EU-law verification — spouse or registered partner of Union citizen

You are the spouse or registered partner of the Union citizen.

You are coming to the Netherlands to live with a citizen of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland as a family member. You do not have the nationality of an EU or EEA country, or Switzerland.

The Union citizen – the family member which whom you will be staying - has legal residency in the Netherlands. In most cases, registration at the IND is no longer needed. But the following requirements for legal residency still apply to the Union citizen: The Union citizen has a valid passport or identity card of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland. The Union citizen has insurance for healthcare expenses. The Union citizen has sufficient income.

A Dutch citizen only comes under EU law if he or she has used the right to free movement of persons.

In this text we call all these people Union citizens, or in other words citizens of the Union.

Do you want to know which documents you need in your situation to make the application? Then answer a few questions to get your document overview.

Documents that demonstrate you are a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen. For example the certificate of birth, marriage, or registered partnership.

Have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

The Union citizen has insurance for healthcare expenses. The Union citizen has sufficient income.

If you apply for (supplementary) public funds, such as social assistance benefit, the IND can stop your legal residency.

You can only apply for verification against EU law from within the Netherlands.

A visa facilitation is a free Schengen visa for family members of Union citizens to travel to the Netherlands to live with the Union citizen.

You can apply online or in writing by post.

The application costs € 85,00. You must pay € 46,00 for a minor.

The IND must make a decision within 6 months.

On this sticker, it says that the law allows you to stay in the Netherlands during the process (legal residency).

With the EU/EEA residence document, you are allowed to work. You do not need a work permit.

The residence document is valid for 5 years.

Will the residence document expire soon? This document cannot be extended. However, you can apply for verification against EU law again.

Has your situation with the EU citizen changed? In the following cases you may still stay in the Netherlands: You have been in the Netherlands for 5 years or longer. The Union citizen has died. You are the child of the citizen of the Union who has left or died. The marriage or relationship with the citizen of the Union has ended.

Have you met the requirements for residency for 5 consecutive years? Then you can apply for permanent residency.