Obligations foreign national and sponsor of family member

Are you coming to live in the Netherlands? Or are you having a family member come to live with you in the Netherlands? Then you must notify the IND when your situation, or the situation of your family member, changes. The obligation to provide information applies during and after the application.

Obligation to provide information during the application

Have you submitted an application but not yet received a decision? Then you must report any changes that can influence the IND’s decision. You must do this in a letter. Do you have a (recognised) sponsor in the Netherlands? Then notify your sponsor of the change. Your sponsor will notify the IND of the change.

Examples of changes in a foreign national’s situation

• You no longer meet the requirements of the residence permit for which you applied.
• You no longer want to come to the Netherlands.

Examples of changes in the sponsor’s situation

• Your relationship or family ties have been broken.
• You no longer meet the income requirement.
• You have become unemployed or unable to work.
• You have a different employer.

Has something changed? And have you or your family member therefor lost the right to a provisional residence permit (in Dutch: machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf or MVV) or residence permit? Then the IND can reject the application or withdraw the provisional residence permit or residence permit.

Obligation to provide information after the application

Have you or your family member collected the residence permit? Then you must report changes that could have consequences for the residence permit.

Examples of changes in the foreign national’s situation

• You have applied for social assistance benefits.
• You no longer meet the requirements of your residence permit.
• You start working while you are not allowed to work. Or you start a job that is not allowed according to your residence permit.
• You have moved house and did not notify the municipality  in time.
• You are going to leave or have left the Netherlands.
• You have changed your sponsor (for example partner, employer, educational institution, family member).

Examples of changes in the situation of the sponsor or their family member

•    You or your family member have applied for social assistance benefits.
•    You and your family member no longer live together.
•    Your relationship or family ties have been broken.
•    Your family member has left the Netherlands.

If you or your family member no longer meet the requirements of the residence permit because of the change, the IND can withdraw the residence permit.

Notification forms

You must notify the IND of a change within 4 weeks. Use the:

Online notification form for foreign national or sponsor

Would you rather fill in the form by hand and send it by post? Then download one of the following written application forms:

• Reporting form for foreign nationals 7597(PDF, 202.18 KB)
• Reporting form for family members and relatives (sponsor) 7596(PDF, 167.24 KB)

What if your change is not listed on the notification form? Then explain your change in a letter. Send your letter together with the application form to the IND.

Notifying municipality of change of address

You must notify the municipality when you move house. Do this 4 weeks before you move. Or no later than 5 days after your move. In that case, you do not have to notify the IND of your change of address. The IND will be notified by the municipality.

If you do not notify the municipality of the change of address in time, you must inform the IND yourself. Use the notification form.

This obligation only applies to the sponsor. You must keep the legalised and other documents you used when you applied for your family member’s residence permit.

Documents for your partner:

• Marriage certificate, registered partner certificate or single status declaration of your partner.
• Documents proving that you meet the income requirement. 

Documents for your minor child:

• Birth certificate.
• Documents proving that you or your partner have custody of the child.
• Documents proving that you meet the income requirement.

Documents for your adopted child:

• Document proving the identity of the child.
• Documents proving that the biological parents have given up the child.
• Document proving that the authorities in the country of origin consent to the inclusion of the adopted child into your family.

Documents for your foster child:

• Document that prove the family relationship between you and your foster child.
• Documents showing that the parents or legal representatives consent to the stay of the foster child in your family.
• Documents proving that the authorities of the country of origin consent to the inclusion of the foster child into your family.
• Documents proving that you meet the income requirement.
• Documents proving that you have parental authority over your foster child.

The IND checks whether you meet your obligation to provide information and the obligation to keep and retain records. If you do not, you can get a warning or an administrative fine. Will you or your family member be removed from the Netherlands by the Dutch Government? Then the IND can have you pay the costs of the removal. Find out more about the administrative fine and other measures.