Frequently asked questions

We cannot give you a precise indication of how long it will take. You have about a month and a half to complete your residence permit application before the deadline. After we have sent your application to the IND, it takes another 2-5 weeks for them to reach a decision. Once we have received the approval, we will let you know via e-mail.

You do not have to contact Utrecht University or the IND to pick up your residence permit, or to check on its status. Utrecht University will inform you when you can pick up your residence permit. You will receive this information during the first month of your study programme (September or February).

No, we cannot speed up the process. You can make sure to submit your residence permit application as soon as possible and pay the tuition fee (+ the living expenses if you are a student from mainland China).

You can contact Student Services to learn more about what might be going on in your situation. Please note that we can only start up your residence permit application process after you have been (un)conditionally accepted and you have accepted your offer.

The IND needs to register your fingerprints, photo and signature for your residence permit card. For students requiring a visa to enter the Netherlands this takes place at the Dutch embassy/consulate in the country where the visa will be issued. For students requiring a residence permit only, this takes place after arrival in the Netherlands. If you need to register your biometric data after arrival in the Netherlands, you will receive an e-mail about this with more information on how and where to make an appointment.

If the country of your nationality is not on the list of exemptions below, the IND requires you to complete a ‘Declaration of intent to undergo a TB test’. By completing and signing this form, you declare that you are prepared to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test and – if necessary – treatment after your arrival in the Netherlands.

List of countries that are exempted to undergo the TB test.

If your country is not on the list, you need to fill out the following form: Declaration of intent to undergo a TB test from Immigration and Naturalisation Service appendix and upload it in Osiris.

As soon as you notice the theft or loss make sure to report it at the nearest police station. You then need to contact the Dutch Immigration Authorities (IND) directly to request a replacement residence permit card. For more information, please check the IND website.

Your residence permit is valid for the duration of your studies. After you graduate, the IND will give you 3 months after the graduation date or until the expiry date on your card, whichever comes first. More information can be found here.

If you hold a residence permit for study and stop your enrolment without graduating, your residence permit becomes void as of the date of enrolment termination. You will have to leave the country within 28 days (about 4 weeks).

The application fee is 257 euros. On top of that, you need to pay the tuition fee and show that you have sufficient financial means for a full year (the equivalent of 12*1225 = 14700 euros).

NOTE: Per January 2024, the IND has significantly raised the minimum monthly living expenses. More information can be found on the IND’s website. We rounded the amount up to €1225, considering error margin and possible changes in exchange rate. Keep this in mind when applying for a scholarship or student loan.

You can find the required documents in our checklist.

We cannot arrange a visa/residence permit for your spouse/family member for you. You need to do this yourself. More information about the application procedure and the requirements can be found on the IND website.

It is a mandatory requirement for keeping your residence permit, that you are registered at the municipality you live in. You can find more information about how to register at the municipality here.

Check the information below to see if you need a MVV (entry visa) and/or VVR (residence permit) to study in the Netherlands.

You can only collect your student entry visa outside your home country in the following two situations:

• You have legal residency in the country where you want to collect your entry visa. Legal residency means you are a national of or have a residence permit for that country. A tourist visa, or short-stay visa is not sufficient.
• There is no Dutch embassy or consulate in your home country. In this case, you may collect your visa from the Dutch embassy/consulate that officially serves your country, which will generally be in a neighboring country. Visit the Netherlands and you website for information on the location of the Dutch embassy that officially serves your country.

If you are in doubt whether either choice applies to you, please send an e-mail to visa@uu.nl.

Only if your application has not been sent to the IND yet. If you want to know what is possible in your situation, please contact visa@uu.nl 
NOTE: you can only change location in your own country unless you have a residence permit for another country.

The embassy will inform you when you can collect your passport with the MVV entry visa. On average, it takes about 5 working days after your first visit, before your passport is ready for pickup. However, it may take longer or shorter, depending on the embassy in question.

Yes. After you have received a positive decision from the IND, you have 3 months to collect your MVV.

After collecting the MVV it will be valid for another 3 months (90 days). You must enter the Netherlands within this period.

When you come to the Netherlands with an MVV entry visa, it will take a few weeks before you receive your residence permit. If your MVV entry visa states "multiple entry Schengen visa", this means that, while your entry visa is valid, you are allowed to travel freely in and out of the Netherlands and through all the Schengen countries. You are also allowed to leave the Schengen area and return within the period your MVV entry visa is valid.

You need to show that you have at least (the equivalent of) 1225 euros available to cover your monthly living expenses.

NOTE: Per January 2024, the IND has significantly raised the minimum monthly living expenses. More information can be found on the IND’s website. We rounded the amount up to €1225, considering error margin and possible changes in exchange rate. Keep this in mind when applying for a scholarship or student loan.

Someone sponsors your stay in the Netherlands, for example your parents. To prove that you have a sponsor with sufficient financial means to fund your stay in the Netherlands, you must provide:

• A recent bank statement (at most two months old) for an account in your sponsor’s name.
  OR, if you cannot provide a bank statement, a recent declaration from your sponsor’s bank that is signed and certified with a stamp of the bank.
• A scan of your sponsor’s passport or ID card. In the case of a joint account, both account holders must sign the Financial Statement sponsor form.
• A the Financial Statement Sponsor form, filled out and signed by your sponsor(s).

The bank statement must have the following information:

• Name and address of the bank
• Currency
• Name of the account holder(s). If you have a joint account, you need to submit written approval from the second account holder that you can dispose of the amount specified.
• Balance
• Full account number
• Account type
• Date

In addition, the documents must:

• Be less than two months old. If you have already paid your tuition fee, the bank document(s) issue date must be AFTER the payment date.
• Hold no sign that there is a hold on the funds (e.g. no term/time deposits or share/stock portfolio).
• Show a balance sufficient for the entire period of your stay, or at least the first year.
• Be issued in English, French, Dutch or German. If not, the document(s) must be translated by a certified translator (translations made by a lawyer or notary are not accepted).

Please note this initially only applies to students from mainland China. This excludes Taiwan and Hong Kong.

If you are not from mainland China, but you do wish to transfer the living expenses to Utrecht University, please contact visa@uu.nl and we will send you an updated invoice.

The payment can only be made by bank transfer (details are mentioned on the invoice). We must receive the exact amount needed to prove your financial means. This means you must cover any costs associated with the transfer.

The money will be kept in your name until you arrive in the Netherlands. Once you have arrived, you will need to open a Dutch bank account so we can refund your financial means.

The money will be kept in your name until you arrive in the Netherlands. Once you have arrived, you will need to open a Dutch bank account so we can refund your financial means. You will receive more information about the exact procedure by e-mail at the start of your study programme.

Currently, all COVID-restrictions have been lifted. Please check the Dutch government website for more information and updates.

Students with a non-EU nationality are recommended for legal and practical reasons not to arrive in the Netherlands earlier than one month before the start date of their study programme.

It’s recommended to have your passport (with MVV sticker if you need an entry visa) and (digital) letter of admission ready.

Part of the requirements for your residence permit is that you maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress towards your degree for each year in which you are enrolled. This means that you must obtain at least 50% of the ECTS that you can obtain in one academic year. This policy applies to all non-EU/EEA students who have a residence permit for study purposes.

If you haven’t met the 50% ECTS requirement over the academic year, in September, you will receive an official letter regarding UU’s intention to deregister you at the IND due to insufficient study progress. This letter will explain the consequences and provides information on the possibilities for submitting an appeal if you feel the details provided in the letter are incorrect.

Please note that having insufficient study progress means that you’re no longer allowed to study at UU, even if it would be at a different study programme.

When moving within Utrecht, you need to report your new address within 5 days at the municipality. You can find the procedure on the municipality’s website If you will be moving to another place than Utrecht, you should contact the municipality you will be moving to (so not the one you are moving away from) for information about arranging the change of your Dutch address.

We need to apply for a permit extension on your behalf at the IND. Residence permits for the purpose of study are issued for a specific period of time. The expiry date of your permit can be found on the front of your residence permit (‘geldig tot’). If you know that you require an extension, but you haven’t received an e-mail from us around two months before the expiry date, please let us know as soon as possible via visa@uu.nl.

If you are not from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, there are some restrictions if you want to work next to your studies:

• Your employer must give you a personal work permit. They must apply for this permit for you.
• You can work for a maximum of 16 hours a week during the year or full-time during June, July and August.
• Self-employment: in case you decide to work for yourself, there is no maximum number of hours you can work. You also do not have to apply for a work permit.

More information can be found in the flyer by the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

You are free to do an internship as part of your studies if you still follow the requirements for your residence permit. This means that for your internship, you don’t need a work permit. You do however need to sign an internship agreement. This agreement must be signed by you, your internship provider, and the UU. You can find an example of such an agreement on the Study in Holland website.

You can stay outside the Netherlands for a maximum of 6 months, if this is for other purposes than study. But to keep your residence permit, you must remain registered in your studies and at the municipality. If you do not follow these requirements, we must deregister you with the IND and you will need a new residence permit (+ entry visa, depending on your nationality) when you return..

If you are going on exchange as part of your studies, you can stay abroad for a maximum of 12 months, but make sure to inform us by sending an email to visa@uu.nl.

After you graduate, the IND will give you 3 months after the graduation date or until the expiry date on your card, whichever comes first, to leave the country. More information can be found here.

If you think about pursuing a career in the Netherlands after graduation, you can apply for an ‘Search year’ residence permit. This residence permit gives you the opportunity to find a job within one year after obtaining your degree. In that year, you don’t need a work permit to work in the Netherlands.

Your residence permit card must be returned to the IND when you leave. You can do this in one of two ways: You can either go to an IND front office to hand in your residence permit or send it via post. If you choose the former, please remember to fill out this form and bring it with you to your appointment. You can make an appointment by calling (+31)088 043 0430.

Or, you can send the card by post to:

IND Bureau Documenten
P.O. Box 7025
8007 HA Zwolle
The Netherlands

Please make sure to invalidate your card before you send it, by cutting off a corner. Do not cut the document in half!