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Pathway

Netherlands Partner Residence Permit

Netherlands Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

The Netherlands partner residence permit is for spouses, registered partners, and unmarried partners joining a Dutch citizen or qualifying Dutch residence-permit holder. It generally requires a verifiable relationship, age and cohabitation requirements, sponsor income, and standard immigration checks.

Sponsor
A Dutch citizen or a resident whose permit allows them to sponsor a partner
Relationship and support
A genuine relationship and shared Dutch home, the required sponsor income, and normally both partners aged 21 or older
Integration exam
Usually pass the civic integration exam abroad before applying for the MVV entry visa, unless exempt

Summary

This is a family residence route for someone joining a partner in the Netherlands. It can cover married, registered, and unmarried partners, but the sponsor's Dutch status, income, and willingness to act as sponsor are central.

The sponsor's status and income are central. The couple must meet the age rule and live together at the same registered address in the Netherlands. EU-family and Brexit Withdrawal Agreement cases use different routes.

Check your partner's status before applying
  1. Check their citizenship or permit Their status must allow a partner to join them.
  2. Show your relationship and plans Provide relationship records and plans to live together, and check the age and income rules.
  3. Complete the required application steps Check whether you need an entry visa called an MVV, an integration exam abroad, or other steps before your partner applies.

You must meet the partner-status and financial requirements as well as prove the relationship. European family and Brexit cases use different routes.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

EEA means the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

The applicant and sponsor must have valid travel documents and a verifiable marriage, registered partnership, or unmarried relationship. They must intend to live together and register at the same Dutch address.

Both partners normally must be at least 21. If they were already married while both lived outside the Netherlands, both may qualify from age 18.

The sponsor must:

The applicant normally must pass the civic integration exam abroad before an MVV application unless an exemption applies. A tuberculosis test, antecedents declaration, birth, marriage, and other family records, translations, and legalizations may also be required depending on the person's nationality and history.

What This Route Allows

The permit allows the applicant to live with the sponsor. If the sponsor is Dutch or permanently resident, it is normally valid for 5 years. If the sponsor has a temporary permit, it normally ends with the sponsor's permit.

Work rights depend on the sponsor's status. Partners of highly skilled migrants, EU Blue Card holders, ICT transferees, Directive 2016/801 researchers, essential start-up personnel, and self-employed permit holders are generally free to work. A partner of a student cannot work. A partner of a GVVA holder needs an employer to obtain a work permit. The residence card states the rule.

After 5 years of qualifying family residence, permanent residence may be possible. An independent humanitarian permit may be available after certain family situations end, but it is a separate application.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a visitor visa, a route for casual dating, or a way to live at separate addresses. A relationship alone does not replace the sponsor-status, income, age, integration, and documentation requirements.

It is generally not the right route for an EU, EEA, or Swiss applicant, or for a non-EU applicant joining an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen under free-movement law. It also does not automatically grant permanent residence or Dutch citizenship.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm the sponsor's exact Dutch nationality or residence-permit type and work rights.
  2. Gather evidence of the relationship and plan to live together, particularly for an unmarried partnership.
  3. Run the IND income test using current payslips, contract details, and the live threshold.
  4. Check whether the applicant needs an MVV, civic integration exam abroad, tuberculosis test, and legalized or translated records.
  5. Have the sponsor apply for the MVV and residence permit together where required and keep copies of all sponsor records.

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Discussed in these reports

Other routes in Netherlands.

Sources