NetherlandsWorldwide

Applying for an MVV visa sticker for the Netherlands in Nigeria

Has your application for a residence permit for the Netherlands been approved? And does the letter from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) informing you of its positive decision say that you can apply for an MVV visa sticker in Nigeria? Find out how to apply for an MVV visa sticker to travel to the Netherlands.

Make an appointment

You can only apply for an MVV visa sticker at the Dutch consulate-general in Lagos if that is what it says in the letter from the IND informing you of its positive decision.

Email lag-ca@minbuza.nl to make an appointment at the consulate-general in Lagos.

Attention: Please note: If you already have an appointment in Benin or Ghana after 14 April 2025, this appointment will remain scheduled.

    In the body of your email, state:

    • your V number
    • your contact details

    If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker as a highly skilled migrant, please mention the start date of your employment.

    If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker for yourself and for a member of your family, please clearly indicate this in your email.

    About your appointment

    • Once your appointment is scheduled, you will receive confirmation of this by email.
    • If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker for yourself and for a member of your family, that family member must also be present at the appointment.
    • Make your appointment in good time. After receiving the letter from the IND informing you of its positive decision, you have 3 months to apply for an MVV visa sticker.

    If you did not receive an email confirming your appointment, check your spam folder. It is possible that it may have ended up there. Please note that your appointment will not be scheduled immediately. This may take up to 7 working days.

    If the letter from the IND states that you need to make an appointment in a country other than Nigeria, and you are scheduling an appointment after 14 April 2025, you can go to the consulate-general in Lagos. Please contact the embassy or consulate-general in the country where your appointment has been scheduled.

    Attention: For example: The letter from the IND states that you need to apply for your MVV visa sticker at the embassy in Cotonou, Benin. In that case, you may also apply for your MVV visa sticker at the consulate-general in Lagos. Contact the embassy in Cotonou to change the appointment.

    Bring the correct documents with you

    Bring all the necessary documents with you to your appointment. Exactly which documents you need depends on who applied for the residence permit.

    If your sponsor applied to the IND for the residence permit in the Netherlands, bring the following documents with you to your appointment:

    • A completed and signed MVV issue form.
    • Your passport and a photocopy of the page with your photo on it. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of the appointment and contain at least 2 empty pages.
    • If you are not a national of the country where you live: your residence permit (or comparable document) and a photocopy of it.
    • A passport photo that meets Dutch requirements. Find out how to have a Dutch passport photo taken in Nigeria.
    • A photocopy of the letter from the IND stating that your application has been approved (letter informing you of the positive decision) and which includes your alien registration number (V number). If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker because you will be studying in the Netherlands, you do not need to bring a photocopy of this letter. The email from your educational institution containing your V number is sufficient.
    • All other documents listed in the letter from the IND and a photocopy of each of those documents.

    Keep in mind that you will need to hand in your passport at the appointment. You will get it back when you collect your passport with the MVV visa sticker. This can take up to 15 working days.

    If you applied for the residence permit yourself at the consulate-general, you only have to bring your passport to your appointment. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months and have at least 2 empty pages. 

    Keep in mind that you will need to hand in your passport at the appointment. You will get it back when you collect your passport with the MVV visa sticker. This can take up to 15 working days.

    Collecting a passport with an MVV visa sticker

    The consulate-general does not issue MVV visa stickers immediately. This can take up to 15 working days.

    You will receive an email from the consulate-general letting you know when your passport with the MVV visa sticker is ready to be collected.

    Verify the information on your MVV visa sticker

    Verify at the front desk of the consulate-general that the information on your MVV visa sticker is correct. This includes your name and the period of validity. If any of the information on your MVV visa sticker is incorrect, please inform an employee at the desk immediately.

    Find out more about the information on your MVV visa sticker

    Contact

    If you have any questions about applying for an MVV visa sticker at the consulate-general, contact NetherlandsWorldwide.

    If you have any questions about applying for an MVV or residence permit from the Netherlands, contact the IND.

    Also useful

    How long is my MVV visa sticker for the Netherlands valid?