Learn about the documents, permissions and Visa type required when you want to retire in Amsterdam.
Visa Type Required to retire in Amsterdam
Permanent Residency
Validity:
Permanent (though subject to a renewal process every five years)
Number of entries:
Unlimited
Nationalities that do not need to apply for this visa:
All nationalities must apply for permanent residency. Retiring to the Netherlands is only possible if you have spent some time there beforehand.
You must apply for permanent residency in country and it is not possible to apply from abroad unless you are a former Dutch citizen who gave up their passport to take up residency elsewhere (see the IND website for further information http://www.ind.nl).
If you are an EU citizen you must have worked in the Netherlands for at least twelve months prior to retirement (65 is the mandatory age for retirement in the Netherlands) and you must have been a lawful resident of the Netherlands for more than three years prior to reaching 65.
If you are not an EU citizen (or a citizen of the EEA or Switzerland) you will need to think much further ahead. After five years of legal residence in the Netherlands you can apply for a permanent residence permit which will also allow you to retire here.
In either case you will need to produce the following:
- A valid passport
- A valid residence permit
- Proof of Dutch health insurance for the duration of your stay
- Proof of earnings
- Proof of residence for 5 consecutive years (or see EU stipulations above)
- And you will need to download and complete the relevant forms from the IND’s website http://english.ind.nl/
In all cases permanent residence in the Netherlands will extend to your dependents also.
It should be noted that acquiring permanent residency is usually not a very straightforward process unless you are from the EU, EEA or Switzerland. Proof of cultural integration and a command of the Dutch language will go a long way in helping this process. Theoretically the processing time will only take a month but the reality is that you could be in for a long wait, as long as a year in exceptional circumstances, while your case goes through the bureaucratic process.
