The different steps of your visa application

If you need a residence permit (and a provisional residence permit (mvv)) for your studies at Radboud University we apply for it with the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) on your behalf.

Steps

  1. Step 1 - Start of the application

    After your application as a student is complete (i.e. you have been admitted and you have delivered the required enrolment documents) you will receive a notification from the Visa Team of Student Admissions about the start of your visa application in OSIRIS Application. You can now start uploading the documents we require.

    Timeframe: start is around April/May (October/November for February start)

  2. Step 2 - Checking your documents

    We will check if your documents meet the IND requirements. If not, feedback will be provided and you will be asked to re-upload one or more documents.

    Timeframe: ± 3 weeks

  3. Step 3 – Submitting your application

    Once all documents are checked and approved, we will submit your application to the IND. Once we receive the decision letter from the IND, we will inform you by e-mail.

    Timeframe: ± 3 weeks

  4. Step 4 - Provisional residence permit (if applicable)

    If the IND has approved your application you can make an appointment at the Dutch Embassy you have selected in the procedure for the collection of your provisional residence permit (mvv). It is also possible that you did not select an Embassy. In that case Step 4 does not apply to you. You can travel to the Netherlands without an mvv. You can click here to find out if an mvv will be part of your application for a Dutch residence permit.

    We advise you to not make any travel arrangements before you have collected your mvv.

    Timeframe: in some countries appointments options are limited and waiting times at the embassy can be long. After the mvv appointment it usually takes 10 working days to receive the mvv.

  5. Step 5 – Residence permit

    After your arrival in the Netherlands, you will be informed about the collection of your residence permit. If the IND requires biometric data in order to prepare your card, you will also be informed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start my visa application sooner? Or can you speed up the process?

No, it is not possible to start your visa application sooner than the beginning of May (for September-intake) or the beginning of October (for February-intake). The IND will not allow this. Should you start at a different moment, then the Radboud Visa Team will give you a personal process. The visa procedure can take about 90 days to complete. It is not possible to speed up this process with the IND.

I have not submitted all of my documents for enrolment yet. Can I start my visa process already?

No, you will have to submit all of your documents for enrolment before we can start your visa process. However, if you still have to graduate from your prior education and you are thus unable to submit your final diploma yet, we can already start your visa process. If you are unsure whether you still have to submit any documents for enrolment, please contact admissions [at] ru.nl.

Where can I collect my entry visa? What if there is no Dutch embassy in my home country?

If you need an MVV (Entry Visa) in order to travel to the Netherlands, you will have to collect this at a Dutch embassy or consulate in your country of permanent residence. If you have a valid residence permit for a different country, it is also possible to collect your MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate there. 

If you have a valid Schengen residence permit at the time you want to travel to the Netherlands, you may be exempt from the requirement to collect an MVV. 

My request for a residence permit (and MVV) was approved but I cannot make an appointment at my embassy. What should I do?

Unfortunately, Dutch embassies may be difficult to reach during busy periods. If you have already received your IND confirmation letter and you cannot book an appointment with the embassy before the start of your studies at Radboud University, please consult with the Radboud Visa Team to discuss your options.

Can you arrange a visa and/or residence permit for my partner and/or family?

The Visa Team only arranges the visa and residence permit for you as student. For any other family members that come with you to the Netherlands, you will need to arrange their visa and residence permits separately.

For your spouse you can arrange a partner visa, for more information you can check this website. For your children (under 18), you need to arrange another visa, more information about this visa you can find here. We advise you to start the application after you have submitted your own visa application. This way you can fill out your own V-number on the application for the dependent visa, for quicker processing. Send us an e-mail if you want to know your V-number after we have sent your application to the IND.

You can find all information regarding a partner/family visa on the IND website here: Enabling a family member or relative to come to the Netherlands

Contact information

Student Admissions can assist you in the application process. If you have any questions concerning your visa application, please contact the visa team of Student Admissions via studentvisa [at] ru.nl (studentvisa[at]ru[dot]nl) or call +31 24 361 23 45.

Also interesting

Do you need a residence permit?

Depending on your nationality and the length of your stay, you may need an entry visa and/or a residence permit to study in the Netherlands.

Required documents for your residence permit

You need a copy of your valid passport, a signed antecedents certificate, a signed declaration of intent to undergo a tuberculosis test and proof that you can support yourself financially when applying for your residence permit.

Costs and financial means

During your visa application, you need to pay an immigration fee and an insurance fee. Furthermore, as part of the visa application, you need to prove your financial means for living expenses.

Arrival checklist

After arriving in the Netherlands, you have to arrange a couple of things. It depends on your personal situation which things you have to do or not.