Visa and residence permit

Who can apply for a visa and residence permit?

The Doctoral Service Centre can arrange a visa and residence permit for a PhD candidate if:

• The PhD candidate has been admitted to the WU PhD programme;
• If the non-employed PhD candidate wishes to bring his/her family (spouse and/or children) to the Netherlands (not within the same immigration procedure, but at a later stage), DSC can organise the PhD candidate's immigration. Applications for family members can be submitted directly to the IND by the PhD candidate (as soon as their own residence permit has been received after arrival in the Netherlands). See this website of the IND for more information. The IND fee of € 254 applies to each application for a family member.
• The PhD candidate has a scholarship or own financing for living allowances of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 January and 1 July and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027;
• The PhD candidate is not employed by WUR;
• The PhD candidate stays for a period longer than 3 months.

When to apply for a residence permit (and entry visa)

The Doctoral Service Centre can apply for a residence permit (and entry visa) if a contact person from the chair group sends a request to the Doctoral Service Centre at the latest 11 weeks before the intended start of the visa.

Costs

The costs of the immigration procedure through DSC consist of the IND fee of € 254. DSC does not charge any additional handling fees. 

How to apply

A contact person from the chair group sends a request (through an online form) to the Doctoral Service Centre. Find the link to this online form here.

After receiving the request form the Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate for the documents needed.

During the course of the application procedure, the PhD candidate and the applicant will receive information and instructions from the Doctoral Service Centre.

Requested documents

(NOTE: all signed documents must have the same signature as on the passport).

1. The Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate to request the completed and signed antecedents certificate, permission to use personal details, information form PhD candidate and income statement;
2. A clear scan of the passport (with signature, personal details page and stamped pages). The passport must still be valid for at least 9 months when the Doctoral Service Centre submits the application to the IND. The passport can either be uploaded into the online form or will be requested from the PhD candidate by the Doctoral Service Centre;
3. The signed form: Hosting agreement Doctoral Service Centre. Please see the instruction. The hosting agreement must be drawn up by the chair group and can be uploaded into the online form;
4. One of the following proofs of sufficient finances for the period of residence:

• When a scholarship is paid directly to the PhD candidate by the scholarship provider: we need the scholarship letter (specifying the costs of living and period);
• When the PhD candidate receives the living allowances from the grant provider via WUR through the "kassiersfunctie", we need:
  • the letter of agreement
  • the grant award letter
  • a reference in the hosting agreement at point 5: The university fulfills the financial administration role for the grant. The living allowances of the PhD candidate will be received by WUR from the grant provider and transferred from WUR to the PhD candidate. Read more information about the “kassiersfunctie”;
• When the PhD candidate finances the stay him-/herself: we need a recent bank statement (with an amount of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires) for each month of the requested stay in the Netherlands. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 July and 1 January and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Who can apply for an extension of the residence permit?

• The PhD candidate has a scholarship or own financing for living allowances of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 January and 1 July and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027;
• The PhD candidate is not employed by WUR;
• If the non-employed PhD candidate is accompanied by one or more family members, DSC may extend the PhD candidate's residence permit. The extension of the residence permits for the family members can be applied for directly at the IND by the PhD candidate themselves. See this website of the IND for more information.

When to apply for an extension of the residence permit?

The Doctoral Service Centre can extend your residence permit if a contact person from the chair group sends a request to the Doctoral Service Centre at the latest 6 weeks before the current residence permit ends.

If you have the plan to travel immediately after the start date of the extension of the residence permit, please note that the application must be submitted to DSC at latest 12 weeks before the start date, otherwise it could be that the residence permit card is not ready before departure.

Costs

The costs of the immigration procedure through DSC consist of the IND fee of € 254. DSC does not charge any additional handling fees. 

How to apply

A contact person from the chair group sends a request (through an online form) to the Doctoral Service Centre. Find the link to this online form here.

After receiving the request form, the Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate for the documents needed.

During the course of the application procedure, the PhD candidate and the applicant will receive information and instructions from the Doctoral Service Centre.

Requested documents

(NOTE: all signed documents must have the signature as on the passport).

1. The Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate to request the completed and signed antecedents certificate, permission to use personal details, information form PhD candidate, income statement and a copy of the front and back of the current residence permit pass;
2. A clear scan of the passport (with signature, personal details page and stamped pages). The passport must still be valid for at least 6 months when the Doctoral Service Centre submits the application to the IND. The passport can either be uploaded into the online form or will be requested from the PhD candidate by the Doctoral Service Centre;
3. The signed form: Hosting agreement Doctoral Service Centre. Please see the instruction The hosting agreement must be drawn up by the chair group and can be uploaded into the online form;
4. One of the following proofs of sufficient finances for the period of residence:

• When a scholarship is paid directly to the PhD candidate by the scholarship provider: we need the sholarship letter (specifying the costs of living and period);
• When the PhD candidate receives the living allowances from the grant provider via WUR through the "kassiersfunctie", we need:
  • the letter of agreement
  • the grant award letter
  • a reference in the hosting agreement at point 5: The university fulfills the financial administration role for the grant. The living allowances of the PhD candidate will be received by WUR from the grant provider and transferred from WUR to the PhD candidate. Read more information about the “kassiersfunctie”;
• When the PhD candidate finances the stay him-/herself: we need a recent bank statement (with an amount of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires) for each month of the requested stay in the Netherlands. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 July and 1 January and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Who can apply for a change of purpose of a residence permit?

The Doctoral Service Centre can arrange the change of the purpose of a residence permit for a PhD candidate if:

• The PhD candidate has a scholarship or own financing for living allowances of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 January and 1 July and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027;
• The PhD candidate is not employed by WUR;

When to apply for a change of purpose of a residence permit?

The Doctoral Service Centre can assist to change the purpose of your residence permit if a contact person from the chair group sends a request to the Doctoral Service Centre at the latest 6 weeks before the current residence permit ends.

If you have the plan to travel immediately after the start date of the change of purpose of the residence permit, please note that the application must be submitted to DSC at latest 12 weeks before the start date, otherwise it could be that the residence permit card is not ready before departure.

Costs

The costs of the immigration procedure through DSC consist of the IND fee of € 254. DSC does not charge any additional handling fees. 

How to apply

A contact person from the chair group sends a request (through an online form) to the Doctoral Service Centre. Find the link to this online form here.

After receiving the request form the Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate for the documents needed.

During the course of the application procedure, the PhD candidate and the applicant will receive information and instructions from the Doctoral Service Centre.

Requested documents

(NOTE: all signed documents must have the same signature as on the passport).

1. The Doctoral Service Centre will contact the PhD candidate to request the completed and signed antecedents certificate, permission to use personal details, information form PhD candidate, income statement and a copy of the front and back of the current residence permit pass;
2. A clear scan of the passport (with signature, personal details page and stamped pages). The passport must still be valid for at least 6 months when the Doctoral Service Centre submits the application to the IND. The passport can either be uploaded into the online form or will be requested from the PhD candidate by the Doctoral Service Centre;
3. The signed form: Hosting agreement Doctoral Service Centre. Please see the instruction. The Hosting agreement must be drawn up by the chair group and can be uploaded into the online form;
4. One of the following proofs of sufficient finances for the period of residence:

• When a scholarship is paid directly to the PhD candidate by the scholarship provider: we need the scholarship letter (specifying the costs of living and period);
• When the PhD candidate receives the living allowances from the grant provider via WUR through the "kassiersfunctie", we need:
  • the letter of agreement
  • the grant award letter
  • a reference in the hosting agreement at point 5: The university fulfills the financial administration role for the grant. The living allowances of the PhD candidate will be received by WUR from the grant provider and transferred from WUR to the PhD candidate. Read more information about the “kassiersfunctie”;
• When the PhD candidate finances the stay him-/herself: we need a recent bank statement (with an amount of at least the amount that the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires) for each month of the requested stay in the Netherlands. This amount is adjusted twice a year on 1 July and 1 January and is € 1767,-/month between 1 July 2026 and 1 January 2027.