How to Apply for a Netherlands Work Visa from India: Step by Step

That changes what 'applying from India' means. Your job is to give your employer what it needs, then handle the MVV sticker and your arrival. The steps below follow the order in which things actually happen, using the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) rules and amounts for 2026, as published on the official sources and checked on 15 October 2026. For Schengen visits and other Dutch visa types, see our Netherlands visa guide for Indians.

Step 1: Which Dutch work permit fits your job offer?

The route depends on the job and the salary. The employer chooses it, but you should know which one applies before you sign.

Salary thresholds exclude holiday allowance. For the highly skilled migrant route, payment in kind, overtime and tips do not count, and the salary must be paid monthly into a bank account in your name. The reduced EUR 3,122 criterion applies within 3 years of graduating, after a PhD or research, or after the orientation year.

Step 2: What does your employer file with the IND?

For a highly skilled migrant, only an employer recognised by the IND as a sponsor can apply. Recognition is a one-off employer cost of EUR 5,080.00 (EUR 2,539.00 for businesses with no more than 50 people) and has a legal decision period of 3 months, so a first-time sponsor needs time.

According to the IND highly skilled migrant brochure (June 2026), the employer checks the conditions, files the application in writing or online in the Business Portal declaring that you meet them, pays the fee (direct debit is possible) and waits for the decision. Supporting documents are kept on file, not sent. No separate work permit (TWV) is needed on this route, and the IND's listed requirements do not include a Dutch-language test.

For a single permit (GVVA), the IND asks the UWV whether no suitable worker could be found in the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe. With a recognised sponsor, a GVVA decision takes about 7 weeks when a work permit or single permit is needed.

Step 3: What do you send your employer from India?

The work residence permit checklist covers:

• Your employment contract, or the employer's testimonial, appointment decision or hosting agreement
• A copy of your passport
• The antecedents certificate (a criminal-record declaration that is part of the IND form)
• A work permit (TWV) or its application, where one is required
• BIG-register registration if you will practise a regulated healthcare profession
• A legalised and translated birth certificate, needed later for municipal registration

Basic civic integration exam results are needed only where civic integration abroad is mandatory, for example for certain religious roles on the single permit.

Step 4: How do you collect the MVV sticker in India?

Once the IND approves, you receive a letter with your V number. Then:

1. Book an MVV sticker appointment online at the Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate-General in Bangalore or Mumbai within 3 months of the positive decision. You may use any of the three, even if the IND letter names another.
2. Bring a passport valid for at least 6 more months with 2 empty pages plus a photocopy, one Dutch-standard passport photo, a copy of the IND decision letter with your V number, and any other documents named in it.
3. Optionally pay DTDC INR 850 for an Airway Bill number before the appointment, if you want the passport returned by courier.
4. Collect your passport with the MVV in up to 10 working days.

Appointments fill up quickly. If none are available, try again later, as slots open through cancellations and rescheduling.

Step 5: What happens in your first weeks in the Netherlands?

Travel within 90 days of receiving the MVV. On the highly skilled migrant route, you may start work immediately after arrival. You then:

• Collect your residence permit at an IND desk.
• Register at the town hall where you live.
• Take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months.
• Take a TB test, unless your nationality is on the IND exemption list.

The permit is valid for the length of your employment contract, up to 5 years.

How long does the whole process take?

With an already recognised sponsor and a complete highly skilled migrant application, the IND aims to decide within 2 weeks. Add the time to get an MVV appointment and up to 10 working days for the sticker. Dutch MVV guidance advises applying at least 3 months before the intended stay, which is a safer planning window, especially for GVVA or seasonal permits with a legal decision period of 90 days.

Work of up to 90 days is handled differently: the employer usually applies to UWV for a work permit (TWV) and you travel on a short-stay Schengen visa.

Mistakes that stall a Dutch work permit

• Counting holiday allowance or overtime towards the salary threshold.
• Accepting a highly skilled migrant offer from an employer that is not a recognised sponsor. Only recognised sponsors can apply on this route.
• Letting the 3-month window for the MVV appointment lapse after approval.
• Arriving with a passport that has less than 6 months' validity left at the MVV appointment.
• Missing the town hall registration or the 4-month health insurance deadline after arrival.

For a Schengen visit to meet your employer before you move, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 for a reservation to INR 3,000 for the full set. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can my family join me on a Dutch highly skilled migrant permit?

Yes. The IND allows family of a highly skilled migrant to be included in the employer's application. Family members cannot join you on the seasonal labour single permit.

Do I need to pass a Dutch language test for a highly skilled migrant permit?

The IND's listed requirements for the highly skilled migrant permit do not include a Dutch-language test. Civic integration abroad applies to specific cases, such as certain religious roles and many family members joining a resident.

How much is the IND fee if I already hold EU long-term resident status elsewhere?

EUR 254.00 instead of EUR 423.00 for most work permits. You still need a Dutch residence permit for the specific purpose, but no MVV and no TB test, and the employer needs a TWV only for the first 12 months.

Is there a Dutch permit to look for work after studying?

Yes, the orientation year. It is a one-off residence permit for people looking for work after graduating, a doctorate or research; it costs EUR 254 in 2026 and eligibility is shown after an IND nationality questionnaire.