Family member of refugee

Last update: 13 June 2022

You have an asylum residence permit and you want to bring your family to the Netherlands. You then apply for a provisional residence permit (in Dutch: machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf or MVV) for your family member. An MVV is a visa that allows family members of an admitted refugees to travel to the Netherlands. Find out what the requirements are and how to apply for family reunification as a 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:

Show details Hide details

1. Check requirements open minus

Make sure you meet the requirements.

This application is only for family members of a refugee. This means that only holders of asylum residence permits can submit this application for family members.

Do you or does your family member not meet the requirements? Find out if you meet the requirements for a different residence permit for residence as a family member.
1. Collect documents open minus

The written application form lists which documents you need. Collect all documents before you apply. You can upload the documents in the online application.

Have official documents from abroad legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
2. Collect documents open minus

The written application form lists which documents you need. Collect all documents before you apply. You can upload the documents in the online application.

Have official documents from abroad legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
2. Apply open minus
3. Apply open minus

The IND prefers that you submit the application for your family member in the Netherlands. You apply for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time. You can apply online or by post.

Your family member may also apply themselves at the Dutch embassy or consulate abroad.
4. Pay for the application open minus

The application is free of charge.
5. Wait for the decision on the application open minus

The IND must take a decision within 3 months.

We can extend the decision period if it takes longer to decide. For example, because the application is not complete. In that case, the IND will send a message.

Does your family member have no, or not enough documents? Then the IND may carry out more investigation. For example, a DNA test or an interview with you and with your family member. Then, you will receive a letter.

Follow the application in My IND.
6. Decision on the application open minus
You will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: your family member will get an MVV.
- Negative decision: your family member will not get an MVV. You can object against this decision.
7. Pick up MVV and travel to the Netherlands open minus

Your family member can travel to the Netherlands with the MVV. Your family member collects the MVV from the Dutch representation (embassy or consulate) that you filled in on the application form.

The MVV is valid for 90 days.

Collect MVV after positive decision

Your family member normally has 3 months to collect the MVV. This can be extended to 6 months. But what if, due to circumstances, it is not possible to collect the MVV within 6 months? Then the Dutch representation (embassy or consulate) will temporarily be flexible. And your family member can collect the MVV within 9 months after the positive decision of the IND.

Your family member must make an appointment at the Dutch representation to pick up the MVV.

Valid passport required

When the Dutch representation places the MVV in your family member’s passport, their passport must be valid for at least another 6 months. Does your family member not have a passport? Then your family member usually gets a temporary passport (a Dutch laissez-passer). This is a temporary travel document.

Biometrics

Your family member must have biometric data taken when they collect the MVV. Your family member needs to bring 1 new passport photo with them. Your family member will also provide their signature and have their fingerprints taken.
8. Pick up the residence permit open minus

Your family member must travel to the Netherlands within 90 days and apply in person at the IND in Ter Apel.

Your family member must apply within 3 days of arrival

Does your family member already have a home in the Netherlands and can you also live there? Then you must report to Zevenaar after arriving in the Netherlands. This is only possible by appointment. Your family member will make an appointment online for registration in Zevenaar as soon as your flight or travel to the Netherlands has been booked.

Does your family member still live in a reception centre in the Netherlands? Then after arriving in the Netherlands, you must register with the IND in Ter Apel within 3 days. You do not need an appointment to register in Ter Apel.

The process in Ter Apel usually takes 4 days

During the process, your family member will spend the night with you or at the reception centre of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). Your family member will need to have a TB test. Some nationalities have an exemption from the obligation for a TB test. You can use this form to file for exemption:
Appendix Exemption from the obligation to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test 7644 (PDF, 96.45 KB)

If no extra investigation is necessary, your family member will receive the decision and the residence permit from the IND.

The municipality will enter the personal details of your family member in the Personal Records Database (in Dutch: Basisregistratie Personen (BRP)).

When the process is complete your family can stay with you at your house. If that is not or not yet possible, your family member will temporarily go to an asylum reception centre.

Application forms

You can submit this application online. You must have DigiD with SMS verification and internet banking (iDEAL).

Online form

Online Application for a 'Regular Provisional Residence permit - persons making a journey in connection with family reunification with an asylum seeker'

Apply online

Written application forms

Download a form if you prefer to fill in the application in writing and send it by post.

I am submitting the application for my family member:

Application for a 'Regular Provisional Residence permit persons making a journey in connection with family reunification with an asylum seeker' 7539 (PDF, 1.04 MB)

My family member will apply on their own at the Dutch representation abroad:

Application for admission and residence 'to stay with a family member’ (foreign national) 9511 (PDF, 258.34 KB)

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.