Bringing a foreign partner to the Netherlands for a short or long stay
Do you have a visa-required foreign partner and if you would like to bring him or her to the Netherlands, strict conditions apply. The duration of the stay is also a determining factor.
If your partner is coming to the Netherlands for the first time, you must opt for a so-called short stay (Schengen visa). Your partner may then stay here for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. After that, he or she must return to the country of origin.
If you want your partner to come and live with you permanently, you can opt for the procedure that comes with a long stay belongs. That is not easy and takes a lot of time because your partner must first obtain an MVV (authorisation for temporary residence). An mvv is an entry visa. Foreigners who come to the Netherlands for family reunification must first pass the civic integration examination abroad. Only then can they obtain an mvv. They must have basic knowledge of the Dutch language and society before they settle here. This way they can integrate faster.
If you want to bring a foreign partner who requires a visa to the Netherlands, there are two options:
- Short stay (up to a maximum of 90 days: Schengen visa.
- Long stay (more than 90 days): Provisional Residence Permit.
Partner to the Netherlands for a short stay
If you want to bring a foreign partner to the Netherlands for a stay of up to 90 days, your guest must have a request a visa. This visa is called Visa Short Stay but is often referred to as a Schengen visa. A Schengen visa can be applied for at the Dutch embassy in the country of origin.
Partner to the Netherlands for a long stay
If you want to bring your partner to the Netherlands for a longer period of time or permanently (longer than 90 days), you or your partner must apply for a residence permit to stay as a partner, family member or relative. To enter the Netherlands, the foreign national needs an authorization for temporary stay (mvv). An mvv is a visa with which a foreign national can travel to the Netherlands to apply for a residence permit. Before the mvv is issued, it is checked whether the foreign national meets all the conditions for residence in the Netherlands. The mvv is applied for and issued at a Dutch embassy or consulate.
Civic integration exam
Do you want to live with a family member or partner in the Netherlands? Then you have to do it first civic integration exam abroad before you can apply for the mvv. The civic integration examination is the start of integration. Has your partner received a residence permit? And does he/she live in the Netherlands? Then an integration course must be taken in the Netherlands and then the integration exam. Your partner may only permanently stay in the Netherlands once the civic integration exam has been passed.
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