Family reunification in the Netherlands: partner and children
Which route fits, income, fees and decision periods for partners and children, checked against the IND
Bringing a non-EU partner to the Netherlands follows one of two routes. If you are Dutch, or a non-EU national with a Dutch residence permit, your partner applies for a residence permit to stay with a partner. If you are a citizen of another EU country, EEA country or Switzerland, your partner applies under EU law, which is cheaper and has fewer conditions.
Every figure on this page comes from the IND. Our partner visa guide goes deeper into relationship evidence, and the civic integration exam guide covers the exams themselves.
If you are the one moving for work, start with the work permits guide: highly skilled migrants can bring a partner in the same procedure.
Dutch health insurance is mandatory within four months
Each family member who registers needs their own policy. Once you are registered in the BRP you have four months to take out Dutch basic health insurance, and the obligation applies from your registration date rather than from when you sign up. Basic cover is standardised by law, so every insurer sells the same package and price is the main variable.
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Which route applies to you
| Your situation | Route | IND fee 2026 | Decision period |
|---|---|---|---|
| You are Dutch | Residence permit to stay with a partner | €254 | 90 days |
| You are non-EU with a Dutch residence permit | Residence permit to stay with a partner | €254 | 90 days |
| Your child under 18 joins you (you are Dutch or hold a Dutch permit) | Residence permit for a minor child to stay with a parent | €85 | 90 days |
| You are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen (not Dutch) living here | Verification against EU law | €85 | 6 months |
Dutch citizens who have lived with their partner in another EU country can sometimes use EU law on return, often called the EU route. The IND explains the conditions on its page about returning with a Dutch national from another EU country.
Residence permit to stay with a partner
This route applies when the sponsor is Dutch or a non-EU national with a Dutch residence permit. The conditions are the same for both. Below is the summary; for the step-by-step application, relationship evidence, legalising documents and what to do after a refusal, see our full partner visa guide.
- Age: you and your partner are both at least 21, or at least 18 if you married while you both lived outside the Netherlands.
- Relationship: married, registered partners, or an unmarried relationship that is lasting and exclusive. You will live together in the Netherlands.
- Income: the sponsor meets the income requirement (see below).
- Civic integration exam abroad: required unless your partner is exempt.
- Who can sponsor: holders of an au pair, working holiday, cultural exchange, internship, seasonal work or seafaring permit cannot bring a partner. A sponsor who must take the civic integration exam in the Netherlands needs to have lived here for at least 1 year with a valid permit first.
- Validity: 5 years if you are Dutch or hold a permanent residence permit; otherwise the same end date as your own permit.
How the procedure works
In most cases the sponsor applies in the Netherlands for the entry and residence procedure (TEV). One application covers both the provisional residence permit (MVV), which lets your partner travel here, and the residence permit itself. Once the IND approves, your partner collects the MVV at the Dutch embassy or consulate, travels to the Netherlands and picks up the residence permit. Partners of some nationalities do not need an MVV and can apply after arriving.
Highly skilled migrants: a recognised sponsor can apply for your partner together with your own permit. Family members of highly skilled migrants are exempt from the civic integration exam abroad. See our highly skilled migrant guide.
Bringing your child to the Netherlands
If you live in the Netherlands as a Dutch citizen or with a Dutch residence permit, your child under 18 can join you with a residence permit for a minor child to stay with a parent. The IND fee is €85 and the IND must decide within 90 days.
- Age: your child is under 18.
- Part of your family: your child belongs to your family now and did so while living abroad, which means they do not live independently or provide for themselves.
- Income: you meet the IND income requirement. The amount depends on your household, so check the IND required amounts for your situation.
- Consent of the other parent: if another parent also has custody and stays in the country of origin, that parent must consent to the child leaving for the Netherlands.
- MVV: a child coming from abroad needs a provisional residence permit (MVV) to travel here. The child can also apply at the Dutch embassy or consulate.
Different permits apply to a child born in the Netherlands, an adopted child and a foster child. The IND lists each one on its family and partner page. Moving with children also means arranging school and childcare; see our family guide to the Netherlands.
The income requirement
| From 1 July 2026 | Gross per month |
|---|---|
| Excluding holiday allowance | €2,337.00 |
| Including holiday allowance | €2,523.96 |
The amount is a gross salary for social security purposes (SV-loon), which you can find on your payslip. It is updated every January and July, so check the current figure on the IND required amounts page before you apply.
What the IND looks at
- The income must be lasting: in practice it must still be available for at least a year after you apply, or you need a longer income history.
- It is the sponsor's income that counts, not the partner's.
- Self-employed sponsors show income with tax returns and accounts.
- Some sponsors are exempt, for example people who have reached state pension age or cannot work for medical reasons.
Partners of EU citizens: verification against EU law
If your partner is a citizen of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland and lives in the Netherlands, you apply for a residence document as a family member of a Union citizen. The rules come from EU law and are lighter.
- The EU citizen has a valid passport or ID card, health insurance and sufficient income.
- Spouses and registered partners do not need to have lived together first.
- Unmarried partners have lived together for at least 6 continuous months, or show a durable relationship of at least 6 months, for example a joint household or joint financial obligations.
- No civic integration exam is required for this route.
- Fee and decision: €85 (€46 for a minor); the IND must decide within 6 months. The document is valid for 5 years.
Source: IND, verification against EU law.
Civic integration exam abroad
For the partner permit, your partner usually has to pass the basic civic integration exam abroad before the MVV is issued. It tests Dutch at A1 level and knowledge of Dutch society, and is taken at a Dutch embassy or consulate.
Exempt by nationality: EU/EEA countries, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vatican City. Family members of highly skilled migrants are also exempt, as are people with certain diplomas or medical reasons.
Details are on the IND page on the civic integration exam abroad.
Work rights
Whether your partner may work depends on your own residence status. The residence document states it on the back; "arbeid vrij toegestaan, TWV niet vereist" means work is allowed without a work permit.
| Sponsor | Partner may |
|---|---|
| Dutch national or permanent resident | Work freely, no work permit |
| Highly skilled migrant, EU Blue Card, researcher, intra-corporate transferee | Work freely, no work permit |
| Self-employed (including DAFT) | Work freely, also as self-employed |
| Other permits | Often the same rights as the sponsor; check the residence document |
| Student | Not work |
The EU route is different: the residence document for a family member of a Union citizen allows work. While that application is pending, the sticker in the passport states whether work is already allowed.
Once your partner is working, our tax return guide explains how a fiscal partner files in the Netherlands.
Decision periods and costs
| Item | Partner permit | EU route |
|---|---|---|
| IND fee (2026) | €254 (MVV and permit together) | €85 |
| Legal decision period | 90 days, can be extended | 6 months |
| Civic integration exam abroad | Unless exempt | Not required |
| Work | Depends on the sponsor (see above) | Allowed with the residence document |
Budget separately for collecting and legalising documents (birth and marriage certificates, single status declarations), sworn translations, the exam abroad where it applies, and travel. These costs depend on the countries involved. Fees: IND fees 2026.
Common reasons for delay
- Income just below the threshold, often because holiday allowance was counted in the wrong column. Compare like with like.
- A contract that ends soon after applying, so the income is not lasting.
- Thin evidence of an unmarried relationship. Joint leases, shared bills, travel together and correspondence over time all help.
- Foreign documents not legalised or translated as the IND requires for that country.
- Missing the exam result when the partner is not exempt.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
How much must I earn to bring my partner to the Netherlands?
From 1 July 2026 the IND requires a gross income of €2,337 a month excluding holiday allowance, or €2,523.96 including it. The same amount applies whether you are Dutch or a non-EU resident. The income must be lasting, which in practice means it is still available for at least a year after you apply.
Can my partner work in the Netherlands?
It depends on the sponsor, and the residence document states it. Partners of Dutch nationals, highly skilled migrants and self-employed sponsors (including DAFT) are free to work without a work permit, as an employee or self-employed. Partners of students may not work. The IND says a partner often has the same employment rights as the sponsor. The EU route residence document allows work.
How long does family reunification take?
The IND has a legal decision period of 90 days for a residence permit to stay with a partner, which it can extend if it needs more information. Add time beforehand for documents, legalisation and, where required, the civic integration exam abroad. For the EU route the IND must decide within 6 months.
What does the application cost?
The IND fee for a residence permit to stay with a partner is €254 in 2026, and it covers the MVV and residence permit in one procedure. A residence document for the family member of an EU citizen costs €85. Legalisation, translations and the civic integration exam abroad cost extra.
Does my partner need to pass a civic integration exam abroad?
Usually, yes: the basic civic integration exam abroad at A1 level, taken before the MVV is issued. Nationals of the EU/EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, the US and Vatican City are exempt, and so are family members of highly skilled migrants. The EU route has no such exam.
Do we need to be married?
No. Unmarried partners qualify if the relationship is lasting and exclusive. Both partners must be at least 21, or 18 if you married while you both lived outside the Netherlands. For the EU route, unmarried partners need to have lived together for 6 months or show a durable relationship of at least 6 months; spouses and registered partners do not.
Can I bring my child to the Netherlands?
Yes, if your child is under 18 and belongs to your family, and you live here as a Dutch citizen or with a Dutch residence permit. You need to meet the IND income requirement, a parent with custody who stays behind must consent, and a child coming from abroad needs an MVV. The IND fee is €85 and the decision period is 90 days.
Which route applies if my partner is an EU citizen?
If your partner is an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen (not Dutch) living in the Netherlands, you can apply for verification against EU law. The EU citizen needs a valid passport or ID, health insurance and sufficient income. The fee is €85, there is no civic integration exam, and the IND must decide within 6 months.