Long Stay Visa: MVV

An MVV (Machtiging Voorlopig Verblijf) stands for "Provisional Residence Permit" and is compulsory for most foreign nationals* who want to stay in the Netherlands longer than 90 days per six months. (*Nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Switzerland or the United States of America do not require an MVV).

All decisions on MVV applications are taken by the Ministry of Justice in the Netherlands, IND. The foreign applicant must apply at a Dutch Embassy or Consulate in his country of origin or of permanent residence. There are two possible procedures for obtaining an MVV:

How to start the procedure (2 possibilities):

A. In the Netherlands: MVV advisory procedure:

1. The host asks for an advice from IND in the Netherlands.
2. If IND issues a negative advice, there is no possibility to appeal, since a recommendation does not amount to an actual decision.
3. Only if IND issues a positive advice, and after payment of the MVV-fee, the applicant applies for MVV at a Dutch Embassy/Consulate.
4. If the application is complete and there are no other questions, the MVV* is issued.

B. At the Embassy/Consulate: MVV application procedure:

1. The applicant applies for an MVV at a Dutch embassy/consulate. The application is sent to IND for decision.
2. IND asks the host of the applicant for supplementary information and payment of the fee (unless the applicant has opted to pay the fee himself). If the application is complete and the fee has been paid, IND takes a decision and informs the Embassy/Consulate electronically.
3. The Embassy/Consulate informs the applicant about the decision. An appointment is made to pick up the MVV* or the official refusal letter with the possibility of appeal.

Requirements for MVV:
You may apply for an MVV for a number of reasons, such as Study, Work or Family relations. For all the information about the necessary documents and the procedures to follow, please check the "Residence Wizard" of the Dutch Migration and Naturalisation Service, IND: www.newtoholland.nl

Civic Integration Exam:
For some purposes of stay, the applicant has to pass the Civic Integration Exam before starting the procedure. Please check: www.newtoholland.nl

How to get your MVV:

A. After following the MVV advisory procedure:
IND only informs the Embassy/Consulate if the advice is positive. The host should always inform the applicant about the positive or negative advice from IND. If the positive IND-advice mentions a telephone number or e-mail address, the Embassy/Consulate can rapidly inform the applicant and send him a list of requirements for MVV application. If not, a letter will be sent by mail, which may take some time if the address mentioned by IND is in Latin characters.

The applicant should make an appoinment for submitting his MVV application.

The application must be submitted in person and within six months after the date of the positive advice by IND, and no more than 90 days but at least three working days before the date of departure!

Any necessary Chinese documents must be legalised by Chinese authorities and by the Embassy/Consulate in advance! If the IND only received copies of documents relating to the applicant when assessing the request for advice, the Embassy/Consulate is responsible for assessing the applicant’s original documents.
(NOTE: Check with the municipality of your future residence in the Netherlands if you need a recent -not older than 6 months-, legalised Birth certificate or a (non)marriage certificate for registration!)

If the application is complete and there are no other questions, the MVV* is delivered within 3 working days.

If the application is incomplete, the mission gives the applicant four weeks to rectify any omissions. If the applicant meets the conditions, the mission will issue the MVV.

If the applicant does not meet the conditions or fails to provide all the required documents within the deadline for rectification, the mission will notify the IND and request that the application be reconsidered. The final decision may still be positive in which case the MVV will be issued. If the decision is negative, the mission will receive an official refusal letter from IND, which will be given or sent to the applicant.

B. After following the MVV application "Dip" procedure
After checking www.ind.nl for the specific requirements for the purpose of stay (Note: For some purposes you need to pass a Civic Integration Test before applying for the MVV!) the applicant makes en appoinment for submitting his MVV application, making sure there is enough time for legalisation of the necessary documents.

Download the application form.                          

The Embassy/consulate will register the application and send it electronically to IND the same day (or as soon as the file is completed). The applicant receives an acknowledgement of receipt and information about payment of the MVV-fees to IND.

IND asks the host in the Netherlands for supplementary information and/or documents. When the application is complete and the fee has been paid, the file goes to the IND staff member charged with making a decision. IND informs the Embassy/Consulate of the decision on the MVV application electronically.

The mission will contact the applicant (preferably by e-mail) for bringing back his passport so the MVV can be issued. (No need to make an appointment on the website!)
If the decision from IND was positive, the mission issues the MVV in 24 hours*.

If the decision from IND was negative, the mission will send you the refusal letter, containing information about appeal procedures.

The MVV is a sticker in your passport You must collect your MVV within 6 months after the date of the IND decision. Once the MVV has been attached to your passport, you have 3 months to travel to the Netherlands and to apply for a residence permit. Please pay attention to the validity of your passport and your MVV. Your passport should be valid for at least three months. A short stay visa (C-visa) will usually be issued in addition to the MVV (D-visa). This combination is also known as the C + D visa. The short stay visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue and can be used during that period to travel to and from the Netherlands and to visit other Schengen countries. This combination visa helps avoid problems which can sometimes arise while you are still waiting for your residence permit. You may, for example, wish to briefly return to your own country to make some final arrangements regarding your move to the Netherlands. The combination visa will then enable you to return to the Netherlands, for as long as the short stay visa remains valid. The combination visa in your passport will state the period of validity as “90 days”. This only relates to the short stay visa. The MVV itself will remain valid for six months after the date of issue. Once you have arrived in the Netherlands, you must first report to the Aliens Police. You must then apply for a temporary residence permit (VVR).

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Disclaimer: No rights can be derived from this information sheet. For more information, please check the IND website: www.ind.nl