International employees FAQs

These are the most commonly asked questions during the Successful strategies for the COVID-19 crisis: Emergency Bridging Measures for Sustained Employment - hosted on April 29 by The Hague & Partners in collaboration with The Hague International Centre.

For more questions, please contact Gerko Visee @gerko.visee@denhaag.nl

What happens to people who have applied for a residence permit which has been approved by the IND but who cannot enter the Netherlands in the 3 months following the approval of their residence permit? After receipt of approval by the IND, they normally have 3 months to enter the country. More details can be found here.
I have to collect my mvv (provisional residence permit), but the embassy or consulate is not issuing mvvs. What should I do? You have 3 months to collect your mvv. What if it is not possible to collect your mvv within this period due to the coronavirus measures? Then you will have 3 more months to collect it. When can you make another appointment at the embassy or consulate? Please keep checking netherlandsandyou.nl (website opens in new window). At your appointment, you must explain that you could not pick up your mvv sooner because of the measures.
I have already collected my mvv. I cannot travel to the Netherlands (for example, because there are no flights). And my mvv is almost no longer valid. What should I do?
You can make a new appointment as soon as the embassy or consulate reopens. At the appointment, you will have to explain that you could not travel with your mvv because of the measures. The embassy or consulate will then reissue your mvv. You have to do this within 3 months after your current mvv expires.
A company asked, what is the progress at this moment to extend KM residence permit? Any change in progress during COVID-19?
The process to extend a highly skilled migrant permit remains almost the same. Please submit the extension before your current residence permit expires. The IND is still handling new requests and extensions.

The IND desks are only open for urgent matters during the COVID-19 measures. The IND desks at expat centres are closed. You are, therefore, unable to pick up a new residence permit or residence endorsement sticker indicating you have the right to live and work in the Netherlands. If you have the right to stay and work in the Netherlands, you will have this right as well without the proof of a sticker or document during the current measures.
As ex-pats, according to current policy, we have three months grace period for job hunting if mass layoff happens due to economic reasons. Under current circumstances, it is very difficult to find a new job within three months due to hiring freeze of the majority of companies. Is there any policy to extend the grace period for expats in this particular timing and situation?
Highly skilled migrants have three months to find another when they become unemployed. It does not matter who terminated the contract. The highly skilled migrant needs to find a job at another recognized sponsor while upholding the salary threshold. At this moment no policy change has been put forward to change the search period or conditions.
Where do the employers can go for support when they need help with visas for their international employees? Employers can contact Gerko Visee (gerko.visee@denhaag.nl) from The Hague International Centre for help in understanding the visa and residence permit system in the Netherlands or ask for a recommendation to a reliable service provider. We work together with reliable service providers who can help you get the necessary visa and permits for your international employees. Look at our website for an overview. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) is the authority who assesses all applications from foreign nationals who want to live and work in the Netherlands.