Applying for a long-stay visa (MVV) for residents of Australia

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).

In Australia, you can only apply for this visa type at the Netherlands consulate-general in Sydney.

Do I need an MVV and/or a residence permit?

You should check whether you need an MVV and/or a residence permit. This depends on things like your nationality and the purpose of your stay.

Applying for a residence permit and an MVV

You can apply for a residence permit and an MVV in 2 ways:

through a host in the Netherlands (such as an employer, family member or educational institution)
in person at a Netherlands embassy or consulate-general

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).

First check whether you need to take the civic integration examination.

What is your situation?

Applying through a host in the Netherlands

Depending on the purpose of your stay, your host may have to submit the application in the Netherlands. This applies if the purpose of your stay is:

study
work
a work placement
co-habiting with or marrying someone who lives in the Netherlands
family reunification

In these cases your host will be an educational institution, your employer, a family member or your spouse or partner.

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.

You must apply for your MVV at the embassy or consulate-general within 3 months of receiving this letter. You have 6 months to apply if you meet both of the following conditions:

You are applying for an MVV for family reunification as a refugee (nareis asiel), and:
You are applying for an MVV in a country that is not your country of residence.

Take the following documents to your appointment:

The MVV issue form.
Your passport and a photocopy of the personal details page. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months and have at least 2 blank pages.
If you live in a country of which you are not a national: your residence permit (or equivalent) and a photocopy of the permit.
A photo that meets Dutch requirements.
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-general within 10 working days.

Verify that the information on your visa is correct. This includes your name and the visa’s validity period.

If any of the information is incorrect, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you applied for your MVV.

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.

Applying yourself at an embassy or consulate-general

For the following purposes of stay you should submit your application for an MVV and residence permit yourself:

You will find the application form and all information about the required documents and the application procedure on the IND website.

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-general where you submitted the application. Your MVV will be placed in your passport within 10 working days.

Verify that the information on your visa is correct. This includes your name and the visa’s validity period.

If any of the information is incorrect, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you applied for your MVV.

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.

Long-stay visa for residents of this country or region

Long-stay visa applications can only be submitted at the consulate-general in Sydney.

Make an online appointment to apply for and collect your visa in Sydney.

Please bring a complete application. Also be aware that you can only apply at our consulate-general if your main purpose of travel is the Netherlands. The consulate-general doesn't take in applications that do not meet that requirement.

Please note that only family members can book one appointment for 2 people. For example:

A family of 3 persons? Book 2 appointments.
A family of 5 persons? Book 3 appointments.

Are you travelling together but you aren’t family? You will need to book a separate appointment for each person.

Check the status of your visa application.

Have your document returned by post from the consulate-general in Sydney

You can also have your passport with the visa sent to you by registered post.

You should provide an A4-size pre-paid, self-addressed envelope (SAE) when you submit your application. The envelope must be suitable for registered post and signature on delivery. It should hold no more than 4 passports. If you need to submit more, please provide additional envelopes. Other types of envelope will not be accepted. Your document is sent to you at your own risk. You will have to pay the postage charge yourself.

If you want to have your passport sent via express post, we advise you to purchase an express post envelope at Australia post. Please make sure that it has a 'signature on delivery' sticker.