Independent, sustainable and sufficient income
The income requirements
Your income must meet these 3 requirements:
- Your income is independent. This means that you pay taxes and national insurance contributions on your income.
- Your income is sustainable. This means that you will receive the income long enough.
- Your income is sufficient. This means that your income is high enough. The IND uses required amounts to determine whether your income is high enough. Your income is sufficient, if it is at least as much as the required amount. The required amounts vary per residence permit. See the required amounts per residence permit.
Income requirements per type of income
There are different types of income. For example from work in paid employment, from one’s own business, from benefit or from assets. The type of income determines exactly what the income requirements are.
Do you have several sources of income? And does each income meet the applicable rules? In that case you may add up these incomes. The added-up incomes together must at least be equal to the required amount that belongs to the residence permit.
Also count income of partner or parents
Sometimes you may also count the income of your partner or parents. This is only allowed if you apply for one of these residence permits:
- Residence permit for a minor child or adopted/foster child
- Sponsorship declaration for a foreign student
- Sponsorship declaration for medical treatment
- Permanent residence permit
You and your partner or parents have to meet the following requirements:
- You live together with your partner. Or you live with your parents.
- Your partner or parent is a Dutch citizen or has a Dutch residence permit.
- All incomes must be independent and sustainable. Added up these incomes are at least equal to the required amount the applies for that residence permit.
For all other applications you yourself must have independent, sustainable and sufficient income.
Exemptions from income requirements
Do you want to apply for a residence permit for your family member or partner? Or are you applying for a permanent residence permit? In certain situations you do not have to meet the income requirements. In that case you will get an exemption.
Income test for residence permit for partner
Do you want to apply for a residence permit for your partner? And do you want to know whether your income is sufficient? Take the income test to find out. Use this income test to check for yourself whether your income meets the requirements. This test is not decisive. The IND will assess your income after you submit your application.
Documents you need to do the test
In the test, you answer questions about your income. So it is helpful to have information about your income ready. For example:
- salary slips;
- contract;
- benefit statements;
- your profit for the last years.
You will have to send these documents with your application as well.
Several incomes
Do you have more than one income? Start the income test with your highest income. What if this income is not high enough, but it meets the other requirements? Then do the income test again for your other income. If this income also meets the requirements, then add the incomes together.