MVV – Long-Stay Visa for the Netherlands
If you are planning to move to the Netherlands from outside the EU for more than 90 days, you may come across the term MVV. It is an important part of the immigration process for many people moving to the Netherlands for work, study, family or another long-term purpose.
MVV stands for Machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, which is officially translated as a provisional residence permit. Despite the name, it is actually an entry visa. It is a Type D visa sticker placed in your passport that allows you to travel to the Netherlands for a stay of more than 90 days and collect your residence permit after arrival.
The easiest way to think about it is this: the MVV helps you enter the Netherlands for your long-term stay, while your residence permit allows you to continue living there.
Who Needs an MVV?
Not every person moving to the Netherlands needs an MVV. Whether you need one depends primarily on your nationality and the type of residence permit you are applying for.
If you want to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days and need a regular Dutch residence permit, you will often also need an MVV. However, there are important exemptions.
Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland do not need an MVV. They also generally do not need a Dutch residence permit to live in the Netherlands.
There are also several non-EU nationalities that are exempt from the MVV requirement. At present, citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Korea do not normally need an MVV.
This is an important distinction: being exempt from the MVV does not necessarily mean you do not need a residence permit. For example, an American or British citizen moving to the Netherlands may not need an MVV but can still need a Dutch residence permit for a long-term stay.
MVV and Residence Permit – What's the Difference?
It is easy to confuse the two because they are often arranged as part of the same process.
Your MVV is an entry visa. It allows you to travel to the Netherlands for your long-term stay.
Your residence permit is the document that gives you permission to live in the Netherlands for the approved purpose and period.
If you need an MVV, you normally apply for the MVV and residence permit at the same time. Your sponsor in the Netherlands will often submit the application, although in some situations you can apply yourself from abroad.
So in practice, you normally do not complete an entire MVV process and then start from the beginning with a separate residence-permit application.
Why Are You Moving to the Netherlands?
An MVV is not simply a general visa for anyone who wants to move to the Netherlands. Your application is connected to a specific purpose of residence.
For example, you might be moving to the Netherlands to work, study, live with your partner or family, or for another recognised residence purpose.
Each route has its own requirements. Someone moving to work as a highly skilled migrant will therefore have a different application from someone moving to join their partner.
This is why it is important to first identify the correct residence purpose, rather than simply searching for an MVV application.
Who Applies for the MVV?
In many cases, a sponsor in the Netherlands handles the application. Your sponsor could be an employer, educational institution, partner or another person or organisation, depending on why you are moving.
For example, if you are moving for certain types of employment, your employer may submit the application. If you are coming to study, your educational institution may handle the process.
If you do not have a sponsor for your particular residence route, you may be able to submit the MVV and residence-permit application yourself from abroad.
Even when somebody else is handling the application for you, keep copies of your documents and understand what is being submitted in your name.
Where Do You Apply?
If you are submitting the application yourself from abroad, you generally start through a Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of origin or country of continuous residence.
Your country of continuous residence is generally a country where you are legally allowed to stay for more than three months, for example because you hold a residence permit there.
At the appointment, you may need to provide your passport, passport photo and application documents. Biometric information, including fingerprints and your signature, may also be collected for your residence document.
The exact procedure can differ depending on your residence purpose and whether you or your sponsor submits the application.
What Documents Will You Need?
There is no single document list that applies to every MVV applicant. What you need depends on why you are moving to the Netherlands.
You will generally need a valid passport or another accepted travel document. Additional documents may relate to your employment, studies, relationship, finances or other circumstances.
Official foreign documents may sometimes need to be legalised and translated before they can be used in a Dutch immigration application.
This is one area where it is better to follow the checklist for your specific IND application rather than a general checklist found online.
Do You Need to Take an Integration Exam Before Moving?
Some people applying for an MVV must first pass the Civic Integration Examination Abroad (Basisexamen inburgering buitenland).
This requirement does not apply to everyone.
For example, the IND states that people who need an MVV and want to live with their partner may be required to pass the exam before applying, unless an exemption or dispensation applies. The exam covers basic Dutch language and knowledge of Dutch society.
If you are moving for another reason, such as work or study, different rules may apply. Check the requirements for your particular residence purpose rather than assuming that every MVV applicant needs to take the exam.
What Happens After Your Application Is Approved?
If the IND approves your application and you need an MVV, you will receive instructions about collecting it from the relevant Dutch embassy or consulate.
The MVV is placed as a sticker in your passport. Once it has been issued and is valid, you can use it to travel to the Netherlands. The MVV is also valid for travel through other Schengen countries on your way to the Netherlands and is a multiple-entry visa while it remains valid.
After arriving in the Netherlands, you will normally collect your residence permit from the IND once it is ready.
Remember that the MVV itself is not the document you will rely on for your entire stay. It is part of the process of entering the Netherlands and obtaining your Dutch residence document.
What If You Don't Need an MVV?
Not needing an MVV can make the process easier, but it does not automatically mean you can simply move to the Netherlands without arranging anything.
You may still need a residence permit.
There are also situations where someone whose nationality would normally require an MVV can qualify for an exemption. For example, certain family members of EU/EEA or Swiss citizens, some holders of particular residence statuses in other EU countries, and people in other specific circumstances may be exempt.
Because these exemptions can be quite specific, it is worth checking the official IND list rather than assuming one applies to you.
Can You Apply While Already in the Netherlands?
If you are required to have an MVV, the normal procedure is designed for you to arrange it from abroad.
The IND specifically advises people not to stay in the Netherlands while an MVV application is being processed. If there is an urgent reason to be in the Netherlands during the procedure, the IND asks applicants to contact them before travelling.
If you are already in the Netherlands and suddenly decide that you would like to stay permanently, do not assume that being physically present means you can skip the MVV requirement.
Check your situation with the IND before taking further steps.
After Arriving in the Netherlands
Getting your MVV approved is an important step, but there will still be several things to arrange after you arrive.
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to collect your residence permit, register with your municipality, receive your BSN, arrange DigiD and organise health insurance.
Some regular residence-permit applicants may also need to undergo a tuberculosis test after arriving in the Netherlands, although exemptions apply based on nationality and other circumstances.
Your exact checklist will depend on the type of residence permit you have.
One Important Thing to Remember
An MVV is only one part of the Dutch immigration system.
If someone tells you that they can arrange a “Dutch long-stay visa”, make sure you understand exactly what they mean. Ask what residence purpose is being used, whether a residence permit is included in the application and who is acting as your sponsor.
This is particularly important when moving through an employer or recruitment agency. Never pay large amounts of money simply because someone promises you a “guaranteed MVV”. Immigration applications are assessed according to Dutch immigration rules, and no private company can guarantee that the IND will approve an application.
Olandija can help you understand the process in simpler language, but always check the final requirements for your individual situation with the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
Once your MVV and residence permit are sorted, you can move on to the more practical parts of your relocation: Registration & BSN, DigiD, housing, health insurance and starting your new life in the Netherlands.