If you are coming to Netherlands for short stay less than 3 months and you are not from the following countries, then you need to apply for a visa:
Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany (Federal Republic), Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Hong Kong (holders of BNO, British National Overseas Passport), Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela


If you wish to stay in Netherlands temporarily for more than 3 months, you need to always apply an MVV first. But not everyone needs an MVV. Below is an overview of the main nationalities and situations that are exempt from the MVV requirement.

• You are a national of one of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Vatican City.
• You have a Dutch residence permit.
• You are unable to travel because of health reasons.

In all other cases you will need to meet a number of requirements and provide certain documents. To be eligible for either an MVV or a residence permit you must meet certain requirements. These requirements depend on the purpose for which you wish to stay in the Netherlands: work, study, establishing a family, visiting family members and the like.

There are a number of requirements that you must always meet.


In principle you can get an MVV and a residence permit if you meet the following requirements:

• You have a valid passport.
• You have no criminal record.
• You do not constitute a risk to the public order, national peace or national security.
• You or your sponsor have or has sufficient means of support.
• You are prepared to cooperate on a tuberculosis test.
• You have health insurance that covers you in the Netherlands.
• You meet the requirements associated with the purpose of stay for which you are coming to the Netherlands.

JOHO TIP: As of Jan 1st 2005 everyone is obliged by law to be able to identify himself or herself. If you don’t have identification, you can get a fine of 50 euro, for 14 and 15 years old the fine is 25 euro. If you refuse to show identification you can be taken to a police station so that you can be identified. You may then risk a fine of 2250 euro. Government issued documents like passports or drivers license are official ID’s. Credit cards or library cards are not.

*For more information about how to apply the above Visas and residence permits please check our JoHo Planner in the JoHo centers.


Whether your driver’s license is valid in Holland depends on where it was issued.
It is handy, but not compulsory to have an international driver’s license. We do advise to use an international driver’s license if your license is in a language other than English. You can apply for an international license at the Automobile Association in your own country. Driver’s licenses issued in one of the member states of the European Union and in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway are valid in Holland.

Furthermore, you must be at least 18 years of age to drive a car in the Netherlands.


A non-EU citizen may require a Work Permit (tewerkstellingsvergunning) which must be applied for via an employer at the CWI. This type of work permit is linked to the individual’s employer and function: therefore you must have a job lined up before the employer applies for this. Obtaining a work permit does require some work from the employer and is as well a process that can take up to 10 weeks or more. Once the work permit has been granted it is then possible to start working.

• It is possible for non-EU citizens to obtain a work permit if his/her partner is an EU citizen. This is to be applied for by the individual via the Alien Police (Vreemdelingen-dienst). This type of work permit is different than a “tewerkstellingsvergunning” because it does not need to be applied for via the CWI. In this case your residence permit acts as your work permit (refer to the back of your residence permit that it states you are free to work without a tewerkstellingsvergunning –“TWV niet vereist”or Arbeid vrij toegestaan.

This must be applied for before arriving in the Netherlands and it only enables Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 to work in the Netherlands for up to one year.


A SOFI (Sociaal-Fiscaal) Number is the equivalent of a National Insurance/Social Security number and Tax number. To obtain this umber you must visit the Tax Office (Belastingdienst). Without a SOFI-number an employee cannot be paid their salary.

You need to take the following three forms of ID:

1. Passport
2. Proof of registration with the City Hall, including one with an address on it.
3. Residence Permit

If you are a non-EU citizen, you need to take a copy of your work and residence permit with you.


Various discount cards give you lots of discounts for accommodation, eating, entrance fees etc. There are mainly three international identity cards:

ISIC- International Student Identity Card
Gives you discounts on flight tickets & hotel rates, but also for museums, concerts, bus and train tickets.
Conditions:

• you need to be a full-time student (and be able to prove this)
• you need to bring a passport photo + identity card from your school or university
• you need to be able to show your ISIC at the airport
• costs: € 10.- (when booking or any time at the JoHo Company)

IYTC-International Youth Travel Card
Quite similar to the ISIC. Most important differences and conditions:

• not necessary to be a student
• available for youth under 26 years of age
• you need to bring a passport photo + a copy of your passport
• you need to be able to show the IYTC at the airport
• accepted by over 50 countries in the world!
• Costs: € 10.- (when booking or any time at JoHo’s)

ITIC- International Teacher Identity Card
Teacher or faculty at an accredited institution can apply for ITIC card.

• You have to be able to prove that you teach 18 hours or more a week.
• Photocopy of your faculty ID (showing validity for the current academic year)
• Or letter on school stationery from department chair, school principal, or other school official verifying faculty status during the current academic year.

StayOkay Card
StayOkay is part of Hostelling international, a worldwide chain to which 4000 hostels are affiliated in 60 countries.

• savings from € 2.50 per night in a hostel
• discounts on traveling per ship or bus, amusement parks, money exchange, car rental, train tickets, use of cyber cafes (at our JoHo center), safaris, museums world-wide and many more.
• Costs € 15.-

Or more info, you can check ISTC-website (International Student Travel Confederation), istc.org, more benefits and discounts are listed there.

How to apply:

• Go to one of the JoHo shops in Amsterdam, Groningen, Leiden or Rotterdam.
• Print the PDF-application-form from our site, complete it and send the form with the necessary documents and photo to JoHo.

Special Discount card – JoHo card
In addition to the above discount cards, you'll find our tailor-made JoHo card. This card gives you discounts when you buy travel related products, books and you’ll even get discount for buying your insurance with our JoHo Company.

• Basic JoHo card (continuous membership): € 8.50 yearly.
  Valid: until you withdraw your permission by mail.
  Payment: only by Dutch bank account.
• JoHo basic card + standard addition: € 15.00 yearly.
  Valid: until you withdraw your permission by mail.
  Payment: only by Dutch bank account.
• JoHo basic card + complete addition: € 25.00 yearly.
  Valid: until you withdraw your permission by mail.
  Payment: only by Dutch bank account.