Immigration · Updated 15 Sep 2026 · ~10 min read

Netherlands visa for Turkish citizens (2026): the Ankara Agreement, MVV, VFS centres and documents

Turkish citizens get lower fees and fewer hurdles under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement. This guide shows where to apply in Türkiye, what the Agreement changes and which documents you need.

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The Ankara Agreement What do I need?

Rules from the IND, Netherlands Worldwide, the RDW and CBS · Checked 15 September 2026

Short answer

Yes, Turkish citizens need a visa for the Netherlands. This Netherlands visa for Turkish citizens guide covers both kinds: a Schengen visa for visits of up to 90 days, applied for only at VFS Global in 8 cities in Türkiye, and a residence permit with an MVV for longer stays. The EU-Turkey Association Agreement makes several rules easier: work and family permits cost €85, and a Turkish employee does not need a recognised sponsor. Turkey is also on the IND list of nationalities that do not have to take a TB test.

Key facts for 2026

8 VFS Global centres in Türkiye take Schengen visa applications, from Ankara to Izmir.
€85 is the IND fee for work and family permits under the Association Agreement, with or without an MVV.
€57 is the return visa for Turkish citizens with Association Agreement rights, against €197 normally.
3 years with the same employer, and a Turkish employee no longer needs a work permit; normally it takes 5.
18 is the minimum age for a Turkish worker and partner who want to live together here, instead of 21.
3 months after the IND’s positive decision is how long you have to apply for the MVV sticker.
1963 is the year the Association Agreement between the EU and Turkey was laid down.

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.

At a glance

Netherlands visa for Turkish citizens: what you need at a glance

Turkish citizens need a visa, and an MVV for longer stays, but the Association Agreement softens several of the rules that follow. Turkey is on the EU list of countries whose nationals need a visa (EU visa regulation, Annex I).

Your situation	What applies to Turkish citizens	Source
A visit of up to 90 days	A Schengen visa, applied for only at VFS Global in Türkiye	Netherlands Worldwide
A stay of more than 90 days	A residence permit; a Turkish employee may apply without a recognised sponsor	IND
The MVV entry visa	Required: Turkey is not on the MVV exemption list	IND
The TB test	Not needed: Turkey is on the exemption appendix	IND
IND fees	€85 for work and family permits under the Association Agreement	IND
Your Turkish driving licence	Valid for 185 days after you move; Turkey is not on the exchange list	RDW

Our Netherlands visa guide compares every route, and our MVV guide explains the entry visa.

Visiting

Short stays: applying for a Schengen visa in Türkiye

VFS Global is the only place in Türkiye where you can apply for a visa for the Netherlands, at centres in Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Bursa, Edirne, Gaziantep, Istanbul and Izmir (Netherlands Worldwide). Residents of Iraq and Syria apply there too.

Appointments are limited: on 15 September 2026 Netherlands Worldwide said appointments were currently limited, that the agenda would open again as soon as possible, and that you should keep checking the VFS Global website.
Booking: book the appointment yourself, not through an intermediary, with a separate appointment for each person. Everyone appears in person, including children under 18.
Fees: €90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6 to 11, nothing under 6. At the embassy in Ankara and the consulate-general in Istanbul you can pay by bank card, credit card or in Turkish lira (fees).
More detail: the 90/180-day rule and the documents are in our Schengen visa guide; booking tips in our visa appointment guide.

Association Agreement

The Ankara Agreement: what the EU-Turkey Association Agreement changes

The Association Agreement between the EU and Turkey was laid down in 1963 and extended by the Additional Protocol of 1970 and Decision 1/80, and because of it some Dutch requirements are less strict for Turkish citizens and their families (IND).

It applies to Turkish employees, self-employed persons, service providers and family members. An employee counts if the work is genuine and effective, for example with a salary of at least 50% of the social welfare level or at least 40% of a full working week.

Rule	Normally	Turkish citizens
IND fee for a work or family permit	€423 for a highly skilled migrant; €254 for family	€85, with or without an MVV
Return visa	€197	€57
Recognised sponsor for a highly skilled migrant or researcher	Required	Not required; you may apply yourself once you have a job
Residence permit as a self-employed person	The RVO points system	No points system; the RVO looks only at your business plan
Work permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning, TWV) for paid employment	No longer needed after 5 years	No longer needed after 3 years with the same employer
Minimum age for a partner to join a worker	21	18 for a Turkish citizen working in the Netherlands and the partner

Fees from the IND fee list; the other rules from the IND page on Turkish citizens. The IND decides faster when a recognised sponsor applies, so it still advises using one.

After 1 year with the same employer you can apply for a residence permit for paid employment under the Agreement; with it, that employer needs no work permit for you.
Family members are the spouse or registered partner, children under 21 (older children if they depend on the Turkish employee), and dependent parents or grandparents.
Permanent residence: since 1 January 2025, Turkish citizens applying for a permanent residence permit must be able to present an integration diploma. Under the standstill clause, that is not needed for a non-temporary humanitarian permit after a stay as a family member (IND). Our permanent residence guide explains the other conditions.
Your own case: these rules depend on your work, family and history in the Netherlands, so have an immigration lawyer check how they apply before you rely on them.

Türkiye

Only for Turkish citizens: documents, the TB test and the civic integration exam

Many Turkish civil status documents can be used without legalisation, but diplomas still need an apostille.

Multilingual extracts: extracts of birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates from the civil status records do not have to be translated or legalised (Netherlands Worldwide).
Diplomas: diplomas and professional and educational certificates must have an apostille from the Turkish authorities. Without a multilingual extract, a Turkish document must be translated by a sworn translator into Dutch, English, French or German.
No TB test: Turkey is on the IND appendix of nationalities that do not have to undergo a TB test (IND).
The civic integration exam abroad: the IND list of nationalities exempt from this exam does not name Turkey (IND), and the IND page on the Association Agreement names no exemption from it. If you are joining a partner, check with the IND or a lawyer whether you must pass it first.
State pension: the SVB lists Turkey among its treaty countries for the AOW (SVB).
The community: in the CBS figures for 2025, 234 thousand residents of the Netherlands were born in Turkey (CBS).

Step by step

Applying from Türkiye, step by step

For a long stay, the IND decides in the Netherlands and you collect the MVV sticker in Türkiye.

The application to the IND Your sponsor in the Netherlands usually submits it (IND). A Turkish employee may also apply without a recognised sponsor once there is a job. Our visa application guide lists the documents.
The IND letter names Ankara or Istanbul A positive decision says whether you apply for the MVV sticker at the embassy in Ankara or the consulate-general in Istanbul, and you then have 3 months (Netherlands Worldwide).
Ask for an appointment by email The email address depends on the purpose of your stay. Your appointment is not scheduled immediately; it can take 10 to 15 working days.
Bring the documents A passport valid for 6 more months with 2 empty pages and a copy of the photo page, a passport photo that meets Dutch requirements, a copy of the IND letter with your V number, and the documents that letter lists.
Wait for the sticker It can take up to 10 working days before the MVV sticker is ready. Follow it with our visa tracking guide.
Register within 5 days After arriving, register in person with your municipality within 5 days (Netherlands Worldwide). See our BSN guide.

Extra costs

Agents, interpreters and job offers: avoiding extra costs

Netherlands Worldwide is explicit: do not make your MVV appointment at an intermediary, such as an agency or an agent (Netherlands Worldwide).

Free interpreter: if you do not speak Dutch, English or Turkish, the embassy or consulate-general arranges an official interpreter free of charge. Do not pay an intermediary for one.
VFS only: for a Schengen visa, VFS Global is the only place to apply in Türkiye, and you book the appointment yourself.
Paying for a job: under Dutch law, an intermediary that finds you work may not ask you for anything in return (Waadi, article 3). Check the employer and the offer with our sponsorship jobs guide.
Driving: a Turkish licence is valid for the first 185 days after you move (RDW), and Turkey is not on the RDW list of licences that can be exchanged (RDW). Ignore anyone selling a quick exchange.

Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for moving to the Netherlands from Türkiye.

Visas

Which Netherlands visa you need

Short or long stay, and every residence permit route side by side.

Applying

The MVV entry visa

Who needs one, and how the sticker is issued abroad.

Work

Highly skilled migrant visa

Salary thresholds and the IND procedure for knowledge workers.

Self-employed

Start-up and self-employed visa

The business plan route for your own company.

Family

Family reunification

Bringing a partner or children to the Netherlands.

Applying

Book a visa appointment

VFS Global, TLScontact or the embassy, country by country.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do Turkish citizens need a visa for the Netherlands?

Yes. Turkey is on the EU list of countries whose nationals need a visa, so a visit of up to 90 days needs a Schengen visa, applied for at VFS Global in Türkiye. For a longer stay you need a residence permit and, first, an MVV entry visa, which you collect at the Dutch embassy in Ankara or the consulate-general in Istanbul.

What is the Ankara Agreement, and how does it help me?

It is the Association Agreement between the EU and Turkey, laid down in 1963 and extended in 1970 and by Decision 1/80. For Turkish citizens and their families it lowers IND fees to €85 for work and family permits, removes the need for a recognised sponsor and the RVO points system, and ends the work permit requirement after 3 years with the same employer.

How much does a Dutch residence permit cost for a Turkish citizen?

Under the Association Agreement, a permit for work or to stay with a Turkish family member costs €85, with or without an MVV, compared with €423 for a highly skilled migrant and €254 for family normally. A return visa costs €57 instead of €197. A Schengen visa for a short visit is €90 for adults.

Where do I apply for a Netherlands visa in Türkiye?

For a Schengen visa, only at VFS Global in Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Bursa, Edirne, Gaziantep, Istanbul or Izmir, and appointments are currently limited. For the MVV sticker, at the embassy in Ankara or the consulate-general in Istanbul, as the IND letter says; you ask for the appointment by email, and scheduling can take 10 to 15 working days.

Do Turkish citizens need a TB test for the Netherlands?

No. Turkey is on the IND appendix of nationalities that do not have to undergo a tuberculosis test, valid from 30 May 2025. The other requirements for your residence permit still apply, such as a valid passport, no criminal record problems and, for most long stays, the MVV entry visa that you collect in Ankara or Istanbul.

Do my Turkish documents need an apostille?

It depends on the document. Multilingual extracts of birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates need no translation or legalisation. Diplomas and professional and educational certificates must have an apostille from the Turkish authorities, and a document in Turkish must be translated by a sworn translator into Dutch, English, French or German.

Can a Turkish citizen work in the Netherlands without a recognised sponsor?

Yes. For employees with Turkish nationality, a recognised sponsor is not required for a highly skilled migrant or researcher permit, or for other paid employment, and you can submit the application yourself. You do need to have found a job first. The IND still advises using a recognised sponsor, because it decides faster then.

Do Turkish citizens need an integration diploma for permanent residence?

Yes, since 1 January 2025: Turkish citizens applying for a permanent residence permit must be able to present an integration diploma. Under the standstill clause, Turkish employees and their family members do not need it when they apply for a residence permit on non-temporary humanitarian grounds after living here as a family member.

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Official sources, checked 15 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 a visa or residence permit application for Turkish citizens, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.

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