Netherlands Partner MVV Checklist for Sponsor and Partner

Couples applying for a Dutch partner residence permit often lose time for one simple reason: each person assumes the other is handling a document. In this route the roles are fixed. The partner living in the Netherlands is the sponsor and files the application; the partner abroad prepares personal records, takes the civic integration exam and later attends the MVV sticker appointment.

This checklist is built around that split. It lists what the sponsor prepares, what the partner abroad prepares, how relationship evidence differs for married, registered and unmarried couples, how civil records and the exam fit the timeline, and how tasks divide again after arrival. A fictional couple, Priya in Kochi and her partner Daan in Utrecht, shows who does what, week by week.

If your file is already approved and your question is how to time travel, our guide to partner MVV flight timing after IND approval covers the sticker-to-arrival calendar. This page is about preparing the file and dividing the work.

Throughout, "sponsor" means the partner in the Netherlands and "partner" means the person abroad who needs the MVV. If you are the partner abroad, read the sponsor sections too: most delays happen where the two lists meet.

Who Is This Partner MVV Checklist For?

It is for couples using the sponsored partner route: the sponsor, who holds Dutch nationality or a valid Dutch residence permit, applies to the IND for a residence permit and MVV for a partner who lives abroad and needs an MVV to enter.

The IND treats this as one application for the residence permit that carries the MVV with it, in the combined entry and residence procedure known as TEV. The IND makes one decision on both. The MVV is a type D long-stay entry visa placed in the partner's passport; it allows travel to the Netherlands to collect the residence permit, which is what allows the stay.

Two Roles, Two Lists

What This Guide Does Not Cover

Short tourist or business visits run on a different procedure and checklist. Couples who fall under EU law, for example a Dutch national who lived with a partner in another EU country, and some groups such as Turkish nationals and family members of UK nationals, can face different rules. The detailed construction of income proof and unmarried relationship evidence is summarised here but each deserves its own careful reading of the IND overview for your situation.

Which Couples and Sponsors Qualify for the Partner Route?

Married couples, registered partners and unmarried partners in a lasting, exclusive relationship can all use the route. The sponsor must hold Dutch nationality or a valid Dutch residence permit for a purpose that allows family members.

Relationship Types

For married couples the marriage carries the relationship; for registered partners the registration does. Unmarried partners must prove a lasting and exclusive relationship, which the IND can only assess from documented evidence. This difference shapes the file more than anything else, and it also decides which application form the sponsor uses.

Sponsor Permits That Cannot Bring a Partner

Some residence purposes do not allow a partner to join: au pair, working holiday, cultural exchange, work experience as an intern or apprentice, seasonal work, seafaring service and the EU-UK trade agreement purpose. A sponsor who is obliged to integrate must normally also have lived in the Netherlands with a valid permit for at least a year, unless the interests of minor children point the other way.

Partners Who Do Not Need an MVV

The MVV obligation depends on nationality. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea and Switzerland do not need one, and neither do EU and EEA nationals. Other exemptions follow the situation, such as being a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen. A partner exempt from the MVV still needs a residence permit for a stay beyond 90 days.

Indian nationals do need an MVV, so for an India-based partner the full checklist below applies.

What Does the Sponsor Prepare?

The sponsor prepares proof of their own status, income evidence when the income requirement applies, the application form and the fee, and carries legal obligations once the application is filed.

Status and Identity

A copy of the sponsor's passport, and for a non-Dutch sponsor proof of the valid Dutch residence permit. The sponsor's own permit also sets the length of the partner's permit: a Dutch or permanent-permit sponsor generally gives the partner a five-year permit, otherwise it follows the sponsor's end date.

Income Evidence

Where the income requirement applies, the sponsor shows sustainable and sufficient income, typically with an employment contract and payslips; a self-employed sponsor uses different evidence, listed in the IND overview for that situation. The IND publishes the required monthly income per household type, with and without holiday allowance. Read the column that matches how your payslip presents pay, and use the figures for the period in which you file.

Filing: Online or on Paper

Most couples file online. The sponsor logs in with DigiD, completes the form step by step, uploads scans and pays immediately. A written application is also possible: download the correct form, fill it in and post it with photocopies. The IND notes that the online route is often quicker and easier.

There are three written forms for this route: one for a sponsor applying for a married or registered partner, one for a sponsor applying for an unmarried partner, and one for a partner who applies personally at a Dutch mission. Choose the one that matches your relationship type and who applies.

The Fee

The IND fee for a partner application is EUR 254 in 2026, covering the combined MVV and residence application. Fees change periodically, so confirm the amount on the IND fees page for the year you file. Exam, legalisation and translation costs come on top.

Obligations After Filing

Filing makes the sponsor a party to the case. The sponsor has an obligation to provide information and to keep records; the partner has an obligation to provide information. The IND checks compliance and can impose an administrative fine. Keep every letter, receipt and uploaded file in one folder for the life of the permit.

How Should the Sponsor Read the IND Income Table?

Find the row for your household type and the column that matches how your pay is shown, then compare it with your gross monthly income including or excluding holiday allowance as the table specifies. Use the table for the period in which you file, not a figure from an older guide.

The IND publishes required amounts on its income requirements page and updates them periodically, often on 1 January and sometimes on 1 July. The table distinguishes household situations and shows amounts with and without holiday allowance. A sponsor paid monthly with a separate annual holiday allowance should read the column that excludes it; a sponsor whose payslip includes it in the monthly figure should read the other. Reading the wrong column is one of the easiest ways to misjudge whether the requirement is met.

Sustainable and Sufficient

The IND looks at whether the income is sufficient (at or above the required amount) and sustainable (expected to continue). An employment contract, recent payslips and, where relevant, an employer's statement are typical evidence. The IND overview for your situation lists exactly what to provide; follow it rather than a generic list.

When the Situation Is Not Standard

Self-employed sponsors, sponsors with several jobs, sponsors on a recent contract and sponsors who are exempt from the income requirement each have their own evidence rules. If your situation is not a single permanent job, read the matching IND overview before filing, and consider asking the IND directly. Filing with evidence that does not fit the rule usually leads to a request for more information and a longer decision period.

The partner abroad cannot fix an income problem, so this is the sponsor's task alone. Settle it before the partner books the civic integration exam, because the exam result starts a one-year clock.

What Does the Partner Abroad Prepare?

The partner prepares a valid passport, a birth record, the antecedents certificate, the civic integration exam result or exemption evidence, and the TB declaration if their nationality requires it.

Passport First

Check the passport before anything else. If it will expire within about a year, renew it before the sponsor files, so the number on the application, the sticker and the card stays the same. Renewing mid-process creates a mismatch you will have to explain.

The Antecedents Form

Everyone aged 12 or older in the application completes the antecedents part, stating whether they have ever committed an offence or crime. Answer accurately; this is a declaration, and it is checked.

How Should the Partner Prepare for the Civic Integration Exam?

Plan for a few months of steady study, book only when practice results are consistently good, and keep the result date in mind because it starts the one-year window for filing. The exam abroad tests Dutch speaking, reading and knowledge of Dutch society at a basic level.

A Simple Study Rhythm

• Early weeks: basic vocabulary, pronunciation and everyday phrases, a little every day.
• Middle weeks: reading short texts and practising spoken answers aloud, with the sponsor listening by video call.
• Later weeks: the Knowledge of Dutch Society material and timed practice tests.
• Final weeks: full practice runs, review of weak parts and booking the exam.

The sponsor can help most by speaking simple Dutch with the partner regularly. Short daily practice works better than occasional long sessions.

Timing Against the Rest of the File

Because the result is only usable for a limited time, avoid passing very early while civil records are still months away. A good pattern is to start studying when you order the records and to sit the exam when legalisation is under way. Check the exam fee and the current booking process on the official exam pages before paying.

If the partner may qualify for an exemption, for example on medical grounds or because of an earlier qualification, gather the evidence first and confirm with the IND overview rather than assuming.

How Does Relationship Evidence Differ for Married, Registered and Unmarried Couples?

Married and registered couples attach the marriage or partnership certificate. Unmarried couples complete a detailed relationship questionnaire with dated evidence and add a single status declaration for the partner abroad.

Married Couples: The Hague Registration Option

A marriage concluded abroad can be registered with the municipality of The Hague, even before the couple lives in the Netherlands. A copy of that Dutch registration can then replace the foreign certificate in the IND file. It is optional; for many couples the legalised foreign certificate is simpler.

Unmarried Couples: Building the Evidence

The questionnaire asks both partners detailed questions and asks how many photographs, emails and past travel documents are attached. Evidence that tends to help includes:

• Dated photographs spread across the whole relationship, not one holiday.
• Correspondence over time: messages, emails, call logs.
• Past travel to see each other: used tickets, passport stamps, hotel receipts.
• Periods at a shared address.
• Shared finances, such as a joint account statement.

Only past travel counts. A future reservation proves nothing about the relationship and does not belong in this bundle.

Timing the Single Status Declaration

The IND accepts a single status declaration only if it is not older than 6 months. Order it late enough to stay fresh at filing, but early enough that legalisation does not overrun the filing date. In India it comes from a competent court or a Sub Divisional Magistrate and must be legalised by the state Home Department before the apostille.

Which Civil Records Need Legalisation and Translation, and in What Order?

Every foreign civil record in the file must be legalised, and translated into Dutch, English, French or German if it is in another language. The IND does not legalise or translate anything, so this work sits entirely with the couple and usually has the longest lead time.

For India, legalisation means an apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs. A Hindi record can be translated by a sworn translator in India with both original and translation apostilled, or apostilled first and translated by a sworn translator in the Netherlands, in which case the translation needs no legalisation. A translator in the Netherlands must be sworn in by a Dutch court. NetherlandsWorldwide warns that obtaining and legalising documents in India can take up to 8 to 12 months in difficult cases.

Order of Requests

1. Records with fixed facts first (birth, marriage, divorce): the IND generally does not check their issue or legalisation date, so an early copy stays good.
2. Translation and legalisation together for each document, following one chosen route.
3. Records with a freshness limit last, such as the single status declaration (6 months).

An already legalised document cannot be legalised again; if a newer version is needed, request a fresh copy and legalise that. For a full walkthrough of Indian records, see our guide to apostilled civil records for an MVV file.

Who Handles What

Usually the partner abroad orders and legalises records in their own country, while the sponsor arranges a Dutch sworn translation if the couple chooses the Netherlands route. Decide this in writing at the start, so neither of you assumes the other has done it.

How Do You Prepare the Unmarried Relationship Questionnaire Together?

Sit down together, answer every question in full and consistently, and attach dated evidence for each claim. The questionnaire is the IND's main way of assessing whether an unmarried relationship is lasting and exclusive, and short or inconsistent answers leave it without enough to go on.

1. Build a timeline first. List when and how you met, periods spent together, visits, moves and shared addresses, with dates. Both partners work from the same timeline.
2. Match evidence to the timeline. For each period, pick a few items: photographs, messages, used travel documents, receipts.
3. Answer separately, then compare. Each partner answers in their own words; then check that dates, places and names agree.
4. Count the attachments. The questionnaire asks how many photographs, emails and past travel documents are attached; give accurate numbers.
5. Label everything. Date and short caption for each photograph; names and dates on each message export.

Quality beats volume. Fifty dated photographs spread over three years say more than five hundred from one holiday. Evidence of a shared life, such as a joint lease or a joint account, is especially useful if you have it, but do not create artificial records for the file.

Do not include future plans as proof. A reservation for a trip you have not taken proves nothing about the relationship. Past travel to see each other, on the other hand, is exactly the kind of evidence the IND asks about.

Which Mistakes Delay Partner Files Most Often?

Most delays come from a small set of avoidable mistakes: the wrong form, records without the right legalisation, name mismatches, an outdated income figure and an exam result close to expiry.

None of these needs expert help to avoid, only a clear division of tasks and a final check together. Print this table and tick it off during your last review.

How Does the Civic Integration Exam Abroad Fit the Checklist?

For most partners it must be passed before the sponsor files. The exam tests basic Dutch at A1 level and knowledge of Dutch society; the result is valid for 1 year, and the application must be filed within that year.

What the Exam Covers

It is a basic test with separate parts, not a language course. Each part must be passed; the IND page describes the pass standard. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment publishes a brochure on the basic exam in many languages explaining content, process, costs and preparation. Reading it before booking saves retakes.

Booking and Paying

Registration has two steps: register and pay with DUO (the Education Executive Agency) using its online form, then contact the Dutch mission or exam provider in the country where the exam will be taken to arrange an appointment with the candidate number. The exam fee is paid to DUO and is separate from the IND fee; check the current amount with DUO. In India, the exam location can differ from the later sticker location, so treat them as separate decisions.

On exam day the candidate brings a valid passport, a recent colour passport photo and the appointment confirmation; a candidate who is not a national of the country also brings proof of legal stay.

Results and Retakes

DUO sends the result by email as a PDF showing which parts were passed. A partner who passed everything gives the PDF to the sponsor to attach. A partner who failed a part registers and pays again for that part only; passed parts stay valid until the whole exam is passed. The full result is then valid for 1 year, so file well inside that year.

Who Is Exempt

• Nationals of the MVV-exempt countries listed earlier.
• People under 18 or at state pension age.
• Long-term EU residents of another EU country.
• People who lived in the Netherlands for over 8 years during compulsory school age.
• Surinamese nationals who completed at least primary education in Dutch.
• Holders of certain Dutch diplomas, such as the civic integration diploma.
• Applications for a temporary purpose or to join a family member with a temporary permit.

An exemption is claimed on the exam appendix, enclosed with the application with supporting evidence; diplomas go in as copies, not originals.

Dispensation

If medical or personal circumstances make passing impossible despite genuine attempts, dispensation may be possible. For a medical request, the partner first contacts the Dutch mission, which assigns a doctor for a paid examination; the medical form must not be older than 6 months when attached. Civic integration obligations may also continue after arrival.

How Does One Couple Divide the Work Week by Week?

Priya is a fictional partner in Kochi; Daan, her fictional Dutch partner, lives in Utrecht. They married in Kerala. Weeks are counted from the day they decide to apply; nothing here is a typical processing time.

Where the Margins Are

The exam result date starts a 1-year clock, and the slowest item before filing is legalisation. Priya ordered records in week 1 so the apostille would not hold the file back. Daan did not book travel or end his lease plans against an approval that had not arrived: the decision can take the full 90 days or longer if the IND asks for more.

What Would Change the Plan?

• A record with a spelling error: corrected copy first, then apostille, adding weeks.
• A failed exam part: re-registration for that part only.
• An IND letter asking for documents: the decision period is extended; the letter states the new deadline.
• Late sticker slot: the 3-month window still holds, but arrival moves.

What Happens Between Filing and the Decision, and Who Does What?

The IND must decide within 90 days of a complete application. After receiving it, the IND sends a confirmation letter stating the decision period; if something is missing, it writes to ask, and that letter extends the period.

The Sponsor During the Wait

• Watches post and email from the IND and answers any request by its own deadline.
• Keeps a dated copy of everything sent.
• Avoids changes that affect income or status without telling the IND.

The Partner During the Wait

• Keeps the passport valid 6 months beyond the likely appointment date, with 2 empty pages.
• Reads the NetherlandsWorldwide page for the country where the sticker will be requested.
• Prepares photocopies of the passport photo page and of every civil document.
• Checks whether the TB test will apply after arrival.

Staying in the Netherlands Meanwhile

The IND advises against staying in the Netherlands during the MVV procedure. A partner with an urgent reason to come reports it to the IND first, and the IND asks for documents showing it. This is an exception route, not a convenience.

The Decision

A positive decision letter says where the partner can apply for the MVV, carries the V number and lists the documents to bring. Three months from its date is the last day to apply for the sticker. A refusal can be challenged through an objection; anything beyond that is a matter for a lawyer.

How Does an Unmarried Couple's File Differ in Practice?

Meera, a fictional partner in Jaipur, and Lars, her fictional partner in Eindhoven, are not married and have been together for three years, partly long-distance. Their file differs from Priya and Daan's in three places: the form, the relationship evidence and the single status declaration.

The single status declaration was ordered late on purpose: it must not be older than 6 months at filing, and ordering it in week 12 kept it fresh. Their answers disagreed on one date, the month they first met in person; comparing answers before filing caught it.

Had they married during the process, they would switch to the married-couple form and evidence, replacing the questionnaire with a legalised marriage certificate. If that is likely, decide before filing rather than after.

What Does Each Partner Do After the Approval Letter?

The partner abroad books and attends the sticker appointment; the sponsor forwards the letter, prepares the address in the Netherlands and books what can be booked ahead.

The Partner at the Mission (India Example)

• Location: the embassy in New Delhi or the consulate-general in Bangalore or Mumbai; another of the three may be used without permission.
• Bring: passport and photo-page copy, a Dutch-standard photo, a photocopy of the IND letter with the V number, and every document the letter lists with copies.
• If the partner applied personally at the mission, only the passport is needed.
• Return: DTDC courier (AWB arranged beforehand) or collection with the mission's permission; up to 10 working days.
• Check the name and validity on the sticker at once; it is valid 90 days from the "Issued on" date.

Unlike a student, a partner does not receive the V number by email from an institution, so the IND letter copy is essential. Make two sets of copies. For appointment-day detail and how the sticker dates shape the arrival, see MVV sticker collection vs flight date.

The Sponsor at Home

• Books the municipal registration appointment for soon after arrival, if the municipality allows booking ahead.
• Prepares proof of the shared address for registration.
• Tells the partner which IND desk is nearest for permit collection.

How Do Tasks Split in the First Weeks After Arrival?

The partner registers with the municipality, collects the residence card, takes the TB test if required and arranges health insurance; the sponsor hosts registration at the shared address and watches for IND letters.

Registration and BSN

Registration places the partner in the personal records database (BRP) and gives a citizen service number (BSN), used for every dealing with the government and for healthcare. Each municipality sets its own appointment page and document list; bring originals of legalised records.

The Residence Card

A few weeks after arrival, the IND writes to the partner or sponsor that the card can be collected by appointment. The sticker must still be valid on that day, so book the earliest slot. The back of the card states whether work is allowed; for a Dutch sponsor, work is free with no work permit required, and partners of many permit holders share the sponsor's employment rights.

The TB Test

If the application indicated a TB test, book the GGD and bring the referral form, which the GGD completes and sends to the IND. The permit is granted on the condition that the test happens within 3 months; missing it puts the permit at risk of withdrawal. Some nationalities, and long-term EU residents of another EU country, are exempt.

Health Insurance and Afterwards

Basic Dutch health insurance is mandatory for residents. Take out the policy as soon as the BSN arrives. Later, a partner with a five-year permit can work toward permanent residence; extensions are filed online with DigiD before expiry.

What If the IND Asks for More Information?

Answer completely and by the deadline in the letter. A request for missing information extends the decision period, and the letter states the new deadline. The sponsor usually receives it and coordinates the reply with the partner.

• Read the request twice. Note exactly which document or explanation is asked for and by when.
• Divide the work. Income questions go to the sponsor; civil records and exam questions usually go to the partner.
• Meet the same standard. A late civil record still needs legalisation and translation; a quick but unlegalised copy repeats the problem.
• Send once, completely. One full reply is easier to assess than several partial ones.
• Keep proof. Save a dated copy of everything sent and the upload or postal receipt.

If you cannot meet the deadline, contact the IND before it passes and explain why. Do not let a request lapse silently; a decision on an incomplete file is rarely the one you want.

What If Children Are Part of the Same Move?

Each child needs their own application and documents. Birth certificates must be legalised and translated, and the IND may ask for consent or custody evidence when a parent who is not travelling has parental authority.

Children under 18 do not take the civic integration exam abroad. Everyone aged 12 or older completes the antecedents part of the form. The IND fee for a minor child can be lower than the adult fee; check the current fees page. For travel, a child also needs an MVV if their nationality requires one, so the sticker appointment involves each child's passport too.

Start children's records at the same time as the partner's, because legalisation is equally slow for them. Ask the IND which consent or custody documents your situation requires before paying a notary, and keep all children's documents in their own labelled section of the shared folder.

Which Mistakes Delay Partner Files, by Role?

Most delays are date failures rather than missing documents. Sorting them by owner shows who should prevent each one.

If the passport with the sticker is lost or stolen, contact the IND immediately; keep photocopies of the sticker page and the IND letter separate from the passport.

What Should Each Partner Carry on Travel Day?

The partner carries the passport with the sticker, the IND approval letter, originals of legalised civil records and their translations, and the address and appointment details for the first weeks. The sponsor keeps copies and is reachable by phone.

• Passport with the MVV sticker, plus the old passport if the sticker is in a previous passport.
• IND approval letter and a photocopy.
• Original legalised marriage or partnership certificate, birth record and translations.
• Address in the Netherlands and the municipal appointment confirmation.
• Copies of the sticker page and IND letter kept separately from the passport.

Keep originals in hand luggage. If the partner travels alone, the sponsor should have photographs of every page, so details are available if anything is lost. Border staff may ask about the purpose of the stay; the approval letter and sticker answer most questions quickly.

How Should the Couple Organise the Shared Evidence Folder?

Use one shared cloud folder with numbered sub-folders, one per document group, and a single index file listing every document, its owner and its status. Both partners then see the same picture without long message threads.

1. 01 Sponsor: passport or permit, employment contract, payslips, employer statement.
2. 02 Partner identity: passport scans of every page, photographs to the required standard.
3. 03 Civil records: each record with its apostille and translation, in that order.
4. 04 Relationship: marriage certificate, or the questionnaire and dated evidence for unmarried couples.
5. 05 Exam: result or exemption evidence.
6. 06 Declarations: antecedents and TB.
7. 07 Correspondence: IND letters, receipts, appointment confirmations.

Name files with a date and a short description, for example 2026-09-14_birth-record_apostille.pdf. Mark the status in the index as ordered, received, legalised, translated or ready. The sponsor uploads only from the ready column, which keeps half-finished items out of the filing.

Keep originals in one physical envelope with the partner, in the same order as the folder. At the sticker appointment and on arrival, the same order makes documents easy to find.

What Happens Between Approval and the Sticker Appointment?

After approval the partner books the MVV sticker appointment in India, attends with the passport and approval details, and collects the passport with the sticker. The sponsor's active tasks are mostly done, but the sponsor should start preparing housing and the municipal registration.

• Read the approval letter carefully and check names and dates.
• Book the sticker appointment using the route on the Netherlands Worldwide India page.
• Prepare the passport and any items listed on the appointment confirmation.
• After collection, note the MVV validity dates on the sticker; the partner must enter the Netherlands within that period.
• Book the flight only once the sticker and its dates are confirmed.

The sponsor can meanwhile arrange the address registration appointment with the municipality and gather the items the partner will need there. Doing this in parallel avoids a second wait after arrival.

What Should the Couple Do in the First Weeks After Arrival?

Register the address with the municipality, collect the residence permit card when the IND invites you, and set up the basics such as a citizen service number, bank account and health insurance. The sponsor usually leads, because they know the local systems.

1. Municipal registration: attend the appointment with the passport, legalised civil records and proof of address. Registration gives the partner a citizen service number (BSN).
2. Residence permit card: follow the IND letter on where and when to collect it, and bring the passport.
3. Health insurance: check the obligation to take out Dutch basic health insurance and the deadline that applies after registration.
4. Bank account and practical matters: most banks need the BSN and the permit card.
5. Civic integration in the Netherlands: check whether further civic integration obligations apply after arrival, using the official information that applies to your situation.

Keep the shared folder going after arrival. The permit card, registration confirmation and insurance policy belong in it too, because the next application, an extension or a change of permit, will ask for many of the same items.

Note the permit end date in a shared calendar with a reminder months ahead. Renewal depends on the sponsor still meeting the conditions, including income, so the division of tasks you used for the first file stays useful.

How Should the Couple Communicate During a Long-Distance File?

Agree on one weekly check-in, one shared index and one person responsible for each task. Long-distance couples lose time to unclear ownership far more than to slow offices.

• Weekly check-in: a short video call where each partner reports what moved, what is stuck and what is next.
• One source of truth: the index file in the shared folder, not scattered chat messages.
• Named owner per task: every line in the index has one name next to it.
• Time zones: India is three and a half or four and a half hours ahead of the Netherlands depending on Dutch daylight saving time; schedule calls when both can concentrate.
• Escalation rule: if a task has not moved for two weeks, the other partner helps or the plan changes.

Write down decisions such as which form to use and when to book the exam, with the date and reason. When the IND asks a question months later, you will know why you chose what you did.

Finally, agree how you will handle setbacks. A rejected record or a failed exam part is common and fixable. Treat it as a task to reassign, not a reason to argue, and keep the shared timeline updated so both partners know the new filing date.

What If the Sponsor Changes Job While the File Is Pending?

Tell the IND about relevant changes and send updated income evidence, because the IND assesses whether the requirements are met. A new job is not automatically a problem, but the file must reflect the current situation.

• Keep the new contract, the first payslips and, if asked, an employer's statement in the sponsor section of the folder.
• Compare the new gross income with the current IND table for your household type.
• Check whether a probation period or a temporary contract affects how the IND views sustainability of income, using the IND overview.
• Note the change and the date in the shared index so both partners know it happened.

The same applies to a change of address or a change in the relationship. If something material changes, report it rather than waiting for the IND to discover it. A partner abroad should also tell the sponsor promptly about a new passport, since the passport number appears in the application and later on the sticker.

When in doubt, ask the IND before acting. A short question by phone or through the official contact route costs far less time than a request for more information after the fact.

Keep a short change log in the shared index: what changed, when, who reported it to the IND and which evidence was sent. If the IND later asks about the change, the couple can answer from one record instead of searching old messages, and the sponsor can show that the change was reported promptly and with full supporting documents.

Is Your Partner File Ready? A Pre-Filing Self-Test

Both partners should be able to answer yes to every line before the sponsor files.

1. The sponsor's permit purpose allows a partner to join.
2. The partner's nationality requires an MVV, and you have checked any exemption.
3. The sponsor's income meets the current IND amount for your household type.
4. You have chosen the correct form for your relationship type.
5. The partner's passport will be valid 6 months beyond the likely sticker appointment.
6. All civil records carry the correct legalisation and any needed sworn translation.
7. Names and dates on every record match the passports.
8. The civic integration exam is passed, or the exemption evidence is ready, and the result is under a year old.
9. Unmarried couples: questionnaires answered consistently, evidence dated and counted, single status declaration under 6 months old.
10. Antecedents forms are complete for everyone aged 12 or older.
11. The TB question is answered.
12. The fee is ready and all scans are in colour and complete.

When every line is yes, the timeline belongs to the IND. Your next shared task is watching for its confirmation letter.

Where Does Travel Fit in a Partner File?

After the sticker. No IND requirement on this route asks for flight proof, and the IND advises sponsors not to book travel before the decision. The first useful travel date is one that falls inside the sticker's dates and leaves room for card collection.

Keep the evidence types apart. Past travel documents can support an unmarried couple's relationship evidence; a future reservation cannot. A paid ticket is what the partner travels on. Some sellers advertise a dummy ticket for spouse files, but the IND does not ask for one; if a family member or employer wants a dated plan, a verifiable reservation with a real PNR is the honest version.

A BookForVisa flight reservation costs a flat $15 per person, carries a real PNR you can check with the airline, stays valid for 48-72 hours and allows free date changes on the booking day only. It is a reservation for planning, not a paid ticket for travel.

Which Official Pages Were Used?

• IND, Residence permit for partner.
• IND, Civic integration exam abroad.
• IND, Fees (costs of an application).
• IND, Required amounts income requirements.
• NetherlandsWorldwide, Applying for an MVV visa sticker for the Netherlands in India.
• NetherlandsWorldwide, Legalisation of documents from India for use in the Netherlands.
• NetherlandsWorldwide, How long is my MVV visa sticker for the Netherlands valid?

Checked in October 2026. Fees and income amounts change; confirm on the live pages for the period you file.

What Should the Shared Partner Folder Contain?

Sponsor section: passport copy, permit proof, income evidence, the filing receipt, the IND confirmation and every IND letter. Partner section: passport copy, legalised and translated records, antecedents form, exam result or exemption evidence, TB declaration, single status declaration if unmarried. Relationship section: certificate or questionnaire with dated evidence. Post-decision section: approval letter, appointment confirmation, receipt, tracking number. Arrival section: registration appointment, card appointment, GGD referral, insurance. Agree who updates each section, and review the whole folder when a letter arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.