All About Obtaining Permanent Residence In The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a nice place to be. It’s one of the best countries to immigrate to in 2021. After living in the Netherlands for at least 5 years, you can apply for a Netherlands permanent residence permit.
In this blog post, you will learn how to go about obtaining a Dutch permanent resident permit. We will discuss the benefits, requirements and how to obtain permanent residence in the Netherlands.
Benefits Of Dutch Permanent Residence
- Having a permanent residence permit in the Netherlands can allow you to enjoy some rights and privileges that Dutch nationals are entitled to.
- A Dutch permanent resident card enables you to get employed or start a business in the Netherlands labour market.
- You can stay in the Netherlands for a long period of time. In fact, you can reside there forever. All you have to do is to renew your residence permit every 5 years. Each permit is valid for only 5 years.
- A Dutch permanent residence permit is a stepping stone to obtaining citizenship in the Netherlands.
Applying For A Permanent Residence In Netherlands
This process varies for different people. There are two different categories when it comes to an application for Dutch permanent residence.
- Permanent residence for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and family members.
- Permanent residence for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens.
Permanent Residence For EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals And Family Members.
If you happen to be an EU/EEA or Switzerland national, and you have resided in the Netherlands for 5 consecutive years, then you are eligible to apply for a Dutch permanent residence.
You can also apply for your family members, even if they are not EU/EEA or Swiss nationals. They can be your children, husband or wife, ward or even relatives.
Although sometimes, the compulsory 5 year period might be shorter if you prematurely left a job, retired or got transferred to another country.
Permanent Residence For Non-EU/EEA/Swiss Nationals
Even though you are not a citizen and you have no claim, you can still apply for a Dutch permanent resident permit.
However, you have to meet these 3 criteria:
- You must provide a genuine residence permit that allowed you a non-temporary purpose of stay.
- You must have resided in the Netherlands for 5 consecutive years.
- You have become independent and established in the country. You should become used to how things are being done in the Netherlands.
If for any reason you are not able to meet these requirements, you won’t be granted a Dutch permanent resident permit. However, your temporary residence permit will be considered for extension.
The Requirements For Permanent Residence In Netherlands
To obtain your Dutch permanent residence permit, you must meet the requirements below.
- You must have resided in the Netherlands for at least 5 consecutive years.
- During these years, you must have applied for and obtained a temporary resident permit.
- If during these years, your temporary resident permit expired and you failed to renew it, it later might hinder you from obtaining your Dutch permanent resident permit.
- You must have sufficient funds to maintain your standard of living in the Netherlands. Also, you should provide documents that support this claim. The recommended amount is €1,152.60 per month.
- You must not be a threat to the national security of the Netherlands.
- You must be able to communicate fluently in the Dutch language. You are expected to be able to read, write and speak the Dutch language. A brief examination will be done for you to prove this claim.
- You should have any activity record that translates to a non temporary residence permit. This might be a 12 months contract for an employment or a job service to be rendered.
Payment Requirements
To process your request, you have to pay a service fee to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
The paid fee will not be refunded, even if your application later turns out to be rejected. The amount is €156.
Documents Required For The Dutch Permanent Residence Application
To show that you are qualified for this permit, you have to provide some documents. They have been listed below.
- A civic integration diploma.
- A shred of evidence that will prove that you have a legal means of acquiring income. An example is a statement from your bank.
- Your valid passport, a travel document or any means of identification. It might a copy of the original.
- If you are a relative or family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss national, you should show proof of it.
- If you are retired worked or employee in the Netherlands, you should provide evidence that you worked for at least a period of 6 months in the country.
The Processing Duration
For EU/EEA nationals and citizens of Switzerland, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) will make their final decisions within 2 months (maximum).
For non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, the IND will make their decision before 6 months (maximum).
If the IND decides to grant your request, your application will be processed. You will receive a letter disclosing their decision. You will be able to receive your Netherlands permanent residence permit within 14 days.
You will have to visit your regional IND office and receive the permit by hand.
Dutch Permanent Residence Permit Expiry
The permit given to you will be valid for only 5 years, after which it will expire. You can then renew it or apply for Dutch citizenship.
