Who is this guide for?
- You are an expat or Highly Skilled Migrant living in the Netherlands.
- You want to sponsor a visa for your spouse or unmarried partner.
- You are looking for the exact IND income and integration requirements.
Who Can You Bring?
Dutch family-migration rules provide routes for spouses, registered partners, qualifying unmarried partners and minor children. The exact requirements depend on the relationship and the sponsor's residence status:
- Spouses & Registered PartnersYour marriage or registered partnership must be officially recognized in the Netherlands. You will need a legalized and translated marriage certificate.
- Unmarried PartnersUnlike many other countries, the Netherlands allows you to sponsor an unmarried partner if you can prove a "durable and exclusive relationship".Proof required: You must fill out an official relationship declaration and provide evidence that you maintain a joint household. Having a joint bank account is helpful supporting evidence, along with shared rental contracts, photos, and flight tickets. You will also need a legalized certificate proving both of you are unmarried.
- Minor ChildrenUnmarried biological or legally adopted children under the age of 18. They must actually form part of your family (e.g., they do not run their own independent household). If the child is traveling with only one parent, official proof of sole custody or formal consent from the other parent is strictly required.
IND Income Requirements
To act as a sponsor, your income must be independent, sustainable, and sufficient. For employment income, sustainability is generally established when the employment contract is valid for at least 12 months at the time of application. Specific IND rules can also allow shorter contracts when the applicant has sufficient income history. The exact required amount depends entirely on your specific residence permit:
If you are a Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)
Do not use the Highly Skilled Migrant salary threshold as the family-permit income test. The IND publishes a separate required amount for a residence permit to stay with a partner. For applications from 1 July through 31 December 2026, that amount is €2,337.00 gross SV salary per month without holiday allowance, or €2,523.96 including holiday allowance. Your own HSM permit still has its separate salary requirements.
If you are a regular employee or Dutch citizen
You must meet the IND's standard amount (normbedrag), which is updated every 6 months. For applications between July 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026, the gross SV-salary (social security wage) requirement for a spouse/partner is €2,523.96 per month (including holiday allowance).
The Civic Integration Exam (Inburgering)
If your partner needs an MVV for family migration and no exemption applies, they must pass the Basic Civic Integration Exam Abroad (basisexamen inburgering buitenland) before the MVV application. Exemptions depend on nationality, age, education and residence purpose:
- Nationality Exemption: Depending on your nationality, you may be fully exempt from the basic civic integration exam abroad. For example, citizens of the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea fall under this specific exemption.
- Highly Skilled Migrant Exemption: If you (the sponsor) hold a Highly Skilled Migrant permit, your partner is generally exempt from taking this exam abroad. Under the Civic Integration Act, the HSM permit is classified as a "temporary purpose of stay", which officially waives this specific pre-arrival requirement for dependent family members.
Working Rights for Your Partner
The working rights of your partner depend on your own permit status. The IND states that a partner is free to work when the sponsor has a Highly Skilled Migrant permit, so an employer does not need a TWV for that partner. Other sponsor permits can produce different work rights, so check the employment endorsement on the residence document and the current IND rules for the exact situation.