Turkish citizens and living in the Netherlands

For Turkish employees, the following requirements apply:

• You have the Turkish nationality. In addition, you may have another nationality, for example the Dutch nationality.
• You are legally employed in the Netherlands.
• You carry out genuine and effective work. This is certainly the case in 1 of these situations:
  • Your salary is at least 50% of the social welfare level. On the Dutch Government’s website, you can find the amount of Social welfare benefits in the Netherlands (this link is only available in Dutch).
  • You work at least 40% of the common full working week.
• You do not pose any risk to public order and national security.

For Turkish self-employed persons, the following requirements apply:

• You work as a self-employed person in the Netherlands. 
• You have a valid Dutch residence permit that allows you to work as a self-employed person.
• You perform real and actual work.
• You are not a danger to public order or national security. 

or:

• You want to work as a self-employed person in the Netherlands.
• You apply for a residence permit for work as a self-employed person, start-up or looking for and performing work (orientation year).
• You are not a danger to public order or national security. 

For Turkish service providers, the following requirements apply:

• You live in Turkey and you are the owner of a company established in Turkey. Or you work for a company established in in Turkey.
• You (temporarily) provide a service. For example, an industrial or commercial service.
• You are compensated for your service.

You are one of the following family members:

• You are the spouse or registered partner.
• You are the child of a Turkish employee or of the spouse or registered partner of a Turkish employee. You are under 21 years old. Older children must depend on the Turkish employee for their basic necessities. Basic necessities are for example food, clothes and housing. These rules also apply to grandchildren who are members of the employee’s family.
• You are the parent or grandparent of a Turkish employee or of the spouse or registered partner of a Turkish employee. Parents and grandparents must depend on the Turkish employee for their basic necessities.

Turkish citizens and their family members often pay lower costs when applying for a residence permit in the Netherlands. The costs are also lower when applying for extension, a return visa, or replacement of a residence document. Read more information about the costs of an application on our webpage Fees: costs of an application.

Are you a Turkish citizen working in the Netherlands and you want to bring your spouse or registered partner to the Netherlands to live with you? In this case, you and your partner must both be at least 18 instead of 21.

Have you found work as a highly skilled migrant? Or work as a researcher under Directive (EU) 2016/801? Normally, only recognised sponsors can apply for these residence permits. For employees with Turkish nationality, a recognised sponsor is not required. You can also submit the application yourself. 

Also for other work in paid employment, a sponsor is not required. However, you need to have found a job before you can apply for the residence permit. 

IND decides faster on the application of a recognised sponsor

Still, the IND advises you to have a recognised sponsor apply for you. This is because the IND decides faster if a recognised sponsor applies. Do you want to apply yourself? Then use 1 of the following forms:

MVV needed

Do you need a provisional residence permit (MVV) and do you want to work as a researcher or highly skilled migrant? 

No MVV needed

Do you not need a MVV? 

Find out the decision period for your residence permit application.

Are you applying for a residence permit as a self-employed person? Then the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (in Dutch: Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland or RVO) assesses whether your company is of essential interest to the Netherlands. Essential interest means that the company must add value to the Netherlands. The RVO assesses this according to a points system. A company must get a minimum number of points. This points system does not apply to Turkish nationals. The RVO only assesses your company by looking at your business plan.

These are the aspects RVO looks at in the business plan:

• Your company is financially healthy.
• Your company provides something that is needed in the Netherlands.
• Your company helps the Dutch economy to grow.
• Your company can do well in the free-market economy.
• Your company does not disrupt the free-market economy or labour market.

The business plan must have a financial explanation for every part.

Are you a Turkish citizen and do you work in the Netherlands on a self-employed basis or in paid employment? Then you no longer need a work permit (in Dutch: tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV) for paid employment after 3 years with the same employer. Normally, this is only after 5 years.

Are you a Turkish citizen? And do you apply for a residence permit humanitarian non-temporary after residence with a family member? Then you do not need a civic integration diploma in the following situations:

• You are working legally in the Netherlands.
• You are planning to work legally in the Netherlands.
• You are a family member of one of these groups. 
   

Requirements

These are the requirements for this residence permit:

• You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
• You have been working for the same Dutch employer for at least 1 year.
• You have a valid residence permit to work for this employer. And this residence permit is valid for the full period you work for this employer.
• You are still working for the same employer.

Application form

Use the form:

Working with the residence permit

If you get this residence permit your employer does not need a work permit (TWV) for you. Are you going to work for another employer? And you did not yet work for the same employer in the Netherlands for 3 years in total? Then your new employer does need a TWV.

Requirements

These are the requirements for this residence permit:

• You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
• You have lived in the Netherlands with a Turkish employee for at least 3 years with a residence permit for stay as a family member. The Turkish employee has a residence permit for a non-temporary purpose.
• You meet the requirements to extend your residence permit to stay with a family member.

Application form

Use the form:

You can look for and carry out work in paid employment or start working on a self-employed basis with this permit. 

Requirements

These are the requirements for this residence permit.

• You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
• You have had at least 3 years of marriage, or a registered partnership, with a Turkish employee who has a residence permit with a non-temporary purpose.
• The marriage or registered partnership has ended.
• You lived in the Netherlands at least 1 year, right before your marriage or registered partnership ended. During this year, you had a residence permit to stay with your spouse or registered partner.
• You must submit your application after your marriage or registered partnership has ended. Or when you no longer live together.

Application form

Use the form:

Requirements

These are the requirements for this residence permit:

• You now have a residence permit for finding and carrying out work (orientation year).
• You found a job when this residence permit was valid.
• You meet the income requirements.

The order for obtaining the independent residence permit after an orientation year is: (1) family reunification permit, (2) orientation year permit, (3) independent residence permit for continued residence.

Application form

Use the form:

Did you apply for a residence permit? And has the IND not made a final decision yet on your application after 3 years? Then you can ask the IND to issue the permit you requested based on the 3-year policy. 

Requirements

These are the requirements for this residence permit:

•  You have the Turkish nationality.
• You fall under the Association Agreement because you work in paid employment. Or because you are, or want to become, self-employed.
• You applied for a residence permit. The IND has been processing this application for 3 years and has not taken a final decision.
• You were allowed to wait in the Netherlands while your application was being processed.
• It is not your fault that it takes long to process the application.
• There are no reasons to reject your application. For example because you pose a risk to public order.

 Applying for the permit

There is no form for the 3-year policy. You must write a letter to the IND. In this letter, you ask to issue the permit you applied for based on the 3-year policy. You must do this before the IND takes a final decision on your application. Go to our Contact Page for the IND post address.