Immigration · Updated 13 Sep 2026 · ~9 min read

MVV visa Netherlands 2026: who needs one, who is exempt and the TEV procedure

If the IND or your sponsor says you need an MVV, this is the entry visa for a long stay. This guide explains what it is, who is exempt, how the TEV procedure works and what to do from the embassy appointment to your first weeks in the Netherlands.

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Do I need one?The TEV steps

Rules from the IND and Netherlands Worldwide · Checked 13 September 2026

Short answer

An MVV visa for the Netherlands (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, provisional residence permit) is a Type D visa sticker that lets you travel to the Netherlands to collect a residence permit for a stay of more than 90 days. Whether you need one depends on your nationality: citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, the US and Vatican City do not. You apply for the MVV and the residence permit together in the TEV procedure. Once it is issued, the sticker is valid for 90 days.

Key facts for 2026

  • 90 days is how long the MVV sticker is valid from its issue date; collect your residence permit within that time.
  • 90 days is the IND’s legal decision period for a residence permit applied for with an MVV.
  • 3 months from the IND approval letter is the deadline to apply for the sticker on the Netherlands Worldwide pages for India and the US.
  • 10 working days is the longest it can take to get your passport back with the sticker.
  • 6 months is how long your passport must still be valid at the sticker appointment, with 2 empty pages.
  • €423 is the 2026 IND fee for most work permits including the MVV; study and family cost €254.
  • 2 weeks after your biometrics is when the IND tries to have your residence document ready.

This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.

The basics

MVV visa Netherlands: what it is

The MVV is an entry visa for people who will live in the Netherlands for more than 90 days: a Type D sticker in your passport that lets you travel here and pick up your residence permit. It is in your name, so only you can use it (IND).

  • Valid for 90 days from the date on the sticker, and you must collect your residence permit within that time (Netherlands Worldwide).
  • Valid for the Schengen area. You may travel to the Netherlands through another Schengen country and enter more than once, but not the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
  • Not a residence permit. It only gets you in; the residence permit is what lets you stay.

Compare

MVV, residence permit or Schengen visa

You get the MVV and the residence permit in one procedure, but they do different jobs; a Schengen visa is for short visits only.

DocumentWhat it is forHow long it lastsWhere you get it
MVV (Type D sticker)Travelling to the Netherlands to collect a residence permit for more than 90 days90 days from issueDutch embassy or consulate, after the IND approves
Residence permitLiving in the Netherlands for a set purpose, such as work, study or familyDepends on the purposeIND desk or Service Point in the Netherlands
Schengen visaVisits of up to 90 days in any 180-day periodAs printed on the stickerVisa centre or embassy in your country of residence

For short visits see our Netherlands Schengen visa guide; for long-stay permits, our guide to residence permit types.

Exemptions

Who needs an MVV and who is exempt

Your nationality decides: citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City never need an MVV. You still need the residence permit itself (IND).

If your nationality does require one, the IND can still exempt you. The most common situations:

  • You have a valid Dutch residence permit
  • Your Dutch permit expired less than 2 years ago, you apply for a new one and you kept living here
  • You will live with a family member who is a citizen of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland
  • You hold a regular residence permit from another Schengen country and have a recognised sponsor here
  • You are a long-term EU resident in another EU country
  • You have held an EU Blue Card in another participating country for at least 12 months

TEV

The TEV procedure: one application for the MVV and the residence permit

In the entry and residence procedure (Toegang en Verblijf, TEV) you apply for the MVV and the residence permit at the same time. By law the IND must decide on a TEV application within 90 days (IND decision periods).

  • With a sponsor. Your employer, school or partner in the Netherlands usually submits the application to the IND.
  • Without a sponsor. You book an appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate in the country of your nationality or a country where you may stay for more than 3 months, bring the IND form, a passport photo and your passport, and give your signature and fingerprints. Within 3 weeks you send the documents to the IND and pay (IND).
  • The fee goes to the IND, not the embassy (Netherlands Worldwide): €423 in 2026 for most work permits and €254 for study or family (IND fees).
  • Wait abroad. The IND does not recommend staying in the Netherlands during the procedure; report an urgent reason to the IND before you travel.

Our Netherlands visa application guide lists the IND forms for each purpose, and our student visa guide covers the route through a university. If the IND refuses the application, our IND rejection appeal guide sets out the objection.

Sticker

Collecting the MVV sticker

Once the IND approves, its letter says at which Dutch embassy or consulate-general you apply for the sticker; book in good time. On the Netherlands Worldwide pages for India and the United States you have 3 months after the IND letter to apply (United States page).

  • If your sponsor applied, bring your passport, valid for at least 6 months with 2 empty pages, and a copy of the photo page; your residence permit if you are not a national of your country of residence; a passport photo meeting Dutch requirements; and a copy of the IND letter with your V-number and every document it lists. Students may bring the email from their institution with the V-number instead of the letter (India page).
  • If you applied yourself at the embassy, bring only your passport.
  • Hand in your passport. The sticker can take up to 10 working days (Netherlands Worldwide); if you are given a tracking number, you can follow it online. Check your name and the period of validity on the sticker as soon as you have it.
  • Another location? Ask the IND (Netherlands Worldwide). Our visa appointment guide explains the booking.

Arrival

After you arrive

Collect your residence permit while your MVV is still valid, then register with your municipality.

  • Collecting the permit. You or your sponsor get a message from the IND. Book the appointment at the location it names, go in person and bring your passport and appointment code (IND).
  • Biometrics. If the embassy’s fingerprints were not good enough, the IND writes to ask for them again. It tries to have your residence document ready within 2 weeks of your biometrics (IND).
  • Register and get a BSN. If you will live here for more than 4 months, register with the municipality within 5 days of arriving; everyone who registers automatically receives a citizen service number (BSN) (Business.gov.nl).
  • Insurance and TB test. Employees must take out Dutch healthcare insurance within 4 months of the permit being issued, and a TB test within 3 months unless their nationality is on the exempt list (IND brochure 3089). Students collect their card at the IND Student Days in Utrecht (IND).

Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for moving to the Netherlands for longer than 90 days.

Visas

Which Netherlands visa you need

Start here if you are still choosing a route.

 Applying

Netherlands visa application

The IND form for your purpose and a printable document checklist.

 Applying

Book a visa or IND appointment

Your sticker appointment abroad and the IND desks at home.

 Permits

Types of residence permit

The permits an MVV leads to, compared side by side.

 Study

Netherlands student visa

How your university applies for the MVV and the study permit.

 Work

Netherlands work visa

The work routes and 2026 salary thresholds behind most MVVs.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an MVV visa for the Netherlands?

Only for a stay of more than 90 days, and only if your nationality requires one. Citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City never need an MVV. Others usually do, unless an exemption applies, for example because they already hold a valid Dutch residence permit.

What is the TEV procedure?

TEV stands for Toegang en Verblijf, Dutch for entry and residence. It is one application for both the MVV and the residence permit. Your sponsor in the Netherlands, such as an employer, school or partner, usually submits it to the IND. Without a sponsor you submit it at a Dutch embassy or consulate. By law the IND then has 90 days to decide.

How long is an MVV valid?

The sticker is valid for 90 days from the date shown under ‘issued on’. Within those 90 days you must travel to the Netherlands and collect your residence permit, and the sticker must still be valid on the day you collect it. You may enter and leave the Schengen area more than once while it is valid.

How long does it take to get an MVV?

First the IND decides on the application; its legal decision period is 90 days, and it can be shorter for some purposes, such as study. Once the IND approves, you apply for the sticker at the embassy or consulate named in the letter. It can take up to 10 working days before you get your passport back with the sticker.

Can I travel through another Schengen country with an MVV?

Yes. The sticker lists only the Netherlands under ‘valid for’, but it is also valid for the other Schengen countries, so you can fly in through one of them. You may not stay more than 90 days in a Schengen country other than the Netherlands, and the sticker is not valid for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.

Who pays the MVV fee, and to whom?

The fee goes to the IND, not to the Dutch embassy or consulate, and one fee covers the MVV and the residence permit. In 2026 it is €423 for most work permits and €254 for study or joining a family member. Students pay the fee to their educational institution, which passes it on to the IND.

Can I apply for the MVV sticker at a different embassy?

The IND letter names the embassy or consulate-general, usually in your country of residence. To use another location, contact the IND. Some country pages are more flexible: in India, for example, you may apply at the embassy in New Delhi or the consulates-general in Bangalore or Mumbai without asking permission.

What should I bring to the MVV sticker appointment?

Your passport, valid for at least 6 months with 2 empty pages, and a copy of its photo page; your residence permit if you are not a national of the country you live in; a passport photo that meets Dutch requirements; and a copy of the IND letter with your V-number, plus any documents it lists. If you applied yourself at the embassy, only your passport.

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Official sources, checked 13 September 2026

Final notes and legal disclaimer

  • This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
  • It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
  • Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
  • No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
  • No rights can be derived from this article.
  • For decisions about an MVV or residence permit application, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

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