Visa / Legal residence
Every foreign student will need to prove legal residence in the Netherlands as part of their enrolment requirements. If and how you have to do that, depends on your nationality and where you live.
The details of every non-EU-applicant are automatically passed on to the Visa Office. You will then receive an email with instructions on what to do.
Please do not act before you receive this email.
When will you hear from the UM Visa Office?
Applicants for September will receive the email as from the start of May.
Applicants for February will receive the email as from the start of November.
Please take note of the deadline that applies to your situation. Make sure to meet all requirements and complete your file before this deadline. Therefore you should start your legal residence procedure as soon as possible.
UM Visa Office
EU-Nationals
You have a valid passport from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
If you are a student from the EEA or Switzerland, you do not need a visa or a residence permit to be allowed to live in the Netherlands and you will not receive an email from the Visa Office. Your valid passport (or ID card) is proof that your stay in the Netherlands is legal. You do not have to register with the immigration and naturalisation service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst).
EEA-countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Holders of a valid Dutch residence permit
We distinguish holders of a Dutch residence permit for study from the ones holding a Dutch residence permit for another purpose.
You have a Dutch residence permit for study and wish to transfer to Maastricht University
UM has to take over the responsibility from the prior institution.
You need to provide:
a copy of your valid residence permit;
proof of sufficient financial means of €1,250 for each month you will be registered. You have several options to do so, i.e. by a deposit, scholarship, personal bank account or sponsorship;
several completed forms as mentioned in the tailor-made information.
Once UM has received all required documents, your residence permit can be applied for or transferred. Establishing your legal residence will take another five weeks on average.
Deadline for file completion is 2 months before the first date of registration, so:
- 1 July when applying for September
1 December when applying for February
You have a Dutch residence permit for another purpose than study
You need to provide:
a copy of your valid residence permit;
one or more completed forms as mentioned in the tailor-made information.
Once UM has received all required documents, your legal residence can be established immediately.
Deadline for file completion is 2 weeks before the first date of registration, so:
- 15 August when applying for September
15 January when applying for February
Commuters from Belgium, Germany or Luxemburg
You live in Belgium, Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Niedersachsen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland) or Luxemburg and wish to continue living there during your study and commute.
You need to provide:
a copy of your valid residence permit;
a recent copy of your municipal registration;
a completed statement that you will not be living in the Netherlands during your study.
Once UM has received all required documents, your legal residence can be established immediately.
Deadline for file completion is 2 weeks before the first date of registration, so:
- 15 August when applying for September
15 January when applying for February
Applicants for a Dutch visa and/or residence permit for study
You wish to live in the Netherlands and apply for a visa and/or residence permit for study via Maastricht University.
This service is free of charge. However, you must pay the legal fees of €228 for the residence permit. The residence permit is valid for the duration of your programme.
Please note that one of the requirements for a visa and/or residence permit for study is that you pay the full tuition or registration fee in one lump sum before we can submit your visa/residence permit application to Dutch Immigration (IND). Click here for more information.
Do you come from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom, the United States or Vatican City and are you going to study at Maastricht University (UM) for more than 90 days? Then you need a residence permit (Dutch: verblijfsvergunning, abbreviated VVR).
Do you come from another country and are you going to study at Maastricht University for more than 90 days AND do you have a valid residence permit for one of the Schengen countries that is valid beyond your first day of registration? (There are 27 Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland)
Then you are exempted from the visa requirement and only need a residence permit (Dutch: verblijfsvergunning, abbreviated VVR).
Deadline for file completion is 2 months before the first date of registration, so:
- 1 July when applying for September
1 December when applying for February
Do you come from another country and are you are going to study at Maastricht University for more than 90 days? Then you need both a visa (MVV) and a residence permit (Dutch: verblijfsvergunning, abbreviated VVR).
Study progress requirement
If you are an international degree student with a residence permit for the purpose of study, you are required by law to meet a degree progress requirement. This means that you are required to obtain (at least) 50% of the maximum amount of credits per year to keep your residence permit. You need to meet this requirement for each year that you study here. This rule does not apply if you participate in an exchange programme.
During the application process, you need to confirm in writing that you are aware of the study progress requirement and the consequences if you fail to meet this requirement.
For all degree programmes, the number of credits (ECTS) per year is set at 60. If you are enrolled in a programme as a full time student, you must obtain at least 30 ECTS to fulfil the lawful requirement. Some degree programmes have a binding Study Advice for first year students - please contact your study adviser if you have doubts about the study progress requirements for your programme.
If you are enrolled in a programme for only part of the year, you will need to obtain 50% of the total amount of credits for that semester. For instance, if you start your programme on 1 February, you can obtain a maximum of 30 credits between 1 February and 31 August. To meet the study progress requirement, you would need to obtain 50% of those 30 credits (15 credits).
If you are enrolled in a preparatory programme (such as a pre-master), you must pass it in full within its programme time. A preparatory programme is restricted by law to a maximum duration of 12 months.
The vast majority of students will not have any difficulty obtaining the appropriate threshold. However, there can be extenuating circumstances in your personal life, which can influence your academic performance (e.g. death of a family member or a serious illness). If you find yourself in such a situation, please contact the study adviser of your programme as soon as possible. The study adviser will advise you on the available procedures and how to best move forward. Please note that a study adviser is required to keep your conversation confidential.
If you fail to meet the study progress requirement and there are no (acceptable) extenuating circumstances, Maastricht University is obligated by law to notify the IND and your residence permit for study at UM will be revoked. This obligation remains even if you have meanwhile started an alternative programme at UM.
Read more:
Code of Conduct International Student in Dutch Higher Education
Tuition or registration fee
Concerning tuition and registration fees, please note the following extra condition that applies when you need a visa and/or residence permit for study.
UM can only submit your application to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) after you have paid the full amount of the applicable tuition or registration fee by bank transfer. This means that payment in instalments or by authorization is not possible because in both cases the actual payment will be too late.
For a degree programme, you pay tuition fees. General information on e.g. the different rates is available here.
For all other programmes, except for regulated exchange programs like ERASMUS, you will have to pay the registration fee as communicated by the programme concerned.
Health insurance
Municipal registration
As soon as you have an address, you must register in the respective municipality. As your residence permit is linked to that registration, it is your own responsibility to maintain it and consider the consequences of moving and going abroad.
Please note that having a registration with Maastricht University is not the same as a registration with the municipality.
Applicants for a visa/residence permit for study will receive tailor made information about the municipal registration from the UM Visa Office in the application procedure.
FAQ
When do I start my legal residence procedure if I have not yet met all other registration requirements?
As soon as possible, but only if you are sure that you can meet all visa requirements before the appropriate file completion deadline and meet all other registration requirements in the Applicant Portal in time. If not, you cannot be registered. In that case, please withdraw your application (from Studielink) and re-apply for the next possible entry date.
Should I start my legal residence procedure if I have a pending scholarship application?
Only if you are sure that you can meet all visa requirements before the appropriate file completion deadline and meet all other registration requirements in the Applicant Portal in time. If not, you cannot be registered. In that case, please withdraw your application (from Studielink) and re-apply for the next possible entry date.
Should I start my legal residence procedure if I have not yet graduated from my previous education?
Only if you are sure that you can meet all visa requirements before the appropriate file completion deadline and meet all other registration requirements in the Applicant Portal in time. If not, you cannot be registered. In that case, please withdraw your application (from Studielink) and re-apply for the next possible entry date.
What if I am admitted after the file completion deadline?
Then your legal residence cannot be established in time and you cannot be registered. In that case, please withdraw your application (from Studielink) and re-apply for the next possible entry date.
Do I get all my money back when I cannot or do not register?
When you cannot or do not register, your tuition fee and/or deposit for financial means will be refunded at all times upon request. The legal fee will only be refunded when your visa/residence permit application has not yet been sent to Dutch Immigration (IND).
My visa was approved but my appointment at the embassy takes too long. What can I do?
When booking an appointment online, first check whether you selected the correct appointment, which is for a long stay visa (MVV) for the purpose of study.
You can also check the appointment schedule a few days in a row; new time slots are added regularly or open up due to cancellations.
Can I still change the embassy where to collect my visa?
Yes, as long as your application has not yet been sent to Dutch Immigration. After that it cannot be changed by us anymore.
Can I fly to another airport than Amsterdam Schiphol?
We strongly advise you to travel to Amsterdam Schiphol directly and not to fly to Germany or Belgium. The decision letter we provided you with is in Dutch and may not be understood by customs officials in neighbouring countries.
I wish to travel home, but my (extended) residence card is not ready yet. What do I do now?
If your application has been submitted, but your residence card is not ready yet you can only travel with a return visa sticker that has to be placed in your passport by Dutch Immigration (IND). This has to be done by appointment at an IND office. You have to call IND on the following number +31 88 0430 430. For more information visit this page.
I received news that my MVV visa is approved and the embassy informed me I have to bring the decision letter with me. How do I get this letter?
The decision letter will be send to you via email. Your embassy may request it, but it is also important that you have the letter with you when entering the Netherlands at Schiphol. If you have not received the letter yet please e-mail visa@maastrichtuniversity.nl
I am a national of Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Monaco or Vatican City. Can I travel to the Netherlands without the decision letter of Dutch Immigration (IND)?
No, the decision letter has been provided to all students whose applications were approved and have to be brought when travelling to the Netherlands. If you have not received the letter yet, please email visa@maastrichtuniversity.nl
I have opened a bank account. How can I get my deposit back?
Please send an email to visa@maastrichtuniversity.nl with your full International Bank Account Number (IBAN), your name as on the bank card and your student ID-number. We will then transfer the deposit within five working days.
If you want to have your deposit transferred to a non-Dutch bank account, it takes approximately 15 working days. In that case we need the following details:
name (exactly as on the bank card) and full address of the account holder,
name and full address of the bank,
the BIC- and/or SWIFT-code of the bank,
the IBAN-code of the account, if any (please refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9362 for more information),
the account number,
your full name and date of birth if different from the account holder.