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Need to know

Determine whether you only need a VVR permit, or you need an MVV visa plus VVR permit. Also, find information on deadlines, conditions and costs.

Watch the video on how to apply for a Dutch residence permit (2:47 mins).

When do you need a residence permit?

As a non-EU student, you will need a Dutch residence permit to be allowed to start your studies at the UvA. In addition, depending on your nationality, you may also need an entry visa (MVV) to enter the Netherlands. The UvA Immigration team will submit your application to the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service of the Netherlands) on your behalf once we have reviewed it. The IND will then decide on your application. When an MVV is required, we will simultaneously apply for your residence permit and your MVV.

We will start sending invitations to apply for residence permits from the first half of May 2025 to MVV students (which are always required to have an entry visa) and from the second half of May 2025 to VVR only students. We will continue sending invitations every Tuesday and Thursday during the whole month of June as well. Therefore, no need to worry if you haven’t received an invitation by the end of May yet, as it is most likely that your information will soon be forwarded to us by your faculty.

Please note that all mail communication from the UvA Immigration team will always be sent solely to your UvA student e-mail address. We will not use your personal e-mail address for official communication about your immigration process.

Please follow the instructions under the “Already have a Dutch permit?” tile on the main page of our website if you already have a valid Dutch residence permit.

Nationalities	Procedure	Deadlines September 2025	Costs
European Union / European Economic Area or Switzerland	No immigration procedure (but please submit emergency contact info)	None	None
Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, UK, USA, Vatican City, or a valid Schengen residence permit	Residence permit (VVR)	1 July 2025	€228*
Other nationalities	Residence permit & entry visa (MVV)	1 June 2025	€228*

* Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.

Are you a student from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, Uruguay, or South Korea? You may be eligible for a WHS permit. Check the IND website for more information.

When can I start the application for a residence permit?

The Immigration procedure will start in May 2025. If you have been at least conditionally admitted to your study progamme, we will send you an invitation-link by mail in the month mentioned above so that you can begin your immigration process. You will be linked to the MyInfo platform, where you will be able to upload the required documents.

The invitations to the immigration process will be spread out over this period depending on nationality: the invitations will be sent to MVV students (which are always required to have an entry visa) in the first half of May 2025, and to VVR only students in the second half of May 2025.

If you are an MVV student and have not yet received an invitation by this time, it is highly likely that your faculty has not forwarded your information to us yet.

We will continue inviting students every Tuesday and Thursday until the deadlines mentioned in the table above.
Conditions

To be eligible for the permit, you need to be registered in a full-time degree or exchange programme at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) for at least 90 days. Also, you are required to be (at least) provisionally accepted to the programme. If you do not meet all of these conditions, you will not be invited to the immigration procedure. Please note that it is also not possible to start the procedure yourself.

The UvA retains the right to refuse to apply for a student visa/residence permit if there are significant concerns about the applicant's intended purpose of stay in the Netherlands. The Dutch immigration authority (IND) may impose additional requirements for visa/residence permit applications, which may result in a longer processing time. The UvA cannot be held responsible for delays of this nature.
Deadline

Please ensure you apply to your desired study programme before the admissions deadlines. If you can't apply before the faculty’s deadline, you won't be able to start the immigration process.

The IND must approve your application for a residence permit prior to the programme's start to enrol fully. This is why the admissions and immigration deadlines are so strict.
Validity of the residence permit

Your residence permit will be valid for the duration of your degree or exchange programme plus 3 months if you successfully complete your programme. However, if you decide not to continue your programme, we have to inform the IND. This means you no longer have the right to legal residence in the Netherlands.

For more information about the validity of your residence permit, please check the information on Graduation or completing an exchange programme, the Orientation year residence permit, or the Discontinued study programme and residence status.

Important: Make sure to have your housing accommodation arranged to avoid losing your residence permit. You must register in the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP) through the municipality of Amsterdam, which requires a valid address. Failure to do so may result in difficulties with banking, health insurance, and eventually the revocation of your residence permit on the basis of study.
Study Progress Monitoring

To keep your permit you need to attain at least 50% of the credits of your study programme each academic year. This is part of the so-called ‘Study Progress Monitoring’. Please visit the page for more info on Study Progress Monitoring.

Please note that the Study Progress Monitoring (SPM) and, therefore, the requirement to obtain at least 50% of the required ECTS during each academic year, does not apply to you anymore for your current academic year if you decide to unenroll from the UvA before 1 May. This will allow you to re-enroll in a new study programme from 1 September. If you choose to unenroll before 1 May, your residence permit will be revoked and you will need to apply for a new one in order to be allowed to start your studies from 1 September. In order to receive a new invitation to the immigration process, please ensure to get in touch with the Immigration Office in May when we start inviting students again.