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Conditions for permanent residence after Brexit under the Withdrawal Agreement

​These are the conditions for permanent residency under the (Brexit) Withdrawal Agreement. They apply to UK nationals or their family members living in the Netherlands who come under the Withdrawal Agreement.

General conditions

The following general conditions apply:

  • You are a UK national. Or you are the family member of a UK national and have another nationality. The following persons are considered family members:
    • Spouse or registered partner or an unmarried partner in an existing, long-term relationship. You are also a family member if your relationship with a UK national has officially ended at the current time.
    • Family member in the ascending line: parent, in-law, grandparent.
    • Family member in the descending line: child, grandchild, great-grandchild.
  • You were already living in the Netherlands with permission before 1 January 2021 ; and

  • At the time of your application, you have been living continuously in the Netherlands for 5 years or more based on EU law. The time that you may live here under the Withdrawal Agreement also counts towards the 5-year period; and

  • You hold a valid passport; and
  • - You have been employed or self-employed for at least 5 years. The IND will check whether you have carried out genuine and effective work. This applies if  you work at least 40% of the usual full working hours. Or, the income from work is at least 50% of the appropriate social welfare benefits standard. Or;
    - If you are not an employee or a self-employed person, you have health insurance and you have had up to at least 5 years sufficient resources to be able to support yourself (and your family members); and
  • You are not a threat to the public order. Public order is peace and order on the street and in public spaces.

Sufficient resources

You have sufficient resources if you have enough money of your own to live from. You do not therefore need financial assistance from the Dutch government. The IND will check your personal situation to see if you have sufficient resources.

Resources are sufficient if they are equivalent to the net amount for social assistance (with holiday allowance) for people from the age of 21. The amount depends on your personal situation (age, whether you are single or have a partner, etc).

Your own money can come from various sources:
  • Benefits on which you have paid tax and social contributions, e.g. state pension, unemployment, sickness and unemployment benefits
  • Money from your own property, e.g. dividends (shares or bonds), (interest on) savings, profit from investments
  • Additional sources on which you have paid tax, for example inheritance or spousal maintenance.


N.B. Family members who have been living in the Netherlands for less than 5 years, but who meet the other conditions, may be eligible for a temporary residence document.

When you can still apply for permanent residence if you have lived in the Netherlands for less than 5 years

Do you belong to one of the 4 categories below? Then you do not need to wait for 5 years. You can apply for a residence document for permanent residence earlier. Additional conditions apply to each category.

1. You are retired or you have taken early retirement

These additional conditions apply to you:

  • You have been living in the Netherlands for a continuous period of 3 years; and
  • You have worked in the Netherlands for the last 12 months . You stopped working because you retired on state pension. Or, you took early retirement under the Dutch provision for early retirement (VUT).

2. You are permanently unfit to work

These additional conditions apply to you:

  • You worked in the Netherlands for at least 2 years before you were declared unfit for work; and
  • You stopped working because you became permanently unfit for work.

3. You are permanently unfit to work as a result of a work-related accident or work-related illness

This additional condition applies to you:

  • You stopped working because you were declared permanently unfit for work as a result of a work-related accident or work-related illness. For this reason, you are receiving disability benefits (WAO or WIA benefit).

4. You are living in the Netherlands but you are working in another EU country now

You are working in a EU or EEA country or Switzerland. These additional conditions apply to you:

  • Before you started working in the other country, you worked in the Netherlands for a continuous period of 3 years or more.
  • You still live in the Netherlands and you return to your home in the Netherlands at least once a week. 

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