Immigration matters

Immigration process

Our Immigration Coordinators are happy to help you and will guide you step-by-step through the immigration process. On this page we will give you more insight in what to expect when. Non-EU students need to apply for a visa and/or residence permit and go through the full process, EU students only need to register as a new resident of the town where they are going to live. We will start the immigration process from May (October for the February intake) onwards by sending you an invitation by email.

Immigration process

  • If you are a non-EU student and are curious to know what to expect during your immigration process, please go through the four phases below. 
  • As a student with an EU nationality you have free access to the Netherlands. The only thing you will need is a valid national ID or passport. There is no immigration process you have to follow beforehand. You do need to register at the city hall (BRP-inschrijving) as a new resident of the town where you are going to live. Please follow the process from phase 4, step 3 onwards.
Phase 1: Payment of the immigration fee
  1. Our Immigration Coordinator sends you an e-mail about the payment of the immigration fee (228 euro). It is important that you pay the fee and start your process even if you have not been unconditionally admitted yet. 

  2. We ask you to pay the immigration fee within 7 days (and before the invoice due date, as you will only receive this email once!). 

    Download the Terms and Conditions of the immigration fee payment for Tilburg University students 


  3. Within 2 weeks after your payment, the Immigration Coordinator sends you an e-mail with:

    • A confirmation of payment
    • Instructions to start the visa/residence permit application in OSIRIS aanmeld
Phase 2: Application process in OSIRIS
  1. You need to upload the required documents in OSIRIS aanmeld:

  2. Bachelor or master students must prove that they have sufficient financial means to cover both living expenses and one year tuition fee (the proof regarding tuition fee is not applicable for exchange students). Premaster students must prove that they have sufficient financial means to cover both living expenses and premaster weighted fees and, additionally, also one year of master tuition fee. Please see our Frequently Asked Questions list below for details.

    For 2024/2025 degree students need to have at least € 14,700 to cover the living expenses for one year (€ 1,225 per month). Exchange students need to have at least € 6,125 for one semester. After paying the immigration fee you will find all relevant information in OSIRIS aanmeld. 

    We advise you to make sure you have enough money with you to reside in the Netherlands for at least 3 months (including a number of months of rent in advance) as the process of refunding will take a few weeks.

    Please note that you will also be asked to fill out a payment method for the tuition fees in Studielink as part of your enrollment process. Of course, this does not mean that you have to pay the tuition fees again. When filling out the payment method in Studielink, please follow the instructions in Steps Studielink during immigration process


  3. Our Immigration Coordinator checks OSIRIS aanmeld within two weeks. You will receive a missing items e-mail in case not all documents meet the requirements. We ask you to submit the missing documents as soon as possible.


  4. The Immigration Coordinator sends the application to the IND and informs you by e-mail thereof.


  5. Within 4 weeks we inform you about the outcome of the application process by e-mail. Please note: unfortunately we cannot speed up this process for you.

Phase 3: Getting your visa and/or residence permit
  1. If you have a visa requirement, submit your MVV application and provide your biometric data at a Dutch embassy of choice.

  2. Within approximately 2 weeks, you can collect the visa from the Dutch embassy or consulate.


  3.  You then travel to the Netherlands with your valid passport (and visa, if applicable, within 3 months).


  4. In September (in February for the February intake), the Immigration Coordinator contacts you with further information in respect to the obtainment of the Dutch residence permit card. In addition about the municipality registration and Tuberculosis screening (if applicable).

Phase 4: After arrival
  1. In September/October (and February), you can pick up your residence permit at a central location. You will receive more information about this later on in the process. In some cases you have to go to the IND office in 's Hertogenbosch yourself to pick up your residence permit card.

  2.  Some non-EU/EEA students are required to undergo a Tuberculosis screening* as part of their residence permit formalities. This takes place by means of a chest x-ray carried out by the Dutch Public Health services (GGD). The Immigration team will arrange an appointment for you with the GGD and will inform you on the date and location of the screening. The TB test costs € 58,- and you can only pay by debit card.

    * Please see the Appendix ‘Exemption from the obligation to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test' whether this is applicable to you.


  3.  You will need to register as a new resident of the town where you are going to live (BRP-inschrijving) if: 

    • You are staying in the Netherlands for more than 4 monthsNote that Tilburg University has a special agreement with the city of Tilburg. If you are an exchange student staying for one semester and living in Tilburg, you do not need to register as a new resident even though your stay exceeds the 4 months.
    • You want to work.
    • You want to open a Dutch bank account.
    • You are going to be accompanied by your spouse irrespective of your length of study.


    If you belong to one of the categories listed above, registration as a new resident is mandatory irrespective of your nationality or the purpose of your stay. 

    Please click on the following link to book your appointment at Tilburg City Hall in the city center:
    Book an appointment at the municipality of Tilburg
    Please note: After you have confirmed your appointment in the system above, it is not possible to change your appointment. 

    If you are not going to live in Tilburg, please contact your local City Hall to register. 

    Documents that you need to bring to your appointment at Tilburg Municipality:
    -    Your valid passport
    -    A copy of your valid passport
    -    Your rental agreement/contract
    -    A copy of your rental agreement/contract
    -    A copy of your IND approval letter  
    -    A copy of your birth certificate (only if your passport does not state your sex)

    At the end of your appointment, you will receive your Dutch social security number (BSN, BurgerServiceNummer) from the City Hall.

    Note that if you relocate within the Netherlands, you must report to your (new) municipality. Please do not forget to de-register from the City Hall before you leave the Netherlands. For those living in Tilburg will receive an e-mail from the Immigration Office at the appropriate time.


  4. In order to assist you with opening a Dutch bank account, please visit this page where you'll find all necessary information.
    At most Dutch banks you need a BSN in order to open a bank account. 

  5. In case you have transferred your living expenses to TiU, we advise you to make sure you have enough money with you to reside in the Netherlands for at least 3 months (including a number of months of rent in advance) as the process of refunding will take a few weeks. Your Immigration coordinator will inform you how to enter your Dutch bank details in OSIRIS in due time. 
  6. It is mandatory for international students residing in the Netherlands to have health insurance. International students are not automatically insured, so they must arrange their own health insurance. Please find out how to arrange your insurance. We advise students to arrange the insurance before entering the Netherlands.

Q&A Immigration Process

Can I pay the immigration fee after the deadline mentioned in the email?

You must pay before the deadline in order to be able to arrive here in time for the start of your studies.

What is the deadline for uploading my documents and transferring the required amount?

You can find your deadline when you login to OSIRIS Aanmeld and go to the immigration tab.

What is the amount that I must transfer to the university as part of the immigration process?

If you are a master or bachelor student starting in the academic year 2024-2025, you must transfer the amount of one year of living expenses € 14,700.00 plus one year of bachelor or master tuition fee to Tilburg University's bank account.

If you are a premaster student starting in the academic year 2024-2025, you must transfer the amount of one year of living expenses  € 14,700.00 plus the premaster weighted tuition fee to Tilburg University's bank account. In addition, you must prove one year of master tuition fee by showing the amount in your personal bank account and/or via a scholarship.

If you are an exchange student starting in the academic year 2024-2025, you must transfer the amount of living expenses for one semester € 6,125.00 or 2 semesters € 12,250.00 to Tilburg University's bank account, depending on the duration of your exchange period.

I keep receiving notifications that I must enter a payment method in Studielink, but I have already paid the costs of living expenses and tuition fees to the university, what should I do?

Please note that you will also be asked to fill out a payment method for the tuition fees in Studielink as part of your enrollment process. Of course, this does not mean that you have to pay the tuition fees again. When filling out the payment method in Studielink, please follow the instructions as outlined in Steps Studielink during immigration process

When can I book an appointment at the Dutch embassy?

You can book an appointment after your application has been approved by the IND and you have received an email from us with the approval letter.

Can I show proof of finances via other options, such as a bank statement? 

If you are required to transfer the amount to our account as part of the immigration process it is not possible to submit a bank statement. If you receive a scholarship, it is possible to upload a scholarship letter.

There are no/few time slots available at the embassy to book an appointment for my MVV. Can the immigration office assist me?

Please keep trying to make an appointment, new time slots will open up regularly. There is nothing that the immigration office can do to speed up the process. You can always try contacting the embassy by phone or email.

Are there any exemptions for the TB test?

You are exempt if your nationality that is stated in your passport is on the list of exemptions, or if you already hold a valid Dutch residence permit. You will also be exempt from the requirement to submit a tuberculosis declaration if you hold an EU residence permit for long-term residents issued by another EU member state or if you are a family member of someone who holds this document and you have already been admitted to another EU member state as the family member of the long-term resident.

When will I receive the refund of the living expenses that I paid?

After your arrival in the Netherlands, you can open a Dutch or online SEPA bank account. We will open OSIRIS Aanmeld again for you to enter the bank details. Once you have completed your bank details, our Finance department will process the refund.

How much time will it take to process the refund?

We advise you to make sure you have enough money with you to reside in the Netherlands for at least 3 months (including a number of months of rent in advance) as the process of refunding will take a few weeks.