Exceptions to 5-year term for permanent residency

What if you did not have a Dutch residence permit for 5 consecutive years? And you do meet all other requirements? In that case, you can still apply for a permanent residence permit in these situations.

• You have Belgian or Luxembourgian nationality.
• You are an (ex-)privileged person or their dependent family member.
• You are a former Dutch citizen or you previously lived in the Netherlands. And one of these situations applies to you.
  • You are an adult. Before you turned 18, you lived for 10 years or more in the Netherlands. During this period, you had a valid residence permit. You applied for a residence permit to return to the Netherlands before you turned 28.
  • You are an adult. Before you turned 18, you lived in the Netherlands for 5 years or more. During this period, you had a valid residence permit. The Netherlands is the most appropriate country for you to live in.
  • You are a former Dutch citizen. You lost your Dutch nationality or it was withdrawn. When you became a Dutch citizen, you had been living in the Netherlands with a valid residence permit for 5 years or more.
     

Extra exceptions for EU long-term residents

Did you not have a Dutch residence permit for 5 consecutive years? And you do meet all other requirements? In that case there are situations in which you can still apply for a long-term EU residence permit:

• You now have a permanent residence permit. You want a permit as a long-term EU resident. You can apply for this permit immediately.
• You have a valid European Blue Card and all of these situations apply to you:
  • At the time you apply for a long-term EU residence permit, you lived in the Netherlands for at least 2 consecutive years. During this period, you had a valid Blue Card. Prior to that, you lived in another EU country outside of the Netherlands for at least 12 consecutive months, with a valid Blue Card.
  • You  lived in the European Union for at least 5 consecutive years with a valid residence permit. During this period, you may have lived in different countries of the EU. The minimal stay of 5 years counts the period that you lived in an EU country with a:
    • European Blue Card
    • Permit for a highly skilled job
    • Research permit
    • Asylum permit
    • Study permit. You may count this period for 50%.  
  • In those 5 years, you did not live outside the European Union for more than 18 months. In that period of 18 months, you are not allowed to have lived more than 12 consecutive months outside the European Union.
• You have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 years with a valid residence permit. You currently have a valid European Blue Card. In the past 5 years, you did not live outside the Netherlands for more than 18 months. In that period of 18 months, you are not allowed to have lived more than 12 consecutive months outside the Netherlands.  
• You have had a residence permit as a long-term EU resident. The IND has withdrawn your residence permit because of one of these situations.
  • You stayed in a different EU/EEA country or Switzerland for study or vocational training. You must apply for the long-term EU residence permit within 6 months after your study or training has ended. Or within 6 months after your residence permit is no longer valid in that country.
  • You stayed outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland for 12 months. You must apply for the long-term EU residence permit within 12 months, after the withdrawal has become final. Final means that there is no  possibility to object or appeal.  
  • You have acquired the status of long-term EU resident in a different EU country. You must apply for the long-term EU residence permit within 12 months after the withdrawal has become final.