Dutch residence permit holders
This webpage is meant for students who already have a residence permit, and are wondering about the following topics:
- Extension
- Change of purpose
- Change of institution
- Requirements Study Residence Permit
Cannot find the information you are looking for?
Please check our Frequently Asked Questions webpage or contact us.
Updating your residence permit
If you start a new study programme or need more time to complete your studies, you will receive an invitation from us, 3 months before your residence permit will expire. Please do not send us an e-mail about this. We are not allowed to apply for an extension earlier than 3 months before the end date of your residence permit. When you have not received your invitation 2 month before your residence permit will expire, then please send us an e-mail.
The Visa Office will invite you to extend the validity of your residence permit three months before the expiration date on your current residence permit card. Because of IND regulations, it is not possible to apply for an extension earlier than that.
Conditions to apply for an extension:
- You need to have sufficient academic progress check: check below under Other requirements to take into account, drop down Academic Progress for more information about what the academic progress check entails.
- Financial means: required documents for Dutch study residence permit, drop down Proof of Financial Means. You need to have sufficient financial means for your living expenses for the entire duration of your extended residence permit. If you have not paid the tuition fee yet, you need to show that you have sufficient financial means to pay that as well, even if you are paying in instalments.
You will receive a new residence permit card after the extension application has been completed. We will inform you by email on how to submit your biometrics again, if required, and how to collect your new residence permit.
The cost for an extension application is €257. This fee is non-refundable.
Do you already have a Dutch residence permit for another purpose (Search Year, employment, stay with a family member, au pair, etc.), but do you need to change it to a residence permit for study? Then, the Visa Office will submit a so-called ‘Change of the purpose of stay’ application to the IND on your behalf.
The Visa Office will invite you to submit the visa application in May (September intake) or October (February intake). The application form and required documents are the same as our ‘regular’ visa procedure. You can find the required documents for this application here.
You will receive a new residence permit card after the Change of purpose application has been completed. We will inform you by email on how to submit your biometrics again, if required, and how to collect your new residence permit.
The cost for an application change in the purpose of stay is €257. This fee is non-refundable.
Do you already have a residence permit for study from another Dutch educational institution? And do you wish to study at the UU? Then, the Visa Office will need to transfer your current residence permit to our university. A so-called ‘change of educational institution’ application.
The Visa Office will invite you to submit the visa application in May (September intake) or October (February intake). The application form and required documents are the same as our ‘regular’ visa procedure. You can find the required documents for this application here.
Change of institution with extension
If your current residence permit expires within 3 months after starting your study programme at UU, you must also apply for an extension of your residence permit. We will do this at the same time. You will receive a new residence permit card after the extension application has been completed.
The cost for an extension application is €257. This fee is non-refundable.
Change of institution without extension
If your residence permit is valid for more than 3 months after starting your study programme at UU, the change of institution application is free of charge. The Visa Office will invite you to extend the validity of your residence permit 3 months before the expiration date on your current residence permit card. Because of IND regulations, it is not possible to apply for an extension earlier than that.
As a residence permit holder, you need to take a few things into account when it comes to keeping your residence permit for study purposes. Not following any of the following requirements means that the IND will revoke your residence permit.
- You must register at the municipality when you arrive in the Netherlands and remain registered during the entirety of your stay. This means that you need to report it to the municipality any time you move.
- Your main residency must be in the Netherlands. You may stay outside the Netherlands for a maximum of 1 continuous year for as long as your residence permit is valid. This is allowed if you are temporarily going abroad for education, so you can complete your studies in the Netherlands. Are you going to study temporarily in a different country? In that case, you can study in the other country for a maximum of 360 days (about 12 months), but you do have to notify the UU of this. We will then notify the IND. The IND adds up any separate periods.
- You must remain registered as a student. Deregistration means that your residence permit will be revoked. If you decide to come back to study at UU after you have deregistered, you will have to apply for a new residence permit (VVR) and/or entry visa (MVV).
- You must validate your residence permit on a yearly basis. This means that you will be asked to declare that you or your sponsor still have sufficient financial means to cover your tuition fee and living expenses.
- You must maintain sufficient study progress, meaning that you must obtain at least 50% of the credits you can earn in a year. See below for further information.
Other requirements to take into account:
What and why
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.
Consequences of having insufficient study progress
If you have not 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 are no longer allowed to study at UU, even if it would be on a different study programme.
Preventing issues
In the case of exceptional personal circumstances, the insufficient study results might be overlooked. If this applies to your situation, then please inform your study advisor immediately. They can offer you advice on how to prevent further study delay and how to move forward.
Working a side job: rules and regulations
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.
*Please be aware that there are some disadvantages to self-employment. You can find more information about that here: Student in the Netherlands: Starting your own business (iamexpat.nl). We also recommend our students to be aware of possible false self-employment, you can find more information about that here: Avoid false self-employment | Business.gov.nl.
Basic healthcare insurance
When you have a (part-time) job that pays at least Dutch minimum wage, you must take out Dutch public health insurance. You can find more information on the Zorgverzekeringslijn website.
Do you work on a self-employed basis? Please contact the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) and request an assessment of your so-called Wlz position. The SVB will decide whether you need to take out public health insurance or not.
Validity of the residence permit after graduation
If you are no longer enrolled, we will notify the IND. The IND will give you 3 months after the graduation date/end date of your exchange programme or until the expiry date on your card, whichever comes first, to leave the country. You must leave the country, unless you have arranged residency on other grounds, such as the Search Year. For more information about the validity of your residence permit after graduating, please visit our webpage.
Examples:
- Your residence permit is valid until 30 November. You graduate one month later than expected, on 30 September. This means that you can remain in the Netherlands with your residence permit until 30 November.
- Your residence permit is valid until 30 November. You graduate in time, on 30 July. This means that your residence permit will remain valid for three more months, until 30 October.
- If you start a new study programme or need more time to complete your studies, you will receive an invitation from us, 3 months before your residence permit will expire, to apply for an extension of your Study Residence Permit. We are not allowed to apply for an extension earlier than 3 months before the end date of your residence permit. You do not need to send an e-mail to us. When you have not received your invitation 2 month before your residence permit will expire, then please send us an e-mail.
Please note that submitting your extension application after the expiry date of the residence permit will result in a residence gap.
Validity of the residence permit after stopping your studies
If you hold a residence permit for study and end 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). An exception to the 28-day rule is if your residence permit expires within 28 days after the termination of your enrolment, you must leave the Netherlands before the date of expiry, rather than within 28 days.
Should you plan on re-enrolling to finish your study programme later, please be aware that you will need a new MVV and/or VVR first. You would therefore have to contact us via visa@uu.nl, at least 3 months in advance of your new start date to start up the necessary application procedure.
Deregistration municipality
When you leave the Netherlands, remember to cancel your registration with the municipality you live in. Please check the website of your own municipality for instructions on how to do so. If you live in Utrecht, you can find more information about deregistration on their website.
Returning your residence permit card
Your residence permit card must be returned to the IND when you leave. You can either go to an IND front office to hand in your residence permit. Please remember to fill out this form and bring it with you to your appointment. You can make an appointment by calling 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!
If you think about pursuing a career in the Netherlands after graduation, you can apply for a 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 do not need a work permit to work in the Netherlands.
Terms and conditions
You can apply for the Search Year residence permit within three years after you have graduated, either from your bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD.
While you are searching for a job you will have to finance your stay in the Netherlands yourself, either using your own funds, a financial sponsor or by finding other (temporary) employment. You are not allowed to claim state benefits.
The Search Year residence permit is only valid for one year and cannot be extended
You can apply for the Search Year residence permit after every degree (bachelor, master or post-master) that you complete in the Netherlands. For example: you have finished your bachelor’s and have applied for a Search Year residence permit to work. During that year, you decide to apply for a master’s degree. You can start the studies with your Search Year visa, if it is still valid, and apply for a new residence permit for study purposes. After completing the master’s degree, you can apply for another Search Year residence permit to look for work.
The application fee for the Search Year residence permit can be found on the IND website.