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Exchange organisations

You work for an exchange organisation that wants to bring young people to the Netherlands for a cultural exchange. Your organisation has to be a recognised sponsor to do this. What are the conditions? And how does the application procedure work?

This page only contains information about the recognition as a sponsor for exchange purposes. You can find the conditions for residence permits for exchange purposes on the pages cultural exchange and Working Holiday. On this page, however, you can find the exchange notification form and the separate appendices of the application forms.

In order to bring someone to the Netherlands for a cultural exchange, your company must have been recognised by the IND. In order to be recognised as a sponsor, your company must be a reliable partner for the IND. After your organisation has been recognised, it will be entered in the Public Register for Recognised Sponsors.

Recognition is not mandatory for applications under the Working Holiday Program and Working Holiday Scheme.

Conditions

There are certain conditions that apply to all recognised sponsors. In addition, the recognition for exchange purposes is subject to the following conditions:

  • Your organisation has a cultural objective.
  • Your organisation implements an exchange programme that has been approved by the Minister of Migration.

 Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you need for your 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 ask for recognition by using the application form. This form is at the bottom of this page. You send this application form and the documents required to the IND. After the application has been received, the IND sends a letter stating how the fees are to be paid.

Reduced fee
​When the legal form of your enterprise has changed the reduced fee also applies. Your enterprise was recognised as a sponsor before that change and a notarial deed shows that:

  • the nature of the business activities has not expanded; and
  • the control of the new enterprise or legal entity remains the same.

More information can be found in the application form.

2. Receipt and check application

​After your application has been received, the IND sends an 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.

The IND will then check to see if your application is complete and that the fees have been paid. Are documents missing, or are documents not correct? In that case, the IND will send a letter: a request to rectify the omission. This letter lists the documents that you still need to sent. Send the requested documents before the mentioned date to the IND.

3. Decision

​The IND checks whether your organisation meets all the conditions required for recognition. The IND tries to make a decision within a period of 2 weeks.

  • Negative decision
    If your organisation does not meet all the conditions, the IND will reject the application for recognition. You can register an objection against this decision.

  • Positive decision
    If your organisation meets all the conditions, your organisation will be a recognised sponsor for exchange purposes. You will be informed of this.

4. Entry in the public register

​​Your organisation is entered in the Public Register of Recognised Sponsors. Those interested can check here to see if the organisation is recognised.

Application forms and costs

Application form for 'Recognition as Sponsor'7501

Use this form if you want to apply for recognition for your organisation.

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you need for your application.

Costs application

This application costs € 2638.

  • The application recognition as sponsor due to change in business entity costs € 2638.​

Download  

Notification form exchange purposes7591

Use this form to inform the IND of changes in the situation of the exhange adolescent.

In the portal recognised sponsors you can inform the IND online that you are no longer the sponsor of the exchange adolescent. You need to log in with e-Herkenning. You do not have e-Herkenning yet? You can apply for e-Herkenning in the portal.

Report termination sponsorship  Download  

After the recognition

Recognition only serves the purpose for which the recognition was given

​You are a recognised sponsor for the purpose of residence of 'exchange'. This recognition only applies to this purpose of residence. An exchange concerns the applications for an au pair, cultural exchange and working holiday. Recognition is not mandatory for the applications for a working holiday

Submit applications for foreign employees and researchers

After your recognition has been approved, you may submit applications for a residence permit for a cultural exchange or working holiday. Your organisation declares in the application form that the young person taking part in the exchange meets the conditions. The documents given by this young person to demonstrate this, do not have to be sent by you to the IND.

You can find the conditions, procedure and the application forms on the pages of the relevant target group.

Having applications submitted by an authorised representative

You can authorise an organisation or institution to submit the applications on your behalf. You send a one-time authorisation to the IND. This authorisation states who you authorise to submit the applications on your behalf. You sign the authorisation.

The authorised representative enters the name of your organisation and his own data on the application form when submitting the application. The application form has a separate field for this.

Change in business entity

​When the business entity of your institution or company changes, you will again need to apply for recognition as sponsor for the newe business entity. This application for recognition costs € 2638.

Rights and obligations

Rights

As a recognised sponsor you have a number of rights: 

  • The aim of the IND is to decide on your applications within 2 weeks. This is only possible if you complete the application in full. Are documents missing? The IND cannot then meet the term of 2 weeks.
  • You can send less documentary evidence to the IND. An own statement is often enough. This states that the employee meets all the conditions for entry and residence in the Netherlands.
  • You can direct any questions you have to a special email address. See the contact details on the right side of this page for the address.

Obligations

As recognised sponsor you have a responsible task. You assess all applications for a residence permit for exchange purposes and submit the application. The IND has no or hardly any contact with the young person taking part in the exchange. Everything runs through you. 

The migration policy is based on trust in you as recognised sponsor. The IND checks afterwards if:

  • the young person taking part in the exchange (still) meets the conditions for residence;
  • you continue to meet the conditions for recognition; and
  • you fulfil your obligations as sponsor.

You are also responsible for organisations that you have authorised to submit applications on your behalf.

Apart from your rights, you must, as recognised sponsor, therefore meet a number of statutory obligations.

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