Nationals of the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) member states and Switzerland as well as their family members, in principle, only need a valid passport to enter and reside in the Netherlands. Expats who want to stay for more than three months can register their domicile at the municipal personal records database. After at least five years of continuous stay in the Netherlands, they can apply for a document certifying “permanent residence as “EU/EEA/Swiss national” at the IND.
A non-EU/EEA/Swiss national who wishes to stay in the Netherlands for more than three months needs a residence permit. In principle, he will also have to obtain a Provisional Residence Permit in his country of origin before he is allowed to enter the Netherlands. The Entry and Residence Procedure integrates both the application for a Provisional Residence Permit and a residence permit. During the Entry and Residence Procedure, the foreigner is not allowed to reside in the Netherlands. There are different requirements for different purposes of residence. The IND will assess the application for a specific purpose of stay and verify the documents. In principle, the IND will take a decision within six months.
There is a special procedure for highly skilled migrants.