Applying for a long-stay visa (MVV) for residents of the Russian Federation
If you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you may need a residence permit. In many cases you will also have to apply for a long-stay visa before you travel to the Netherlands. This visa is also called an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV).
In the Russian Federation the application location is linked to your place of residence. You can only apply in St. Petersburg if you live in the regions: St. Petersburg, Leningrad region, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Vologda or the Kaliningrad region.
If you live in another region, you can apply at the Netherlands embassy in Moscow.
Do I need an MVV and/or a residence permit?
You should check whether you need an MVV and/or a residence permit. This depends on things like your nationality and the purpose of your stay.
Applying for a residence permit and an MVV
You can apply for a residence permit and an MVV in 2 ways:
- through a host in the Netherlands (such as an employer, family member or educational institution)
- in person at a Netherlands embassy or consulate-general
If you have a host in the Netherlands, in most cases your host will have to submit the application to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
First check whether you need to take the civic integration examination.
What is your situation?
Applying through a host in the Netherlands
Depending on the purpose of your stay, your host may have to submit the application in the Netherlands. This applies if the purpose of your stay is:
- study
- work
- a work placement
- co-habiting with or marrying someone who lives in the Netherlands
- family reunification
In these cases your host will be an educational institution, your employer, a family member or your spouse or partner.
Your host can submit the application directly to the IND. How they need to do this depends on why you need a residence permit and/or an MVV, for example for work or study. The IND website has a list of the documents your host will need to provide. It also explains how your host can apply for your residence permit. If you have any questions about this, you can contact the IND.
The IND will send your host a letter confirming that the application has been approved. The letter also explains how you can apply for an MVV and what documents you need.
You must apply for your MVV at the embassy or consulate-general within 3 months of receiving this letter. You have 6 months to apply if you meet both of the following conditions:
- You are applying for an MVV for family reunification as a refugee (nareis asiel), and:
- You are applying for an MVV in a country that is not your country of residence.
Take the following documents to your appointment:
- The MVV issue form
- Your passport and a photocopy of the personal details page. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months and have at least 2 blank pages.
- If you live in a country of which you are not a national: your residence permit (or equivalent) and a photocopy of the permit
- A photo that meets Dutch requirements
- A copy of the letter stating that your application has been approved and what your alien registration number (V number) is
- All other documents listed in the letter from the IND and a photocopy of each of these documents
Your MVV will be ready for you to collect from the embassy or consulate-general within 10 working days.
Verify that the information on your visa is correct. This includes your name and the visa’s validity period.
Read more about the information on your visa
If any of the information is incorrect, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you applied for your MVV.
You must travel to the Netherlands with the MVV in your passport. The IND will let your host know when your residence permit is ready. You can then make an appointment at the IND office to collect your permit.
Applying yourself at an embassy or consulate-general
For the following purposes of stay you should submit your application for an MVV and residence permit yourself:
- orientation year as a highly skilled migrant seeking employment
- independent entrepreneur
- starting entrepreneur (start-up)
- foreign investor
The IND will process your application within 90 days. If the IND’s decision is positive, you must hand over your passport at the embassy or consulate-general where you submitted the application. Your MVV will be placed in your passport within 10 working days.
Verify that the information on your visa is correct. This includes your name and the visa’s validity period.
Read more about the information on your visa
If any of the information is incorrect, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you applied for your MVV.
You must travel to the Netherlands with the MVV in your passport. The IND will let you know when your residence permit is ready. You can then make an appointment at the IND office to collect your permit.
Long-stay visa for residents of this country or region
Important notice: appointment slots not interchangeable
Please note that appointment slots are not interchangeable.
Did you for example make an appointment for a passport, while in fact you want to apply for a visa? Then you won’t be able to submit your visa application on that day. In that case, you will have to schedule a new appointment via our online appointment system and you will have to come back another time.
Application procedure for long-stay visa at the Netherlands embassy in Moscow
To apply for your long-stay visa (MVV), make an appointment at the Netherlands embassy in Moscow.
Check the status of your application.
Emergency
In case of emergency or any other urgent matter, you may contact the embassy by email (MOS-date@minbuza.nl) in order to schedule an appointment for an MVV-visa request if the online system does not allow you to do so.
Important notice for MVV's for study
In case there are no (timely) appointment slots available for MVV - Study, please send an e-mail to mos-date@minbuza.nl mentioning your contact details and the start of your study programme. The embassy will inform you about the possibilities.
Processing time MVV applications
In general the processing time of MVV applications is 15 calendar days. However, if you have received approval for your MVV application from the IND and if you submit all the required documents at the moment of your application, we strive to process your application within a shorter period. At the moment of your application we will assess your file and inform you when you can collect your passport with MVV.
Collection days and times
Monday until Friday: 14:00 - 15:00 hours. You do not need to make an appointment.
Before you come, check the days on which the embassy is closed.
You collect your visa at the location where you submitted your application. If you have applied for your visa in Moscow, you have to pick up your visa in Moscow.
Application procedure for long-stay visa at the consulate-general in St. Petersburg
The application location is linked to your place of residence. You can only apply in St. Petersburg you if you live in the following regions:
- St. Petersburg
- Leningrad region
- Murmansk
- Arkhangelsk
- Vologda
- Kaliningrad region
If you live in another region, you can apply at the Netherlands embassy in Moscow.
Make an appointment via the online appointment system.
Check the status of your application.
Processing time MVV applications
The processing time for MVV applications at the consulate-general is 15 calendar days.
Collection days and times
Monday until Friday: 10:00 - 12:30 hours. You do not need to make an appointment.
Before you come, check the days on which the consulate-general is closed.
You collect your visa at the location where you submitted your application. If you have applied for your visa in St. Petersburg, you have to pick up your visa in St. Petersburg.