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Permanent residence for EU citizens

You have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.  Or you yourself have a different nationality but you are a family member of an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen or of a Dutch national who falls under EU regulations. You wish to continue to live permanently in the Netherlands. You may apply for a residence document for permanent residence for EU citizens (Duurzaam verblijf).

​Do you already have a regular permanent residence permit (type II)? You do not need to apply for permanent residence for EU/EEA or Swiss citizens and their family members. When your permanent residence permit expires, you may apply for renewal of your residence document.

Conditions

For the permanent residence permit for EU/EEA or Swiss citizens the following conditions apply:

  • You have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland. Or you yourself have a different nationality but you are a family member of an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen or of a Dutch national who falls under EU regulations. The following persons are considered family members:
    • Spouse or (registered) partner.
    • Family member in the ascending line: parent, parent-in-law, grandparent.
    • Family member in the descending line: child, grandchild, great-grandchild.

Please note! Do you have a residence permit for staying with a minor Dutch child? Then you cannot apply for permanent residence for EU citizens.

  • You have been living continuously and lawfully in the Netherlands for 5 years or more. This means that you were actually living in the Netherlands and that you (or your family member) had sufficient resources to support yourself (or you). The IND checks the 5 years immediately prior to the application. For every year living in the Netherlands the IND checks if your residence was lawful. The following situations count towards the built-up of lawful residence:
    • You have worked for at least 1 year. During that year you have at least worked 40% of the usual full working hours. Or, your income from work was at least 50% of the appropriate social welfare benefits standard.
    • You did not work, but you had sufficient resources. For example from your own funds.
    • You did not work, but received social welfare benefits. Relying on social welfare benefits has had no impact on your right of residence according to the IND.
    • You spent time in detention. Prior to your detention, you were already continuously and lawfully living in the Netherlands for 5 years or more.
  • You have a valid passport or another travel document. A child may be included in the passport of one of the parents.
  • You are registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) in your place of residence (municipality). You do not have to show this. The IND checks if you meet this condition. 

Special categories

In some cases you do not have to wait 5 years to apply for permanent residence. The following categories can apply for permanent residence for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens earlier:

  • Retired persons or persons that have taken early retirement.
  • Persons permanently unfit to work.
  • Persons permanently unfit to work due to a work-related accident or work-related illness.
  • Cross-border workers.

Conditions

All these categories at least have to meet the following conditions:

  • You have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
  • You have a valid passport or another travel document. A child may be included in the passport of one of the parents.
  • You are registered in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BRP) in your place of residence (municipality). You do not have to show this. The IND checks if you meet this condition.

In addition, the following conditions apply per category:

You have retired or taken early retirement

  • You have been living in the Netherlands for a continuous period of 3 years.
  • You have worked in the Netherlands for a period of at least 12 months . You stopped working as you retired (you reached the age of 65). Or, you took early retirement.

You are permanently unfit for work

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

You are permanently unfit for work due to a work-related accident or work-related illness

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

You are a cross-border worker

  • You have worked in the Netherlands for a continuous period of 3 years or more.
  • Now you work in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland. You still live in the Netherlands and you return to your home in the Netherlands at least once a week. 

Costs

This application costs € 64.

Children under 18 pay € 33.

Apply online

You can submit this application online. For the online application you need:

Do you not have DigiD yet? Apply for DigiD on www.digid.nl. Do have DigiD, but not have identity check with sms yet? Activate this through MijnDigiD.

Help with logging in with DigiD + sms and DigiD app

  • Information on DigiD + sms: go to explanation on DigiD for more information in different language (Dutch, English, French and Arabic).
  • Information on DigiD app: go to explanation DigiD app for more information (Dutch and English).

You can start the online application by clicking the button Apply online.

Apply online

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you have to enclose with the application. 

You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

 

Steps in the application process

1. Submit application and payment

​You submit the application to the IND yourself. You use the application form. The form is at the bottom of this page. You send the application form together with the required documents to the IND by post. After the application has been received, the IND sends a letter stating how the fees are to be paid.

You can provide your biometric information to an IND Desk within 2 weeks after having sent the application. This only applies to family members who do not have EU/EEA or Swiss nationality.

Do you have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland? The IND then does not need to have biometric information from you. However, a passport photo is still needed. You use the Appendix Passport Photo Form for this.

2. Complete the application form

You apply for recognition with the application form. You can find the form below, under 'Application forms and costs'. Please enclose all requested documents and send the complete application to the IND.

After your application has been received, the IND sends a confirmation letter. The confirmation letter states the date the IND has received your application. It also states the period within which the IND makes a decision.

3. Decision

The IND checks to see whether you meet all the conditions. The period for making a decision depends on your nationality:

  • You have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland: The IND tries to decide on your application within 90 days.
  • You are a family member of an EU/EEA citizen or Swiss citizen: The IND has to make a decision within a period of 90 days.

  • Negative decision
    If you do not meet the conditions, you will not get a residence document for permanent residence. This decision is given in the formal decision. You can apply for a review of this decision.

  • Positive decision
    If you meet all the conditions, you will get a residence document for permanent residence. The IND will send you a letter to inform you when you can collect the residence document.

Application forms and costs

Application for a Permanent Residence Document for Nationals of the Union and their Family Members8004

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you have to enclose with the application. 

You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

How to send documents to the IND:

  • You only send copies of your documents, single-sided and on A4 paper.
  • The copies must be complete and legible (clear enough to be read).
  • Write down your V-number or client number on each copy. If you do not know these numbers, then please write your name and date of birth on each copy.
  • Do not send USB sticks, CDs or DVDs.
  • You keep the original documents yourself. You have to show these documents to the Dutch representation abroad.

Costs application

This application costs € 64.

Children under 18 pay € 33.

Start online application  Download  

After the application

Collect your residence permit

The IND aims to have the residence permit ready for you within 2 weeks after the decision. You receive a letter when you can collect the residence permit. For this, you have to make an appointment online at the IND desk stated in the letter. Keep in mind that it is not always possible to visit an IND desk at short notice. Therefore, please schedule an appointment in time.

Check to see if the information on the residence document is correct while you are still at the IND desk. If something is incorrect, inform the IND staff member at once.

Validity residence document

Are you 18 years or older? The residence document will be issued for 10 years. The residence document can be renewed every 10 years. 

Are you under 18 years old? The residence document will be issued for 5 years.

Work

The back of your residence document states whether you may work in the Netherlands. Your employer does not need a TWV for you. Your residence document states arbeid vrij toegestaan, TWV niet vereist (work permitted free from restrictions, work permit not required).

Rights almost equal to Dutch citizens

Having a permanent residence document means you have almost the same rights as someone with Dutch nationality. The main differences are that you are not allowed to vote in national elections and you are not allowed to work in specific (government) fields, such as the police or the army. For this, you first have to apply for Dutch nationality.

Further applications

Replace residence document

Has your residence document been damaged, lost or stolen? In that case, have the residence document replaced.

Renew permanent residence document

Will your permanent residence permit expire soon? You can apply for a renewal.

Becoming a Dutch citizen

After having had a residence permit for a period of 5 years, you can apply for Dutch citizenship. Then, the same rules for EU/EEA nationals apply.

DigiD with SMS code

Nowadays you can arrange many things yourself on government websites. With DigiD you log in to your personal account on government websites. Your DigiD consists of a username and password that you both choose yourself. Don't have a DigiD yet? Request this on www.digid.nl.

​To apply for a residence permit online you need to have a DigiD with SMS code. After logging in with your DigiD you will receive an SMS with a code. You will have to fill out this code as well to get access to the online application forms.

Do you have a DigiD but no SMS code verification? Please go to Mijn DigiD and log in. Choose 'Extra sms-controle aanvragen' and enter your mobile phone number. Within 5 days you receive a letter with an activation code. Activate the sms control functionality on the website of DigiD with this activation code.

formal decision

​A formal letter with the decision on your application.

TWV

​A TWV is a work permit. The employer applies for a TWV with UWV (Netherlands Employees Insurance Agency). UWV examines among other things if there is no employee with the Dutch, EU/EEA or Swiss nationality that is qualified for the job.