Permits & Visa
A MVV is an entry visa to enter the country; it is a sticker in your passport issued by the Dutch Embassy or Consulate. Note: an entry visa it is NOT the same as a residence permit.
A MVV is valid for 90 days and from the day of entering the Netherlands or another Schengen Country (but no longer then the expiry date). Once the MVV has been approved by the authorities, you may contact the Dutch Embassy/Consulate to make an appointment to collect your entry visa. The MVV it is a sticker in your passport issued by the Dutch Embassy or Consulate: make sure they give you a type D/multiple entry visa.
The type D/multiple entry visa allows you to travel within the Schengen countries. With multiple entries you can also travel outside the Schengen countries and re-enter several times. When you book your flight to the Netherlands you are also allowed to travel through another Schengen country.
Most of the times the Embassy or Consulate requires a Healthcare insurance certificate when you collect this type of entry visa.
Starting from the date on which the IND authorized the embassy or consulate to issue the MVV to you, you have 90 days to go to the embassy or consulate to apply for your MVV. The embassy will be able to tell you how long it will take before you can pick up your MVV.
When you receive your MVV, it will be valid for another 90 days. You may travel to the Netherlands during this period. Please note that the MVV is only valid for 90 days from the date you entered the Netherlands or one of the other Schengen countries ( but no longer than the expiry date). You will get a date stamp in your passport at the border or the airport. Your MVV still needs to be valid when you collect your residence permit. International Office will contact you as soon as your residence permit card is ready.
Under NO condition should students, who plan to stay longer than three months, enter the Netherlands on a short-term or tourist visa. It is NOT possible to change a tourist visa status into a residence permit.
Students from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New-Zealand, South Korea, U.S.A. and Vatican City need not apply for an entry visa (MVV). However, if these students need to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days, a residence permit for the Netherlands is required.
It is possible to apply for this residence permit (based on study) upon arrival in the Netherlands but as the application process will take several week, both Wageningen University and the Dutch Immigration services (IND) strongly advise new students to start this procedure before arrival. It is not possible to start this procedure yourself.
In order to apply for an entry visa and residence permit you need to complete the steps below. International Office (IO) of Wageningen University & Research will send you instructions and forms (roadmap) upon receipt of your payment and/or fellowship letter.
The steps to Legal residence:
1. Fill out the forms that International Office sends you after receipt of your payment and/or fellowship letter
2. E-mail the scanned copies of the completed forms (pdf) and other required documents (pdf) by replying the email that IO has sent you
3. IO will check the forms and will inform you if the forms have been filled out correctly. IO confirms the receipt of the forms
4. IO confirms the start of the procedure.
5. IO informs you as soon as your residence permit has been approved by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Services (IND). IO will send you a copy of the approval letter.
6. Book your flight. You need not wait for the residence permit to be approved
7. After arrival you need to make an appointment at the IND to have your biometric data taken (passport photo and fingerprints) Your residence permit card cannot be printed before your biometric data have been taken.
8. International Office will contact you as soon as your residence permit card is ready.
During the residence permit application process you may contact IO through Questions and Answers . Please keep in mind that this process may take 4-6 weeks and that IO is not able to speed up the procedure of the Immigration services (IND)
More about Visa and Immigration Procedures www.ind.nl and http://www.nuffic.nl/international-students/how-to-prepare/visas-and-permits