Permanent residence under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

The residence document is type Article 50 TEU, Permanent residence document Withdrawal Agreement 18(1).

You are a UK citizen or family member of a UK citizen and you have a different nationality yourself. You are one of these family members.

When you apply, you have been living in the Netherlands for 5 years or more according to the EU rules or the Withdrawal Agreement. Sometimes you can apply for permanent residency if you have been living in the Netherlands for less than 5 years. Do you already have a temporary residence document based on the Withdrawal Agreement and do you meet the requirements for permanent residency? Then you can apply for permanent residency even if your residence document has not yet expired.

You were living legally in the Netherlands before 1 January 2021, or

You have been living in the Netherlands 3 years in a row; and

You have worked the last 12 months. You stopped working because you retired on a state pension. Or you retired early.

You have lived in the Netherlands for 2 years or more and worked before you became unfit to work; and

You have worked as an employee or a self-employed person for at least 5 years. This is certainly the case in one of these situations:

Your income is at least 50% of the social welfare level. On the Government of the Dutch website, you can find out the level of Social welfare benefits in the Netherlands (in Dutch only).

You work at least 40% of the full working week.

Were you not employed or self-employed for the entire 5-year period? Then the following applies for the period or periods when you were not:

You had healthcare insurance, and

Your income was enough to provide for you (and your family). It does not matter where your income came from. But you were able to and allowed to use the income.The IND checks whether you have enough income in your situation. This is certainly the case if the level of your income is as high as the Dutch minimum wage with holiday pay. On the Government of the Netherlands’ website, you can read the amounts of the minimum wage.

You are a UK citizen or the family member of a UK citizen. You have a residence document ‘Residence Document Withdrawal Agreement’ for temporary residency in the Netherlands. The IND will withdraw your right of temporary residence if you have moved your main residency. In the following situations the IND assumes that you have moved your main residency:

From 1 October 2023: You are outside the Netherlands for more than 6 months out of a period of 12 months (we add up separate periods). And you do not have an important reason for this long absence from the Netherlands. For example, pregnancy, childbirth, serious illness, study or vocational training.

From 1 April 2024: You are outside the Netherlands for more than 12 continuous months.

You meet the general requirements that apply to everyone.

You do not pose a risk to public order.

Do not submit the application earlier than 3 months before you have 5 years of stay in the Netherlands according to the EU rules or the Withdrawal Agreement.

Application for a ‘Permanent residence document Withdrawal Agreement’ for UK nationals and their family members (565) 6540

The application costs € 85,00. Are you under 18? Then, the application costs a different amount. For all fees and exceptions, visit our web page Fees: application costs.

The IND usually decides within 90 days.

Your residence document is valid for 10 years and you can renew it every 10 years. Are you under 18 years old? Then, your residence document is valid for 5 years and you can renew it every 5 years.

You are a UK citizen or the family member of a UK citizen. You have a residence document ‘Permanent residence document Withdrawal Agreement’ for permanent residency in the Netherlands. Have you been deregistered from the Personal Records Database (in Dutch: Basisregistratie Personen or BRP) and are you staying outside the Netherlands? This usually has no consequences for your right of residence. The IND only assumes that you have moved your main residency if you have been outside the Netherlands for more than 5 continuous years. Then you have lost your right of residence.