Do you need a visa?

Depending on your nationality and the length of your stay, you may need an entry visa and/or a residence permit to be able to study in the Netherlands. Use the form below to find out whether you need a visa to study in the Netherlands. 

Check if you need a visa

How long will you stay in The Netherlands?
As a citizen from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, you do not need a visa to enter and stay in the Netherlands. However, it is required to have a valid passport or national ID to enter and stay the Netherlands.
As a citizen from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, you do not need a visa to to enter and stay in the Netherlands. However, it is required to have a valid passport or national ID to enter and stay in the Netherlands.

After your arrival

How long will you stay in The Netherlands?
As a citizen from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Vatican City State, you do not need a visa to enter and stay in the Netherlands up to 90 days. However, it is required to have a valid passport to enter and stay in the Netherlands.
As a citizen from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Vatican City State, you need a residence permit to enter and stay in the Netherlands longer than 90 days.

A residence permit is a card which proves that you are legally residing in the Netherlands. This card is provided to you after arrival in the Netherlands. The residence permit is valid for the duration of your studies. If your study is delayed, you will have to obtain an extension of your residence permit via the Visa Team of Student Admissions.

Radboud University will assist you with the application for a residence permit before your arrival in the Netherlands. After your application as an international student is complete (i.e. you have been admitted and delivered the required enrollment documents), the Visa Team of Student Admissions will contact you.

The visa application

How long will you stay in The Netherlands?
You do not need a visa to enter and stay in the Netherlands up to 90 days. However, it is required to have a valid passport to enter and stay the Netherlands.
You need a Provisional Residence Permit (Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf: MVV) in your passport and a residence permit. A Provisional Residence Permit or Machtiging Voorlopig Verblijf (MVV) is an entry visa that is valid for three months. It is a sticker which is placed in your passport at the Dutch Embassy or Dutch Consulate in your own country (or the country in which you legally reside). You must apply for it before your arrival in the Netherlands. Radboud University will assist you with your application and file the application with the IND (the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service) on your behalf.

A residence permit is a card which proves that you are legally residing in the Netherlands. This card is provided to you after arrival in the Netherlands. The residence permit is valid for the duration of your studies. If your study is delayed, you will have to obtain an extension of your residence permit via the Visa Team of Student Admissions.

Radboud University will assist you with the application for a MVV and a residence permit before your arrival in the Netherlands. After your application as a student is complete (i.e. you have been admitted and you have delivered the required enrollment documents), the Visa Team of Student Admissions will contact you about the different steps of the visa procedure.

The visa application

Provisional residence permit/MVV exemptions

In some cases you do not need a provisional residence permit to enter the Netherlands. One of the most common exemptions is a residence permit from a Schengen country. The permit must be valid when you enter the Netherlands. Also if you are a family member of a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you can be exempted from a MVV. However, you do need a Dutch residence permit. After your application as a student is complete, the visa team of Student Admissions will contact you about the visa process.

If you have doubts about whether or not you are exempt from a provisional residence permit please feel free to contact the visa team of Student Admissions.

More information about MVV exemptions

How long will you stay in The Netherlands?
You will need a short-stay visa. To obtain a short-stay visa, you must apply in person to the Royal Netherlands Embassy or Dutch Consulate in your home country (or the country in which you legally reside). Please also read the information on the website of the IND (the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service) and on this European Commission website about the Short Stay Visa and the Short Stay Visa calculator. Applying for a Short Stay Visa may take up to 3 months. For an exact list of all required documents, please consult the website of the Dutch embassy in your home country or the country in which you legally reside.

Please note that a short-stay visa cannot be extended in the Netherlands. Moreover, if you are in the Netherlands on a short-stay visa, you cannot be issued a residence permit.
You need a Provisional Residence Permit (Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf: MVV) in your passport and a residence permit. A Provisional Residence Permit or Machtiging Voorlopig Verblijf (MVV) is an entry visa that is valid for three months. It is a sticker which is placed in your passport at the Dutch Embassy or Dutch Consulate in your own country (or the country in which you legally reside). You must apply for it before your arrival in the Netherlands. Radboud University will assist you with your application and file the application with the IND (the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service) on your behalf.

A residence permit is a card which proves that you are legally residing in the Netherlands. This card is provided to you after arrival in the Netherlands. The residence permit is valid for the duration of your studies. If your study is delayed, you will have to obtain an extension of your residence permit via the Visa Team of Student Admissions.

Radboud University will assist you with the application for a MVV and a residence permit before your arrival in the Netherlands. After your application as a student is complete (i.e. you have been admitted and you have delivered the required enrollment documents), the Visa Team of Student Admissions will contact you about the different steps of the visa procedure.

The visa application

Provisional residence permit/MVV exemptions

In some cases you do not need a provisional residence permit to enter the Netherlands. One of the most common exemptions is a residence permit from a Schengen country. The permit must be valid when you enter the Netherlands. Also if you are a family member of a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you can be exempted from a MVV. However, you do need a Dutch residence permit. After your application as a student is complete, the visa team of Student Admissions will contact you about the visa process.

If you have doubts about whether or not you are exempt from a provisional residence permit please feel free to contact the visa team of Student Admissions.

More information about MVV exemptions

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.

+31 24 361 23 45