Seasonal Work
Residence permit for seasonal or short-stay work in the Netherlands
The full Dutch Seasonal Work process
Obtain or Renew Passport
Check your passport's expiry date before anything else: if your nationality needs an MVV, the Dutch embassy or consulate will only place the MVV sticker in a passport that is still valid for at least 6 months at that moment. Renewal is handled by your own country's authority and can take weeks to months, so start here rather than after the permit is approved. The same passport number then runs through every later step -- the IND application, the MVV appointment, biometrics, and collecting the residence permit card in person -- so if you do renew part-way through, tell the IND, and keep the old passport as well. No fee or processing time is shown for this task because both are set by your own government, not by the Netherlands.
Find a job at IND-recognized sponsor
Search for jobs at companies recognized by the IND (Dutch immigration authority) to sponsor work visas. These employers can apply for your residence permit. Use the reference link to browse 12,000+ verified companies and their job listings.
🔗 Official linkApply for Seasonal Work permit
Employer applies for seasonal work permit (TWV) from UWV for agricultural or seasonal work
⏱ ~90 days💶 €254🔗 Official linkCollect MVV entry visa
Once the decision is positive, book an appointment at the same Dutch embassy or consulate you named on the application form -- another location will turn you away -- and go in person to have the MVV sticker placed in your passport. Three deadlines matter here and missing any of them wastes the approved application: you must make the appointment within 3 months of the IND's decision, your passport must still be valid for at least 6 months when the sticker is placed, and the MVV itself is valid for only 90 days, which is the window in which you must actually enter the Netherlands. There is no separate charge on this flow; the MVV is covered by the application fee you already paid. Before you fly, notify the IND of your date of entry -- that notification is what starts the clock on your residence permit card being ready.
🔗 Official linkTravel to the Netherlands
Fly with the documents in your hand luggage, not in a checked bag: passport, and the IND decision letter or MVV if your nationality needed one. If you travelled on an MVV, it is valid for 90 days and you must enter within that window. Notify the IND of your date of entry before you travel -- your residence permit card is normally ready for collection about a week after that notification, so telling them late simply delays the card. Two clocks start the moment you land, and they overlap: you must register at the municipality within 5 days of arrival, and you need a biometrics appointment and then a collection appointment at the IND, both of which are by appointment only and can be booked out. Book them from your first days, not your first free weekend. No airfare is shown here because it depends entirely on your origin and the season.
Submit biometrics at IND
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkPost-arrival steps are part of the full flow. Start free to track your pre-arrival progress, then unlock the 8 post-arrival steps when you land.Collect residence permit card
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkRegister at municipality (BRP & BSN)
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkObtain health insurance
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkApply for DigiD
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkSet up a Dutch SIM card
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkExchange foreign driver’s license
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official linkUndergo TB test (if required)
Detailed instructions, official links and progress tracking for this step are included in the full flow.
🔗 Official link
Track this journey instead of reading about it
Turn this guide into a personal checklist: tick off steps, keep your documents together, and always know what comes next.