Family reunification at Schiphol Airport.
Source: Selma van der Bijl
Information
This is what you arrange when your family member comes to the Netherlands
Last updated: 7/8/2024, 5:50 AM

Has your application for family reunification been approved? Then your family member can come to the Netherlands by picking up a visa at the Dutch embassy. You will also arrange some things for your family member in the Netherlands.

Your family member will pick up the visa at the Dutch embassy

To come to the Netherlands, your family member can pick up a visa at the Dutch embassy in your family member's country. This visa has a

Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf (MVV) (authorisation of provisional residence)
and is applied for by the
Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)
. Is there no Dutch embassy in that country? Then the Dutch embassy in a neighbouring country must do so.

The letter from the IND stating that your family member may come to the Netherlands also contains instructions on how your family member can pick up the MVV. This letter also contains instructions on how your family member can travel to the Netherlands and what your family member should do once in the Netherlands.

Your family member must usually pick up the MVV within 3 months after the IND has said that your family member may come to the Netherlands. Sometimes this period can be extended to 6 months. For example, if the embassy is difficult to reach or your family member has to travel to the Dutch embassy in another country.

You arrange housing for your family member in the Netherlands

Do you have a house that your family member can come and live in? Then your family member can come and live with you as soon as they arrive in the Netherlands. Sometimes you get a bigger house from the municipality when your family members come to the Netherlands.

Moving after family reunification
On this page you can read about what you need to arrange if you need to move because of family reunification.

Are you still living in a COA reception centre? Or is your home not suitable for you and your family members, for example because it is too small? Then apply for reception at the

Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA)
. Your contact at
VluchtelingenWerk (VWN)
can do this for you. Or you can do this yourself by following the steps below:

  1. Send an email to COA in Zevenaar to request reception. The email address is FMMZZevenaarDuiven@coa.nl

  2. In your e-mail, include these details of yourself: your first and last name, your phone number, your e-mail address and the e-mail address of your contact person at VWN.

  3. In your email, send along these details of your family member(s): first and last names of all after-arriving family members,

    V-numbers
    of all post-arrival family members.

  4. Also submit the date of arrival in the Netherlands and the date of when reception is needed for your family members.

You will receive an email confirmation from COA within 2 working days.

If your family member comes to live with you, you make your own appointment with the IND

After arriving in the Netherlands, your family member must collect a residence permit as soon as possible. Your family member can do this at an IND desk in Zevenaar. You can make an appointment for this online in advance.

Make an appointment as soon as you know when your family member will arrive in the Netherlands. The appointment at the IND should actually take place within 3 days of your family member's arrival in the Netherlands. As it is busy at the IND, it is almost never possible to make an appointment this quickly. Sometimes the appointment is only a few weeks after arrival of your family member(s). Therefore, it is important that you schedule an appointment before your family member(s) arrives.

Making an appointment with the IND
Make an appointment to pick up your family member's residence permit here. You make this appointment at the IND office in Zevenaar.

If your family member is going to live in a reception centre, COA will make an appointment with the IND

Have you sent an email to COA for the reception of your family members? Then COA will make an appointment with the IND in Zevenaar to pick up the residence permit. You do not have to arrange an appointment for this yourself.

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