Dual Careers

Bringing Family

You may want your partner and/or children to be with you in the Netherlands. Perhaps they wish to come over together with you, or join you at a later stage. Either way, be sure to mention any plans to your host institution or Dutch employer as early as possible. This will allow your HR contact to give you the best advice on how to deal with all the necessary paperwork. There might be additional requirements when you bring your family. To find out what they are, look under the description of your specific permit on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). 

Applying at the same time or not?
If you come to the Netherlands as a highly skilled migrant or as a researcher your family members' applications can be submitted together with yours, or at a later stage. 

If you are a labour migrant, (provisional) residence permit applications for all family members must be submitted at the same time. 

Even if applications were submitted at the same time, it does not mean that all family members must come over at the same time. They can still choose between travelling to the Netherlands together with you, or at a later stage.

Additional requirements
If you are bringing family members, there are some additional requirements to bear in mind:

  • Sufficient financial means:
    You must be able to demonstrate that you can take care of them financially.
  • Regarding your relationship:
    Marriage certificate. If you are unmarried partners, you must submit certificates to prove that neither of you are married to anybody else. These certificates may not be older than six months. Any documents must be correctly legalised.
  • Regarding children:
    Birth certificate of each child that will be with you in the Netherlands. Any documents must be correctly legalised.

Duration and rights
The validity of the residence permit of your partner depends on the validity of your own permit. The end date of the permit of your partner matches the ending date of your permit. Please check on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service what the specific condition for you and your family are. 

The HR Department of your employer will also be able to assist you.

Also interesting for you: residence permit, long stay visa, childcare.

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