Applying for a long-stay visa (MVV) for residents of South Africa
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 South Africa, you can apply for this visa at the Netherlands embassy in Pretoria or at the consulate-general in Cape Town.
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.
Read more about the information on your visa
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:
- orientation year as a highly skilled migrant seeking employment
- independent entrepreneur
- starting entrepreneur (start-up)
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.
Read more about the information on your visa
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
Application procedure for long-stay visa in South Africa
Do you require a long-stay visa (MVV)? Make an appointment at the embassy in Pretoria or the consulate-general in Cape Town.
After you have submitted your MVV application, the processing time could take up to 15 calendar days.
At the moment of your application you will get a track & trace code. With this code you can follow the status of your application online and you will get an email when your passport is ready for collection at the embassy or consulate-general.
When you collect your passport with MVV you will need to bring the original receipt you got at the moment of your application. You can collect your passport at the following days and times:
- Pretoria: Monday until Thursday between 10:00 and 12:00
- Cape Town: Monday until Friday between 9:00 and 12:00
You do not need to make an appointment. First check which days our offices are closed.
You can authorize someone else to pick up your passport. This person will always need to bring the original receipt you got at the moment of application.
Applicants from South Africa
If you choose to have your passport with MVV sticker sent to you, you’ll discuss at your appointment how to arrange this.
Applicants from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Réunion
After your application, your passport will be returned to you and you can travel back to your country of residence. To collect your MVV after returning home, you can arrange for a courier to:
- bring your passport to the embassy or consulate-general, and:
- return your passport with MVV sticker to you.