Family member of refugee
Requirements
These requirements apply to you and your family member:
- You have an asylum residence permit.
- You can only submit this application for the following family members:
- Your husband or wife;
- Your partner;
- Your child or foster child;
- Your parents. You can only submit an application for your parents if you were unaccompanied and under 18 when you submitted your asylum application.
- You apply for the MVV for your family member within 3 months after you obtained your asylum residence permit. This is the journey in connection with family reunification period
- Your family member is part of your family and was already part of your family abroad.
- Are you applying for the MVV for your partner, husband or wife? Then both of you must be aged 18 or older.
- Your family member has not committed an offense or crime.
- You declare that you are the sponsor for your family member. The sponsor is the person who brings the family member to the Netherlands.
- Is there a parent who stays behind in the country of origin? And does that parent have custody of the child? Then, that parent who stays behind has to sign a permission statement. With it, the parent gives permission for child´s departure to the Netherlands.
- You must prove the identity of your family member and the family relationship with documents.
Process
The application process for the residence permit consists of the following steps:
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1. Check requirements open minus -
1. Collect documents open minus -
2. Collect documents open minus -
2. Apply open minus -
3. Apply open minus -
4. Pay for the application open minus -
5. Wait for the decision on the application open minus -
6. Decision on the application open minus -
7. Pick up MVV and travel to the Netherlands open minus -
8. Pick up the residence permit open minus
Application forms
You can submit this application online. You must have DigiD with SMS verification and internet banking (iDEAL).
Online Application for a 'Regular Provisional Residence permit - persons making a journey in connection with family reunification with an asylum seeker'
Written application forms
The residence permit
Find out what else you need to know about the residence permit:
Your family member will receive a derivative residence permit
Your family member will receive a derivative asylum residence permit. This means that the residence of your family member depends on your asylum residence permit. The IND can withdraw your family member’s residence permit if there is no longer a family relationship with you. For example, if your family member is a child who will go and live on their own within a year.
Your family member can apply for an independent asylum residence permit
Your family member may also apply for asylum in the Netherlands on their own. The IND then assesses whether your family member has a right to an independent asylum residence permit. If that is not the case, your family member will often still receive the derivative asylum residence permit.
Working with the residence permit
Your family member may work in the Netherlands with a temporary derivative residence permit. Their employer does not need a work permit (in Dutch: tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV). On the back of the residence permit it says ‘Free to work. Work permit is not required (in Dutch: Arbeid vrij toegestaan. TWV niet vereist). TWV stands for tewerkstellingsvergunning which means work permit in Dutch.
Legal obligations
A sponsor has an obligation to provide information and an administrative obligation. Your family member has an obligation to provide information. Read more about the legal obligations of the sponsor for a family member and the foreign national’s obligation to provide information.
The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. Are you violating your obligations? You then may get an administrative fine.
Validity of the residence permit
Your family member’s residence permit is valid for 5 years.
Other applications
Replacement of the residence permit
Has your family member’s residence permit been damaged, lost or stolen? Then, have the residence permit replaced. Go to the page residence permit damaged or change of personal details or residence permit lost or stolen.
Extend the residence permit
Will your family member’s residence permit expire soon? Then, your family member can extend the residence permit
Permanent residence permit
Has your family member had a residence permit for 5 years? Then, your family member can apply for a permanent residence permit.