Apply for recognition as sponsor
Video: How do I apply for recognition as a sponsor?
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Video title is visible in animation: How do I apply for recognition as a sponsor?
voice-over: You are a company, educational institution or organisation and you would like to bring someone to the Netherlands for work, research, study or exchange.
In most cases, you must be a recognised sponsor for this purpose. You can apply for recognition as a sponsor from the IND, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service.
You can do this in 7 steps. Step 1. Read the conditions on www.ind.nl. You can apply for recognition as a sponsor for four categories: work, research, study and exchange.
On ind.nl you can read when recognition as a sponsor is mandatory and which conditions apply. Your company, educational institution or organisation
must be reliable. And financially healthy. Therefore, the IND will assess continuity and solvency. Registration with the Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch: KvK) is also mandatory.
In addition to the conditions, our website states the advantages and obligations of a recognised sponsor. Step 2. Collect all the necessary documents.
You need to send documents with the application. Which documents depends on your situation. Our website lists what is requested. Step 3. Fill in the application form.
You can download it from ind.nl. Please enclose all requested documents and send the complete application to the IND. Step 4. Pay for the application.
On ind.nl you can find out how much an application for recognition costs. Once the IND has received your application, you will receive a letter advising how you can pay.
Step 5. Wait for the decision. Have you paid? Then the IND has 90 days to take a decision. This is called the decision period. This period can be extended. For example, because your application is incomplete.
Or in case additional research is needed. Step 6. The decision. The IND has taken a decision. Has your application been rejected, and do you disagree?
Then you can object against this decision. Is the decision positive? Then you are now a recognised sponsor. Step 7. Registration in the public register of recognised sponsors.
Have you become a recognised sponsor? Then your company, educational institution or organisation, will be included in the public register of recognised sponsors on ind.nl.
You will remain a recognised sponsor until you cancel the recognition, or until you no longer meet the conditions. Wish to apply for recognition as a sponsor? Visit www.ind.nl.
- Download in MP4 HD format MP4 HD | 73.4 MB
c51ycn2
Video title is visible in animation: How do I apply for recognition as a sponsor?
voice-over: You are a company, educational institution or organisation and you would like to bring someone to the Netherlands for work, research, study or exchange.
In most cases, you must be a recognised sponsor for this purpose. You can apply for recognition as a sponsor from the IND, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service.
You can do this in 7 steps. Step 1. Read the conditions on www.ind.nl. You can apply for recognition as a sponsor for four categories: work, research, study and exchange.
On ind.nl you can read when recognition as a sponsor is mandatory and which conditions apply. Your company, educational institution or organisation
must be reliable. And financially healthy. Therefore, the IND will assess continuity and solvency. Registration with the Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch: KvK) is also mandatory.
In addition to the conditions, our website states the advantages and obligations of a recognised sponsor. Step 2. Collect all the necessary documents.
You need to send documents with the application. Which documents depends on your situation. Our website lists what is requested. Step 3. Fill in the application form.
You can download it from ind.nl. Please enclose all requested documents and send the complete application to the IND. Step 4. Pay for the application.
On ind.nl you can find out how much an application for recognition costs. Once the IND has received your application, you will receive a letter advising how you can pay.
Step 5. Wait for the decision. Have you paid? Then the IND has 90 days to take a decision. This is called the decision period. This period can be extended. For example, because your application is incomplete.
Or in case additional research is needed. Step 6. The decision. The IND has taken a decision. Has your application been rejected, and do you disagree?
Then you can object against this decision. Is the decision positive? Then you are now a recognised sponsor. Step 7. Registration in the public register of recognised sponsors.
Have you become a recognised sponsor? Then your company, educational institution or organisation, will be included in the public register of recognised sponsors on ind.nl.
You will remain a recognised sponsor until you cancel the recognition, or until you no longer meet the conditions. Wish to apply for recognition as a sponsor? Visit www.ind.nl.
Categories of recognition as sponsor
You can apply for recognition as a sponsor for the following 4 categories.
- Study: applications for residence permits for the purpose of study.
- Exchange: applications for residence permits for the purpose of au pair and cultural exchange.
- Research: applications for residence permits for the purpose of research under Directive (EU) 2016/801.
- Work: applications for residence permits for the purpose of work as a highly-skilled migrant, work in paid employment, seasonal labour, gaining work experience, intra-corporate transfer or residence as the holder of a European Blue Card.
Do you want to become a recognised sponsor for more than one category? In that case you must apply separately for each recognition category.
Do you want to apply for recognition for each business unit or faculty? In that case you have to apply for recognition for each branch or business unit.
Recognition is sometimes mandatory
Recognition is mandatory if you want to apply for these residence purposes as a company, educational institution or organisation.
- Au pair
- Exchange
- Study
- Highly-skilled migrant
- Researchers under Directive (EU) 2016/801
An exception applies to highly-skilled migrants and researchers with Turkish nationality.
And recognition is not mandatory, but it is possible for these residence purposes.
- Regular work in paid employment
- Seasonal work
- Gaining work experience
- Intra-company transfer
- Holder of a European Blue Card
For these residence purposes, you can choose whether or not to have your organisation recognised as a sponsor.
Advantages of recognition as sponsor
Recognition as a sponsor has several advantages.
- The IND processes your applications faster. The IND tries to decide on an application within 2 weeks. In some cases the target period is 7 weeks, for example if a work permit (in Dutch: tewerkstellingsvergunning) is needed.
- You need to enclose fewer supporting documents with the application.
- You can apply for residence permits online via the Business Portal.
- You are not obligated to submit a minimum or maximum number of applications per year.
Obligations as recognised sponsor
If you are recognised as a sponsor, then you will have several legal obligations. See the obligations of a sponsor and recognised sponsor.
Requirements
There are general requirements for applying for recognition as a sponsor that apply to all categories. In addition, extra requirements also apply to the categories research, study and exchange.
General conditions in applying for recognition as a sponsor
The following conditions apply to your organisation:
- Your organisation is registered in the Commercial Register in the Netherlands (in Dutch: Handelsregister). This is not necessary if not required under the Commercial Register Act 2007 (Hrw 2007).
- The continuity and solvency of your organisation is sufficiently guaranteed.
- Your organisation is not insolvent or has not been granted suspension of payment.
- Your organisation, directors and officers and other natural persons and legal entities involved in your organisation are reliable.
- Your organisation complies with the Code of Conduct that applies to your organisation. Does your organisation carry out activities such as assigning personnel for payment? Then your organisation must be listed in the register of the Labour Standards Foundation (SNA). Has the registration of your organisation in the register of the SNA been terminated? But are you still engaged providing employees or payrolling. Then you must report the termination.
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Continuity and solvency of the organisation
open minusContinuity means that your organisation can comply with all financial obligations in the longer term. Solvency is that the organisation has the financial health to deal with financial setbacks.
Advice from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)
The IND can ask the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (in Dutch: Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland or RVO) for advice on the continuity and solvency of businesses. For start-up businesses the RVO uses a point system to assess this. A maximum of 100 points can be obtained. You need at least 50 points for positive advice.
Sections of the point system
1. Registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (in Dutch: Kamer van Koophandel or KvK)
- Is the organisation registered?
- Have there been any changes in partners, shareholders or control since the application date?
- Has there been a takeover, suspension of payment or insolvency of the organisation or of its owners/directors and officers?
2. Business Plan
- Market potential
- Description of unique characteristics of the product or service.
- Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the market, focusing on one’s own business environment.
- Organisation
- Clear and appropriate organisational structure.
- The right competencies in relation to entrepreneurship, management and subject matter.
- Financing
- The organisation can deal with future financial setbacks for 3 full years.
- The turnover forecast is adequately substantiated and in line with market potential.
- The cash flow from factual business activities must be positive for 3 full years.
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Reliability of the organisation
open minusAre your organisation and the natural persons and legal entities involved in your organisation, reliable? The IND examines this in the application for recognition. You are considered unreliable in the following situations:
- Your organisation, or the natural persons and legal entities involved in your organisation, became insolvent 3 times in the year preceding the application.
- The tax authorities gave your organisation a negligence penalty in the 4 years before the application.
- Your organisation got 3 or more penalties in the 4 years before the application. These are the penalties concerned:
- penalty under the Aliens Act (Vw);
- penalty under the Foreign Nationals (Employment) Act (Wav); and
- penalty under the Minimum Wage and Minimum Holiday Allowance Act (WML).
- The IND withdrew your recognition as a sponsor in the 5 years before this new application.
Additional requirements per category
Extra requirements to become a recognised sponsor apply to the categories research, study and exchange.
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Requirements for research
open minusYour research institution must meet these requirements.
Public research institution
- Your research institution has been recognised by the government or receives funding or subsidies from the government. Your institution uses job profiles for researchers in paid employment under the job family ‘research and education’.
- Your institution is listed in the Annex to the Higher Education and Research ACT (in Dutch: Wet op het hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek or WHW).
Private research institution
- Your research institution is listed in the National Academic Research and Collaboration System.
- Your institution has a Research and Development Statement under the Law on the reduction of income tax and national insurance contributions (in Dutch: Wet vermindering afdracht loonbelasting en premie voor de volksverzekeringen or WVA).
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Requirements for study
open minusThese requirements apply to your school.
Schools for higher education
- Your school is accredited by the Accreditation Organisation for the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).
- Your school provides higher education as referred to in the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW).
- These situations apply to your school.
- Your school has signed the Code of Conduct for International Students in Higher Education.
- Your school provides study programmes in the context of the development cooperation policy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Your school provides study programmes in the context of the Cultural Policy Act (Special Purpose Funding) (in Dutch: Wet op het specifiek cultuurbeleid).
Secondary schools
- Your school provides secondary education as referred to in the Secondary Education Act (in Dutch: Wet op het voortgezet onderwijs or WVO).
Vocational education schools
- Your school provides vocational education as referred to in the Adult and Vocational Education Act (in Dutch: Wet educatie en beroepsonderwijs or WEB).
Secondary schools that offer the international baccalaureate diploma programme
- Your school is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.
- Your school is part of an international organisation that exchanges students across the world. National committees of this international organisation determine the country of placement. Your school places students in a boarding school.
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Requirements for exchange
open minusThese requirements apply to your au pair agency or exchange organisation.
- Your au pair agency is located in the Netherlands. Or in another EU or EEA country.
- Your au pair agency is registered in the Commercial Register at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. If this registration is not required by law, then this requirement does not apply.
- Your au pair agency or exchange organisation has a cultural purpose.
- Your au pair agency runs an exchange programme that has been approved by the Minister of Asylum and Migration. Read more about the requirements that an exchange programme must meet in
Process and costs
These are the steps in the application process for recognition.
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1. Check requirements open minusA valid provisional residence permit (MVV) is needed for this application
Make sure you meet the requirements.
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1. Check requirements open minusMake sure you meet the requirements.
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2. Collect documents open minusThe application form lists which documents you need. Collect all documents before you apply.
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3. Apply open minusYou submit the application in writing by post.
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4. Pay for application open minusYou have to pay for the application. To find out how much the application costs, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
You will receive a letter explaining how you can pay.
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5. Wait for decision on application open minusThe IND must take a decision within 90 days. This is called the decision period.
We can extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, the IND will send a message.
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6. Decision on application open minusYou will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: your company, school or organisation will be a recognised sponsor.
- Negative decision: your application for recognition has been rejected. You can object against this decision.
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7. Entry in public register open minusYour company, school or organisation will be entered in the Public Register of Recognised Sponsors.
Application form
Download the form. Fill in the form and send it by post.
Written application forms
See also
Rules and regulations
All rules and regulations are only in Dutch.
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Reasons to deny recognition: Artikel 2e Vreemdelingenwet (Vw 2000)
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Suspension and withdrawal recognition: Artikel 2f Vreemdelingenwet (Vw 2000)
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Recognition as sponsor and application for recognition: Hoofdstuk 1, Afdeling 3 Vreemdelingenbesluit (Vb 2000)
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Recognition as sponsor: Hoofdstuk 1, Afdeling 2 Voorschrift Vreemdelingen (VV 2000)
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Application recognition and suspension: B1/2 Vreemdelingencirculaire (Vc 2000)
