Temporary residency based on Withdrawal Agreement
- Have you been living in the Netherlands for 5 years or more according to the EU-rules or the Withdrawal Agreement? Then you can apply for a residence document for permanent residency based on the Withdrawal Agreement. You do not need to wait until your residence document has expired. Please do not submit your application earlier than 3 months before you have 5 years of legal stay in the Netherlands.
- Have you been living in the Netherlands for 5 years or more according to the EU-rules or the Withdrawal Agreement? Then you can apply for a residence document for permanent residency based on the Withdrawal Agreement. You do not need to wait until your residence document has expired. Please do not submit your application earlier than 3 months before you have 5 years of legal stay in the Netherlands.
Requirements
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General
open minus- You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
- You are a UK national, or family of a UK national and you have a different nationality yourself. You are one of these family members.
- Married or registered partner.
- Unmarried partner in a real, long-term relationship. This means that you must have been living together with your British family member for at least 6 months in a row or have a child together.
- Parent, parent-in-law or grandparent. You depend on the UK national financially. Financial dependence means that you are given money regularly, for example every month. Only with this money you can pay for your basic needs, for example for rent, food or drink.
- Child, grandchild or great-grandchild. Are you 21 years or older? Then you must be financially dependent on the UK national.
- You were living legally in the Netherlands before 1 January 2021. And you have been living in the Netherlands for less than 5 years according to the EU rules or Withdrawal Agreement at the time of the application.
- You carry out genuine and effective work as an employee or self-employed person. This is certainly the case in one of these situations.
- Your income is at least 50% of the social welfare level. On the Government of the Netherlands website, you can find out the level of Social welfare benefits in the Netherlands (in Dutch only).
- You work at least 40% of the full working week.
- If you do not work. One of these situations apply.
- You have healthcare insurance;
- Your income is enough to provide for you (and your family). It does not matter where your income comes from. The IND checks whether you have enough income in line with your situation. This is certainly the case if the level of your income is as high as the Dutch minimum wage with holiday pay. On the Government of the Netherlands website, you can read the amounts of the minimum wage.
- You submit your application on time.
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Family reunification from 1 January 2021
open minusAre you coming to the Netherlands as a family member of a UK national on or after 1 January 2021? And do you want to reunite with family in the Netherlands based on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement? Then these requirements apply.
- You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.
- The UK national with whom you will be living in the Netherlands has a residence permit based on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement
- You already had a relationship with the UK national before 1 January 2021.
- You are one of these family members:
- Married or registered partner.
- Unmarried partner in a real, long-term relationship. This means that you must have been living together with your British family member for at least 6 months in a row or have a child together.
- Parent, parent-in-law or grandparent. You are financially dependent on the UK national. Financial dependence means that you are given money regularly, for example every month. Only with this money you can pay for your basic needs, for example for rent, food or drink.
- Child, grandchild or great-grandchild. Are you 21 years or older? Then you must be financially dependent on the UK national.
- Did you have or have you adopted a child? Your child will get a residence document based on the Withdrawal Agreement if you submit an application. This is only possible if one of the parents already has a residence permit based on the Withdrawal Agreement.
- You do not pose a risk to public order.
- You applied for residence in time: within 3 months after your arrival in the Netherlands.
Other family member and family reunification
If you are another family member than as specified in the requirements, you can also be reunited with a UK national. You must, however, have been in the Netherlands since before 1 January 2021. Or you must have asked for entry before that date, for example in a visa application. And you must live with or be financially or medically dependent on the British national. Medical dependence means that you need personal care for serious health-related reasons. Only the British national can give this care.
Applying too late and illegal stay
Are you applying for a residence document on or after 1 October 2021? Then, your application is too late. The IND does process late applications. If your application is late, but before 1 October 2022, you do not need to explain why you are late.
Do you apply on or after 1 October 2022? Then, during your online or written application you always need to explain why your application is too late. Also enclose supporting documents. After that, the IND will decide if you have a good reason for being too late. The IND will only consider late applications done on or after 1 October 2022 if you have a good reason.
If your application is late, your stay in the Netherlands becomes illegal. Illegal stay has serious consequences for you, such as losing work, benefits and subsidies. Does the IND grant a late application? Then your stay will have been legal from 1 October 2021.
Process and costs
These are the steps in the application process for the residence document.
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1. Check requirements open minusMake sure you meet the requirements.
Visa facilitation
Are you coming to the Netherlands for family reunification? Then you must travel to the Netherlands first. Depending on your nationality, you must apply to the Dutch representation (embassy or consulate) for a free visa facilitation. More information about visa facilitation is available on the Netherlands Worldwide website.
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1. Collect documents open minusThe 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 foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
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2. Collect documents open minusThe 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 foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.
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3. Apply open minusYou can submit this application online or in writing by post.
The drop-down menu of the online application form does not list the United Kingdom. Choose Great Britain.
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4. Pay for the application open minusThe application costs € 81,00. Are you under 18? Then, the application costs a different amount. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.
When you apply online, you pay the fee immediately with IDEAL internet banking. Are you submitting a written application? Then you will receive a letter which explains how you can pay.
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5. Wait for decision on application open minusThe IND must take a decision within 6 months. This is called the decision period.
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.
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6. Decision on application open minusYou will receive the decision in a letter. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: you will get a residence document.
- Negative decision: you will not get a residence document. You can object to this decision.
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7. Collect residence document open minusWhen the residence document is ready at an IND desk, you will receive a letter. You must make an appointment to collect it. Make an appointment to collect your residence document.
Application forms
You can apply online if you are a UK national. To do so, you need DigiD with SMS verification and internet banking (iDEAL).
Online application form temporary residence document WA
Written application forms
You must use the written application form in one of these situations:
• You are family of a UK national. And the UK national does not have to submit an application for themselves or has already got a residence document.
• You are family of a UK national. And the UK national has already submitted an online application as main applicant for other family members.
The residence document
Find out what else you need to know about the residence document 'Residence document Withdrawal Agreement'.
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TB test
open minusDid you indicate at the time of the application that you will take a TB (tuberculosis) test? Then make an appointment with the public health service (in Dutch: Gemeenschappelijke Gezondheidsdienst or GGD). Do this within 3 months after you have received your residence document. Take with you to the appointment
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Working with the residence document
open minusWith a residence document according to the Withdrawal Agreement, you are free to work in the Netherlands. Your employer does not need a work permit (in Dutch: tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV) for you. The back of the residence document says in Dutch ‘Arbeid vrij toegestaan, TWV niet vereist’ (Free to work. Work permit not required.)
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Legal obligations
open minusYou have an obligation to provide information. This means you must inform the IND of any changes in your situation. Read more about the obligation to provide information.
The IND checks whether you meet your obligations. If you do not, you may get an administrative fine.
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Validity of residence document
open minusYour residence document is valid for 5 years.
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Type of residence document
open minusThe residence document is type Article 50 TEU, Residence Document Withdrawal Agreement 18(1).
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Other applications
open minusReplacement of the residence document
Has the residence document been damaged, lost or stolen? Then have the residence document replaced. Visit the web page residence permit damaged or change of personal details or residence permit lost or stolen.
Residence document for permanent residency
Have you been living in the Netherlands for 5 years in a row according to the EU-rules or the Withdrawal Agreement? Then you can apply for a residence document for permanent residency. You do not need to wait until your residence document has expired.