Foreigen Students

What kind of Resident Permit

Students planning to follow studies at the IUR should possess a legally valid residents or staying permit. The student should be a citizen of one of the EU countries or has a legal resident permit in one of the EU countries. By a “legal resident permit” the following is understood:

·         a (permanent) resident permit on the basis of family connection;

·         a (permanent) resident permit on the basis of “recognized refugee”;

·         a resident permit on the basis of “labor contract” (tewerkstellingsvergunning), valid at least for 6 months;

·         a resident permit differing from the above-mentioned status, valid at least for more than 1 year, but well being allowed to study in the Netherlands;

2. 2. 5 You need a Visa

Notice that citizens from one of the European Union (EU) Member States, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Japan do not need a visa to enter the Netherlands. All other students must apply for a visa called “Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf” (Authorisation for Temporary Residence, M.V.V.) before coming to the Netherlands. Applications must be made - personally - at the Dutch Embassy or consulate in the student’s own country.

If the student is a citizen of a country outside the EU and some other countries mentioned above, the procedure for admission and enrollment as a regular student at the IUR is as follows: The student should send back the application form together with the requested documents, all translated in Dutch or in English, to the IUR before the 1^st of June. Once the student has met the entrance requirements, the Students Affairs Service will send her/him the official document (Letter of admission) proving that the student is qualified for admission to the study of her/his choice, before the 30th of June. Together with this document the student must apply for a special visum: Authorization for Temporary Residence (‘Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf’, also referred as “MVV”) within 15 days at the nearest Dutch Embassy or consulate in the student own country. If the student meets all of the requirements, she/he will be granted a MVV, a procedure that can take up to 6 months or sometimes more.

The MVV is required to apply for a resident permit in the Netherlands. To be eligible for this permit, the student has to supply all the needed documents:

·         A valid passport;

·         A Letter of Admission: a proof of enrolment as a full-time regular student or in a Dutch proficiency course in preparation for admission to a certain study;

·         A proof of annual tuition fee that the student has already paid to the IUR;

·         Sufficient financial means to cover studies and living costs;

·         A return ticket to the country of origin;

·         Accommodation;

·         Medical insurance;

Important: Students are advised to check with the Dutch embassy or consulate in their home countries to determine the current regulations and needed documents since these rules often change.

If the student is granted a MVV by the Dutch authorities, she/he may travel to the Netherlands.

2. 2. 6 After arrival in the Netherlands - Residence Permit

When the student arrives in the Netherlands, she/he is required to take out medical insurance, after which she/he will be granted a residence permit to study or to prepare for university entrance.

Within three working days of a student’s arrival in the Netherlands, the student has to register at the Office of Foreigners of the Dutch Police (“Dienst Vreemdelingenpolitie”) with his or her passport, a birth certificate and a declaration from the Islamic University of Rotterdam, which the student will receive at the Students Affairs Center upon arrival. If the student plans to stay for a period of three months or longer, he or she has to apply for a temporary residence permit. Within approximately four weeks, the “Dienst Vreemdelingenpolitie” will ask the student to come and collect the residence permit. This costs € 25 (approximately) if the student comes from a EU country, and € 260 (approximately) for citizens of other countries (non-refundable). For more information and up to date costs please visit the Nuffic web site (http://www.nuffic.nl/immigration).

2. 2. 7 Renewing the Residence Permit

The student’s residence permit must be renewed every year, and will only be renewed if the student provides proof of registration as a student with regular study progress. The student has to renew the residence permit by her/himself by supplying all the required documents to the Office of Foreigners of the Dutch Police in the city where the student is living. The student is allowed a maximum of 2 years for preparatory study, such as learning Dutch and preparing for other entrance examinations. During the study periods (limited to a maximum of 6 years for the 4-year study), if the student does not have a valid passport, a permit or the extension of the staying permit will always be refused. Discontinuation of studies or expiration of the study period entails that the student will have to leave the Netherlands. In that case, the student’s residence permit will be withdrawn.