Applying for an MVV visa sticker for the Netherlands in Ethiopia

Because of the high number of applicants, appointments fill up quickly. If you are unable to make an appointment, try again at a later date. Slots may become available due to cancellations or re-scheduling.

If you did not receive an email confirming your appointment, check your spam folder. It is possible that it may have ended up there. If the email is not in your spam folder, contact NetherlandsWorldwide.

If you are not registered with RRS, ARRA or UNHCR, you will need an exit visa to leave Ethiopia. Follow these steps to arrange an exit visa:

1. Make an appointment with the embassy online and apply for a replacement travel document (laissez-passer) and MVV visa sticker. During your appointment you will be given proof of application with a date on which you can collect these documents.
2. The Dutch embassy will ask the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a letter of support for your exit visa. After you have collected your replacement travel document with MVV visa sticker, it can take up to 3 weeks until your letter of support is ready. The embassy will contact you when you can collect the letter.
3. Take the replacement travel document with MVV visa sticker and the letter of support to the Ethiopian immigration service. You will have to pay a fee, as the authorities will consider your residence in Ethiopia to be illegal. The Dutch authorities cannot help you with this.
4. Once you have paid the fee, you will receive the exit visa and will be able to leave Ethiopia.

If you are registered with RRS, ARRA or UNHCR, and require an Ethiopian emergency travel document (ETD), follow these steps:

1. Make an appointment with the embassy online and take your certificate from the RRS, ARRA or UNHCR with you.
2. The Dutch embassy will make a copy of the certificate and send your name to the RRS. The RRS will tell you when you can collect your ETD. This can take up to 4 weeks.
3. You return to the embassy with your ETD. You can then apply for an MVV visa sticker. During your appointment you will be given proof of application with a date on which you can collect your ETD and MVV visa sticker. The MVV visa sticker will be stuck onto a form.

If your sponsor applied to the IND for the residence permit in the Netherlands, bring the following documents with you to your appointment:

• A completed and signed MVV issue form. If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker for family reunification as a refugee, use the MVV issue form for family reunification as a refugee.
• Your passport and a photocopy of the page with your photo on it. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of the appointment and contain at least 2 empty pages. If you do not have a passport, find out whether you can apply for a replacement travel document.
• If you are not a national of the country where you live: your residence permit (or comparable document) and a photocopy of it.
• A passport photo that meets Dutch requirements. Find out how to have a Dutch passport photo taken in Ethiopia.
• A photocopy of the letter from the IND stating that your application has been approved (letter informing you of the positive decision) and which includes your alien registration number (V number). If you are applying for an MVV visa sticker because you will be studying in the Netherlands, you do not need to bring a photocopy of this letter. The email from your educational institution containing your V number is sufficient.
• All other documents listed in the letter from the IND and a photocopy of each of those documents.

Keep in mind that you will need to hand in your passport at the appointment. You will get it back when you collect your passport with the MVV visa sticker. This can take up to 10 working days.

If you applied for the residence permit yourself at the embassy, you only have to bring your passport to your appointment. Your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months and have at least 2 empty pages.

Keep in mind that you will need to hand in your passport at the appointment. You will get it back when you collect your passport with the MVV visa sticker. This can take up to 10 working days.