If you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you may need a residence permit. In many cases you will also have to apply for a long-stay visa before you travel to the Netherlands. This visa is also called an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV).
You can apply for this visa at the Netherlands embassy in Singapore.
You can apply for a residence permit and an MVV in two ways:
through a host in the Netherlands (such as an employer, family member or educational institution)
in person at a Dutch embassy or consulate.
If you have a host in the Netherlands, in most cases your host will have to submit the application to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
Your host can submit the application directly to the IND. How they need to do this depends on why you need a residence permit and/or an MVV, for example for work or study. The IND website has a list of the documents your host will need to provide. It also explains how your host can apply for your residence permit. If you have any questions about this, you can contact the IND.
The IND will send your host a letter confirming that the application has been approved. The letter also explains how you can apply for an MVV and what documents you need.
Within 3 months of your host receiving the letter, make an appointment with the embassy or consulate to apply for your MVV. Take the following documents to your appointment:
a copy of the letter stating that your application has been approved and what your alien registration number (V number) is
all other documents listed in the letter from the IND and a photocopy of each of these documents.
Your MVV will be ready for you to collect from the embassy or consulate within 15 days.
You must travel to the Netherlands with the MVV in your passport. The IND will let your host know when your residence permit is ready. You can then make an appointment at the IND office to collect your permit.
In the following cases you should submit your application for an MVV and residence permit yourself:
orientation year as a highly skilled migrant seeking employment
independent entrepreneur
start-up
foreign investor
You should apply to the Dutch embassy or consulate in person. You should make the appointment yourself. Below you can read how to do this in your country.
You can also apply for a working holiday in the Netherlands at a Dutch embassy or consulate. See the information on the Working Holiday Programme (WHP) and Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) for details on the application procedure.
your passport and a photocopy of the personal details page. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months from the date on which the MVV is placed in your passport
if you live in a country of which you are not a national: your residence permit and a photocopy of the permit.
During your appointment the embassy or consulate will check your application and take your fingerprints. You do not pay for the application at this appointment.
The embassy or consulate will give you your alien registration number (V number) and an invoice. You will also be given forms that you need to fill in and send to the IND yourself by post. In many cases you will also have to send additional documents to the IND. These will be listed in the notification you receive from the embassy or consulate.
The IND will process your application within 90 days. If the IND’s decision is positive, you must hand over your passport at the embassy or consulate where you submitted the application. Your MVV will be placed in your passport within 15 days.
You must travel to the Netherlands with the MVV in your passport. The IND will let you know when your residence permit is ready. You can then make an appointment at the IND office to collect your permit.
Dutch universities and higher professional education institutions (hogescholen) together offer some 1,400 international study programmes and courses in English, making the Netherlands an attractive destination for students from all over the world.
When you have chosen a university for your exchange, bachelor or master's degree and your application has been accepted, the university will provide you with a list of required documents to apply for your visa at the Immigration Service in the Netherlands.
As soon as you have received the approval for the MVV visa from the IND through your university, you have to make an appointment via our online appointment system to schedule an appointment at the embassy to apply for your visa.
Please note
We strongly advise you not to book your flight before you have received the approval from the IND.
The Netherlands Embassy does not have influence on the decision making process at the Immigration Service (IND) in the Netherlands.
valid passport (original + photocopy: data and signature pages)
Singapore ID/NRIC (original + photocopy)
one recent coloured passport photo (important note: light background and mouth closed)
During the application at the Embassy we will take your fingerprints.
The processing of the visa will take a maximum of 5 working days; we will hold your passport during this period.
In most cases you need a legalised extract of your birth certificate to register at the municipality in the Netherlands. Please check with your university if this is required as in some cases it is not.
People born in Singapore can get an extract of their birth certificate (not to be laminated) via the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. It should then be legalised by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Netherlands Embassy in Singapore.
The cost for legalisation at the embassy is the Singapore Dollar equivalent of € 26,25.
If you were not born in Singapore, the legalisation needs to be done in the country of birth.
Please note
We advise you to bring the MFA legalised birth certificate when you come to have your visa processed so that you only have to come to the Embassy for the application and for pick up of your passport and legalised birth certificate.
