted, subjects from other countries can be eligible for an employment permit. An employment permit can be sought only after a residence permit application (VTV) has been submitted. Applications for employment permits are processed by the Employment Office only if the form has been completed, signed by both the employer and the employee, and all required material has been attached. Please note that the Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate -General in Ho Chi Minh City cannot provide assistance in matters relating to employment, such as providing addresses of possible employment opportunities, labour conditions and so on.
