Obligations of sponsor and recognised sponsor

Last update: 27 February 2024

As a sponsor or recognised sponsor, you have obligations. Find out which obligations you have to meet and what these obligations are.

Obligation to provide information

You must notify the IND of changes that have consequences for the residence permit or your recognition as a sponsor. You must notify the IND of a change mostly within 4 weeks. Use the notification forms further up the page.

Read regulations (in Dutch only) about the obligation to inform in articles 4.17 through 4.26 of the Aliens Regulations (Voorschrift Vreemdelingen).

Examples of changes in the foreign national’s situation

  • The foreign national will no longer come to the Netherlands or has left the Netherlands.
  • The foreign national no longer has enough income to live in the Netherlands.
  • The foreign national has stopped their study programme, research or work.
  • The foreign national is going to stay with a different host family.

Examples of changes in the recognised sponsor’s situation

  • Ending of the organisation.
  • Suspension of payment (in Dutch: surseance) or liquidation of the organisation.
  • The registration of the organisation in the register of the Labour Standards Foundation (SNA) has been terminated. But the organisation is still engaged providing employees or payrolling.
You must notify the IND of a change of your administrative address within 2 weeks. This is part of your obligation to keep and retain records.   

Reporting changes without obligation

Would you like to have better and quicker contact with the IND? Then also report these changes that are not an obligation:

  • contact person at your organisation
  • postal address of your organisation

Notify the local council of emigration or moving house

Foreign nationals must notify the local council (in Dutch: gemeente) of their emigration or moving house within the Netherlands. Foreign nationals must give notice of this before emigration or within 4 weeks after moving. The town hall or local council will notify the IND.

Did the foreign national not notify the town hall or local council of the move in time? In that case you must inform the IND by notification form because you are the sponsor.

Notification forms

Notify a change by using the correct notification form: 

Notification of changes in the recognised sponsor's situation

 Notification of changes in the foreign national's situation with a residence permit

Business portal

Do you have eRecognition (in Dutch: eHerkenning)? Then you can also notify the IND of changes via the Business Portal.

Obligation to keep and retain records

You must retain information on the foreign national in your records. You must retain this information until 5 years after you are no longer the foreign national’s (recognised) sponsor. If the IND asks for this information, you must be able to show this information.

Change of administrative address

Will your company’s administrative address change? Then you must notify the IND within 2 weeks. Make use of the online form for reporting changes concerning a recognised sponsor in the Business Portal.

You can also use this written form:

Read regulations (in Dutch only) about the obligation to keep and retain records in articles 4.27 through 4.42 Voorschrift Vreemdelingen (Voorschrift Vreemdelingen).

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of higher education students

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of secondary and vocational education students

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of vocational training level 4 students

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of International Baccalaureate students

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of au pairs

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of young people on exchange

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of researchers

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of highly skilled migrants and holders of European Blue Cards

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of intra corporate transferees (Intra-Corporate Transferees Directive 2014/66/EU)

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of seasonal workers

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of trainees or students on work placement

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  • Obligation to keep and retain records of other work in paid employment

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Duty of care

You have a duty of care if you are a (recognised) sponsor. This means that you must provide for a careful recruitment and selection of foreign nationals. You must also inform the foreign national of the admission and residence requirements and other regulations.

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Return of the foreign national

You are responsible for the foreign national’s return. You are not responsible for the foreign national’s family member. The foreign national is the sponsor of their family member. A foreign national with a residence permit for the purpose of seasonal labour or on-the-job learning cannot have a family member come to the Netherlands. Find out more about the obligations of the foreign national and private sponsor.

Check for meeting obligations

The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. You can get an administrative fine if you do not meet your obligations. The IND can also suspend or withdraw your recognition as a sponsor.

See also