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GVVA Visa for Netherlands

GVVA Visa for Netherlands

The GVVA visa for Netherlands is also known as the single permit, a document that combines both the residence and the work permits and allows the holder to work in paid employment in the country.

Employees working in various sectors and fields, such as chefs or entertainment professionals are suitable to apply for the GVVA visa for Netherlands. However, it is important to note that there are certain conditions that apply to all applicants and specific conditions that will apply for the minimum amount of income that is to be earned as well as the employer and its eligibility.

Our Netherlands immigration agents can help interested foreign nationals apply for the GVVA visa. We can help you understand when this permit is suitable and when your line of work (if applicable) does not allow for the use of this permit and another solution is to be discussed in order to lawfully work and live in the country.

Situations in which the Dutch GVVA visa is required

The combined permit for residence and work is needed in the case of those who will have the following purpose of stay in the Netherlands:

  • will engage in paid employment;
  • is an intra-company assignee;
  • will be engaged in a training course or will be learning to work after completing certain types of courses;
  • will engage in seasonal work;
  • will learn to work via a Young Workers Exchange Program;
  • will work as a spiritual minister.

Other situations can apply. If you are a foreign national coming from a country that requires a combined permit, our immigration lawyer in the Netherlands will give you more information about this visa, as needed in your case.

As a general rule, non-EEA and Swiss citizens will need a GVVA visa for the Netherlands if they plan on working in the country for more than three months. However, for some foreigners, there is no need to apply for the combined residence and work permit, only for the work permit. In this case, the employer will apply for this.

Some applicants can be subject to lighter rules when they apply for the combined work and residence permit. The following categories of persons are:

  • students who will be studying and working, but they will not work more than 16 hours per week;
  • interns and trainees;
  • artists who have an income that is higher than the basic amount (see below for more details);
  • spiritual leaders (ministers, clerics, imams);
  • monks, nuns, missionaries.

Our Netherlands immigration specialists can give you more details if you are part of any of these categories.

Main conditions for the GVVA visa for Netherlands

The GVVA visa is an advantageous one because the applicant is only asked to apply once in order to obtain this combined permit for both work and residence. The following list includes the general conditions that apply for all those who are interested in residing in the country as well as the two particular ones that apply for the GVVA visa for Netherlands (the final two conditions):

  • Documents: the applicant must have a valid passport or another valid travel document; minor children can be included on the parent’s passport;
  • Certificates: this is the antecedents certificate, or the criminal record used to prove that the applicant was not convicted of any crimes;
  • Medical test: this is the tuberculosis test, however, it is not mandatory for all foreign nationals; our immigration lawyer in Netherlands can provide you with more details;
  • Sufficient income: the monthly income according to occupation has a certain minimum threshold and the applicant’s income must be at least equal to this minimum; you can find more details about this below;
  • The employer: the company employing the applicant is listed in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of Commerce (if this is mandatory according to the type of company).

Below, our Netherlands immigration agents list the minimum monthly amounts for some professions: 

  • 2,039 €: the monthly wage for a dancer or musical artist;
  • 4,233 €: the wage for a director;
  • 4,000 €: the monthly wage for a conductor;
  • 2,971 €: the wage for a singer or musical artist.

Our team can provide more details about these minimum wages in the arts and culture sector as well as the required amounts for other professions. Please keep in mind that the Dutch authorities adjust these values and a prior check is advisable. 

An important condition to keep in mind when interested in applying for a GVVA visa for the Netherlands is that an employer can only hire individuals from outside the EEA/Switzerland in some cases.

The employer will make his part of the application for the permits (the work permit and/or the combined work and residence permit) with the authorities and will be asked to provide proof that the company meets the conditions under which it can hire certain foreign nationals.

In some cases, the employer will only need to apply for a work permit, not the combined residence and work permit. This applies to:

  • those employees who will be working in the country for less than three months;
  • a student who who already has a residence permit in the Netherlands issued for study purposes;
  • asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their application.

If you want to apply for a GVVA or a work permit (TWV) and you are the owner of a company in the Netherlands, our team will give you more details about your responsibilities.

Application steps for the GVVA visa for Netherlands 

The following steps are relevant when applying for a single permit:

  1. Prepare the documents: all documents need to be legalized and translated into English, Dutch, French or German;
  2. Pay the fee: the application for the GVVA visa in Netherlands is subject to a € 290 fee; this is payable upon application;
  3. Submit the documents: it is advisable for the employer to start the application; a faster decision is possible in this case;
  4. Decision: the applicant awaits the Immigration and Naturalization Department’s decision;
  5. Travel: once the application is approved, the holder may travel to the country;
  6. Register: upon arrival, the holder of the GVVA visa for Netherlands needs to register with the Municipal Personal Records Database in the municipality where he or she will live;
  7. Other steps: additional final steps include taking out health insurance in the Netherlands.

The GVVA visa in Netherlands is valid for a maximum period of one year. It is important to note that this permit consists of the residence permit and an additional document that states the employer for which the holder will work during the validity of the document. 

When the applicant fills in the needed details, he or she will need to provide only the information that applies to their case. Whenever an attachment is required (as stated in the application form), it will be enclosed with the rest of the supporting documents.

When the filing is complete, the final step is for the applicant to sign the form. Please keep in mind that any incorrect or incomplete submissions cannot be processed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).

The IND sends the application for evaluation to the Netherlands Employees Insurance Agency which will assess it according to the provisions of the Foreign Nationals Employment Act. 

Biometric information needs to be provided (fingerprints along with a passport photo). Our team specializing in Netherlands immigration can provide you with more details on the collection of this data.

Employees in the Netherlands can apply for an extension of their permit, under certain conditions. Those who have had a valid residence permit for at least 5 years can apply for a permanent residence permit in the Netherlands. After 5 years, an individual who has been lawfully residing in the country can also apply for Dutch citizenship. 

US nationals who apply for the DAFT Visa do not need to obtain the GVVA, as the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) allows for particular conditions in their case if they are able to comply with the requirements for opening a business or engaging in other professional activities. If you wish to know more, please reach out to our team of immigration experts. 

After you have spent five years in the country, irrespective of the type of visa you have chosen for your stay (and have renewed during this time), you can apply for Dutch citizenship. You should know that the application process can be a lengthier one and that you will need to bring forward sufficient proof of being culturally integrated and knowing the Dutch language to a satisfactory degree.

Contact our immigration lawyer in Netherlands for more information on the GVVA visa as well as the other types of work permits.

If this type of permit is not what you are interested in, please send your inquiries about a residence permit in the Netherlands to our team. We provide personalized solutions to foreign nationals looking to relocate to the country for employment, study, business, or other purposes. according to your nationality, you may also need an authorization for temporary stay (MVV). Our team can tell you more.