Skip to main content
RU
NetherlandsPermanent residence

Dutch permanent residence in the Netherlands

The Dutch permanent residence permit is an open-ended status for foreign nationals who have already lived in the country for several years on a valid Dutch residence permit and continue to meet its conditions. It removes restrictions on work and becomes the basis for later naturalisation.

Source: IND — Immigration and Naturalisation Service of the Netherlands

Who can obtain it

Condition on the period of residence

  • A valid Dutch residence permit for at least 5 consecutive years — exceptions to this period exist for certain categories
  • Throughout that time your main residence must have been in the Netherlands
  • The residence permit was extended on time, its conditions were always met and are met at the time of the application
  • Only years from the age of 8 onwards count towards the 5-year period; a child can file an application no earlier than the age of 13
  • At the time of the application — a valid residence permit with a non-temporary purpose of stay

Additional requirements

  • An independent, sustainable and sufficient income
  • Registration in the personal records database (BRP) at your place of residence
  • The civic integration exam at level A2 or above, or an official exemption from it
  • The applicant did not provide false information or conceal anything when obtaining the current residence permit

Special case

  • For those born in the Netherlands who have reached the age of majority, and for those who came to the country before the age of 3 and lived there throughout, the IND can refuse only where there is a threat to public order or national security

What it costs

Filing a permanent residence application (aged 18 and over)254 EUR
Filing a permanent residence application (under 18)85 EUR
Renewing the permanent residence card every 5 years (aged 18 and over)+85 EUR
Renewing the permanent residence card every 5 years (under 18)46 EUR

Documents to gather

What to collect before filing the application

  • A valid passport or other travel document
  • Proof of registration in the personal records database (BRP)
  • A civic integration diploma at level A2, or proof of exemption from the exam (form 7616 with supporting documents if an exemption is requested)
  • Proof of an independent, sustainable and sufficient income
  • Foreign official documents, legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German
  • The Antecedents Certificate appendix for applicants over the age of 12, with a declaration about criminal cases and convictions
  • The result of a tuberculosis test after arrival in the Netherlands (exceptions apply to some applicants)

How the process runs

How to file an application for a permanent residence permit

  1. 1

    Check that you meet the conditions

    Make sure that all the requirements of the programme are met and that 5 continuous years of residence in the Netherlands can be proven.

  2. 2

    Collect the documents

    Collect the documents listed in the application form. Foreign official documents must be legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

  3. 3

    File the application

    File online through DigiD or in writing by post. The current residence permit must still be valid at the time of filing; you can file 3 months before it expires, and once the 5-year period has been completed, at any time that suits you.

  4. 4

    Pay the fee

    When filing online, payment is taken immediately via iDEAL or Wero. When filing in writing, the IND sends a separate letter with payment instructions.

  5. 5

    Wait for the decision

    6 months

    The IND must take a decision within 6 months. The period may be extended, for example if the application was filed incomplete — the IND then sends a notification.

  6. 6

    Receive the decision

    Before deciding on permanent residence, the IND automatically checks eligibility for EU long-term resident status. The decision arrives by letter and may be positive (a permanent residence permit, EU long-term resident status or an extension of the current residence permit) or negative — which can be appealed.

  7. 7

    Collect the residence permit

    When the document is ready, the IND sends a letter inviting you to make an appointment and collect the residence permit card.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Over the 5 years you may not spend more than 18 months outside the Netherlands in total, and within that period no more than 12 consecutive months.

The permanent residence status itself has no expiry date. However, the plastic card is issued for 5 years and has to be renewed every 5 years.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

This is the Dutch permanent residence status. Separately there is EU long-term residence status.

Frequently asked questions about Dutch permanent residence

How many years do you have to live in the Netherlands to obtain a permanent residence permit?
You need a valid Dutch residence permit for at least 5 consecutive years, and throughout that time your main residence must have been in the Netherlands. Only years from the age of 8 onwards count, so a child can file an application no earlier than the age of 13. Exceptions to the general 5-year period apply to certain categories of applicant.
How much does it cost to file an application for a permanent residence permit?
The fee for a first application is EUR 254 for applicants aged 18 and over and EUR 85 for applicants under 18. When filing online, the money is taken immediately via iDEAL or Wero; when filing in writing, the IND sends a separate letter with payment instructions.
How long does the IND take to assess the application?
The IND must take a decision within 6 months of filing. The period may be extended, for example if the application was filed incomplete — the IND then sends the applicant a notification.
How much time can you spend outside the Netherlands without losing entitlement to a permanent residence permit?
For an ordinary residence permit (not one under EU rules or on asylum grounds), your main residence in the Netherlands is deemed lost if you spent more than 6 consecutive months outside the country within one calendar year, or more than 4 consecutive months within a calendar year for three years in a row. Such a break interrupts the 5-year period required for a permanent residence permit.
Do you have to pass an exam in Dutch?
Yes, you must pass the civic integration exam at level A2 or above, or obtain an official exemption from it. An exemption can be obtained, for example, if you already hold a civic integration diploma, hold Belgian or Luxembourg citizenship, have reached pension age, attended a Dutch school for eight years or more, or on medical grounds — appendix 7616 with supporting documents is filed for this.
Does the permanent residence permit have to be renewed?
The status itself has no expiry date — permanent residence is open-ended. However, the plastic card of the document is issued for 5 years and has to be renewed every 5 years.
How does the permanent residence permit differ from EU long-term resident status?
With every application for a permanent residence permit the IND first automatically checks whether the applicant meets the conditions for EU long-term resident status — you do not have to apply for that status separately. EU long-term resident status makes it easier to obtain a residence permit in another EU country, but you still have to meet that country’s requirements there.

Other ways to move to Netherlands

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Netherlands.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.