Non EU/EEA students

1. Students from: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Entry visa

  • For a stay of up to three months: Students do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands. All they need is a valid passport

  • For a stay of more than three months: Students need a 'provisional residence permit' (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV). The host institution may seek advice from the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) concerning the application for an MVV. If the advice of the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) is favourable, students then have to apply for the actual MVV themselves at the Dutch embassy or consulate in their home country, or the country in which they legally reside. It is extremely important to have this visa before travelling to the Netherlands!

2. Students from: Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, USA and Vatican City State.

Entry visa

Students do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands, neither for a short, nor for a long stay. All they need is a valid passport.



3. Students from Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.

Entry visa

Students do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands, neither for a short, nor for a long stay. All they need is a valid passport.

Formalities on arrival

As EU citizen, not many obligations apply to the students from Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.

  • If the students are staying for just a short period (up to three months), they donÂ’t need to register at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) or the municipality (Gemeentelijke Basisadministratie, GBA). The only thing they need is a valid passport or valid national identity card

  • If they are staying for more than four months, registration as an inhabitant of the municipality where they are staying is required. In this case, students may also apply for verification against EU Community Law (proof of lawful residence) at the IND and for a residence document. This is not compulsory , but it is highly advisable, as it will make a number of things easier and several other institutions might want to see a EU residence document before acting for migrants.

For a list of all required documents and fees for visa, please consult the website of the Dutch embassy in your home country or the country in which you legally reside.

4. Students from all other countries

Entry visa

  • For a stay of up to three months: Students need a short-stay visa (VKV) to enter the Netherlands. One has to apply for this in person at the Dutch embassy or consulate in his home country (or the country in which he legally resides)

  • For a stay of more than three months: Students need a 'provisional residence permit' (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, MVV). The host institution may seek advice from the IND concerning the application for an MVV. If the advice of the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) is favourable, student has to apply for the actual MVV himself at the Dutch embassy or consulate in his home country, or the country in which he legally resides. It is extremely important that students have this visa before travelling to the Netherlands!

Formalities on arrival:

  • for a stay of up to three months: Students are required to report to the local immigration authorities (Aliens Police) within three days of their arrival

  • for a stay of more than three months: Students are required to report to the local immigration authorities (Aliens Police) within three days of their arrival. They also need to register with the municipality (Gemeentelijke Basisadministratie, GBA) as an inhabitant of the local municipality within five days of their arrival. Furthermore they need to apply for a residence permit. Their host institution (university or university of applied sciences) can apply for the permit on studentsÂ’ behalf, but until August 1st, 2008, they can also do it theirown. In case students stay in the Netherlands for a traineeship or to get work experience they have to go to the IND office in the region where they reside.