Leaving the Netherlands
If you are leaving the Netherlands after your studies you have to:
- Cancel your registration with the municipality;
- Return your residence permit card to the IND.
Cancel your registration with the municipality
At the end of your stay, you must cancel your registration with the municipality of Nijmegen. Please send an e-mail to: burgerzaken [at] nijmegen.nl. Enclose a copy of your passport or ID, mention your last address in the Netherlands, your permanent address in your home country and the date of departure. If you live outside of the borders of the municipality of Nijmegen you must cancel your registration there.
If you have a DigiD account you can cancel your registration with the municipality online.
Return your residence permit
The residence card is property of the Dutch government. Therefore, you must return it when leaving the Netherlands. You can return the card by post to the IND. You can also hand it in at an IND desk. View the different options to see which best suits you. We advise you to make a copy of the front and back of the residence permit before you return it.
More information about leaving the Netherlands
Staying in the Netherlands
Residence permit for orientation year
If you want to stay in the Netherlands to look for a job you can possibly apply for the residence permit for orientation year. You can apply for this residence permit with the IND until three years after obtaining a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. If you are interested you can find out more via their website.
Our partner Aon offers an insurance especially designed for the orientation year. Visit their website, fill out the information and select search year under ‘situation’.
If you want to keep studying in the Netherlands, find out more via Study in NL. If you want to start working, they also have information for you to learn about the possibilities.
Short stay at the end of your residence permit
After your residence permit for study has expired, you can (sometimes) stay in the Netherlands and the Schengen Area for an additional maximum of 90 days. In some cases you need a Schengen visa for this. You can use the website of NetherlandsWorldwide to check whether or not you need a visa. The IND has more information on their website about this short stay option.