Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

You stated that:

- you are going to be registered as a full-time degree student
- you wish to live in the Netherlands during your studies
- you do not have a Dutch residence permit
and you do not have the nationality and a valid passport of one of the following countries:

Australia Denmark Ireland Monaco South Korea

Austria Estonia Japan New Zealand Spain
Belgium Finland Italy Norway Sweden
Bulgaria France Latvia Poland Switzerland
Canada Germany Liechtenstein Portugal The Netherlands
Croatia Greece Lithuania Romania United Kingdom
Cyprus Hungary Luxemburg Slovenia USA
Czech Republic Iceland Malta Slovakia Vatican City

If this is not correct, please go through the Legal Residence Flowchart again.

What has to happen?

Maastricht University has to apply for a multiple entry, long term visa and subsequent residence permit for study
on your behalf. You are not allowed to do this yourself.
For that you will have to upload the necessary documents (paragraph A) to MyUM and make the necessary
payment(s) (paragraph B).

A. Where do you have to upload which documents?

Only documents uploaded in the folder VISA of MyUM will be received and processed. So make sure you upload
them to the correct location and under the correct document type (a copy of your passport under “passport
student”, a copy of the proof of transfer of the legal fees under “proof of money transfers” etc.).

Please note the following general requirements for documents:

- Only upload PDF files. Please upload high quality (at least 200 dpi), full page scans in color, scanned by a
proper scanner or camera.
- If the language on the document is not Dutch, English, German or French, a translation into English or
Dutch by a professional, certified translator must be included
- Financial documents should always mention a univocal currency of the amounts stated. Although the Euro
(€) is preferred, other currencies are also acceptable (please keep the conversion rate in mind)
- Forms can be completed by hand or digitally. We must be able to compare your signature on the forms
against your signature in your passport.
- Address details must be the same on every form.

The documents that have to be uploaded are:

1. Acceptable proof of sufficient financial means
2. A proof of transfer of the legal fees
3. A copy of your valid passport
4. A completed and signed consent form
5. A completed Antecedents Certificate
6. A completed Declaration of intent to undergo a TB test
7. Proof of payment of your tuition/registration fee
8. A NUFFIC-certificate (only for mainland Chinese students)

Each document and its requirements will be explained below.

Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

1. Acceptable proof of sufficient financial means

Degree students will have to prove sufficient financial means for at least one year. At a required sum of €1000 per
month (please refer to enclosure 4 for a cost breakdown of this amount), you will have to prove that you have at
least €12000 at your disposal. You have the following two (combinable) options to prove this:

Option A. Transfer of a refundable deposit

In case of the refundable deposit you have to transfer at least €12000 to the Visa Office bank account (12 months x
€1000). More information on the transfer will follow in section B. on payments.

Required document:
1. A proof of transfer showing the amount transferred. The transfer reference should show your student ID-
number, full name and living allowance as a reference, regardless of whose account the amount is transferred
from. Please note that if the transaction does not mention that the amount is specifically transferred for living
allowance it will be rejected by Dutch Immigration.

Option B. Proof of a scholarship

This is only acceptable from a governmental or an educational institute and only after confirmation of
authenticity. If the scholarship cannot be objectively verified, Option A is the only alternative.

Required document:
1. A copy of proof of award of the scholarship. The document must:
- state the date of issue
- state your name, first name initials and date of birth
- state the period of the scholarship (from…until…); this should at least cover the registration period as mentioned
in the accompanying email
- state the entire amount or the monthly allowance of the scholarship and its univocal currency
- state the name, address and contact data of the scholarship awarding institute
- specifically state the word “scholarship”, and not e.g. “sponsorship” or “financial support” nor the words
“average”, “approximately”, “at least”, “estimated” or “expected”, as these expressions are too vague

2. A proof of transfer of the legal fees

Required document:
1. A proof of transfer showing the amount transferred. The transfer reference should show your student ID-
number, full name and date of birth as a reference, regardless of whose account the legal fees are transferred
from.

The non-refundable legal fees for the visa and the subsequent residence permit are €210. They are automatically
collected from the UM Visa Office bank account by Dutch Immigration which is why they have to be transferred to
our account in advance.
For possible exemptions or exceptions, please refer to section B. on payments.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

3. A copy of your valid passport

Required document:
1. A copy of all your passport pages containing data. Please make sure to include the passport page with your
signature (holder’s or bearer’s signature).

This must be a clear and legible copy of your national passport, including all pages containing personal and validity
data (dates of issue and expiration), signatures, stamps and visas.
National identity cards are not acceptable, as they often lack required details. The passport should bear your
signature and be valid until at least 6 months after your programme starts.
In case you have visited the Netherlands in the past 3 years, all pages of your passport are required. In that case,
please make sure that the page with the most recent exit stamp from The Netherlands or another Schengen
country is clearly legible.

4. A completed and signed consent form

Required document:
1. A completed and signed consent form (enclosure 1)

The form serves a number of purposes:

1. To collect necessary information we do not yet have
2. To obtain sufficient permission to act on your behalf as stipulated by European privacy legislation
3. To make sure you have taken note of all conditions for receiving the residence permit
PLEASE CAREFULLY CHECK THE CONTENTS OF THE FORM BEFORE SIGNING

When applying for a visa/residence permit for study, your tuition/registration fee payment options are very
limited. You are required to pay a full year tuition fee or the full registration fee for the preparatory or contract
programme before we submit your application to Dutch Immigration. This is in addition to the financial means that
are required for the visa/residence permit procedure.
Please note that you are not allowed to make use of the (Studielink) options to pay by authorization or in
installments.

The fee is considered paid in the following cases:

1. After receipt of a copy of an acceptable scholarship letter from an educational or governmental
institute that specifically states the amount and the period that is covered and of which the
payment is handled by the UM Scholarship Office
2. After confirmation of our Finance Department or the desired programme that the full payment of
the tuition/registration fee was received. Do NOT transfer the tuition payment to the visa office
bank account!

The applicable tuition fees for degree programmes are listed here (link). You will almost always have to
pay the institutional tuition fees. Only holders of a valid specific residence permit of another EU-country
from this list (link) are eligible for the statutory tuition fees after their Dutch residence permit for study
is approved. For the instructions on how to pay, please refer to the information on the single lump sum
transfer (link).
For other programmes, the programme concerned provides information on the fee and its payment.

NB. On the UM website and in Studielink degree students starting in February are informed about a
partial tuition fee amount for the remainder of the academic year (7 months). Applicants for a
visa/residence permit for study, however, always need to pay a full year’s tuition fee upfront.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

Your home address should be in the same country where you pick up your visa, unless this is impossible because
the Dutch embassy or consulate in that country does not issue visas or because that country does not have a Dutch
embassy or consulate at all. In that case you are allowed to pick up the visa in a neighbouring country that does
have a Dutch embassy or consulate that issues visas.

If you are residing in another country than your country of origin, you are allowed to pick up the visa at any visa-
issuing embassy or consulate in that country, provided that you can prove that:
- you have legal residence in that country at the time you pick up the visa
- this legal residence is not based on a tourist visa
- your home address is in that same country
Please check our most recent list of Dutch missions that issue visas (link). Addresses and telephone numbers can
be found on the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (link).
However, because of a current reorganization of Dutch embassies we strongly recommend double checking with
the intended mission whether and how they (still) issue visas.

Please note that filling out an incorrect Dutch mission will cause a considerable delay in your visa process.

5. A completed Antecedents Certificate

Required document:
1. A completed form Antecedents Certificate (enclosure 2)

Please complete section 1. In section 2 please fill in your full passport name, state the current date (dd-mm-yyyy)
and place your signature. When in doubt, please contact the Visa Office.

6. Appendix Declaration of intent to undergo a TB test

Required document:
1. A completed form Appendix declaration of intent to undergo a TB test (enclosure 3)

In order to obtain a residence permit, you must be prepared to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test and - if necessary -
treatment. If you submit the completed declaration of intent to undergo a TB test to the IND together with your
application (and also meet all other conditions), the IND will grant you a residence permit as soon as possible. You
are granted this permit on the condition that you will actually undergo a TB test within three months. Signing the
declaration of intent and not taking the test within three months will jeopardize your residence permit.

Citizens of these countries (link) and holders of a valid special EU-residence permit from this list (link) are exempt
from the test.

Instructions on how to fill in the enclosure:

Section 1:
1.1 check the box that says ‘yes’ (application for a permit for the purpose of study)
1.2 leave blank
1.3 – 1.9 please fill in accordingly
1.10 fill in your passport details
1.11 please ignore

Section 2:
2.1-2.3 please fill in accordingly
2.4-2.6 please ignore
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

7. Proof of payment tuition/registration fee

Do not pay the tuition/registration fee to the account of the visa office, but follow the instructions of the program
you applied for, e.g. the instructions in Studielink for regular degree programmes or the instructions given by the
programme itself.

Required document:
1. A proof of transfer showing the date, transferred amount fee and student ID number.

8. NUFFIC certificate in case of Chinese citizenship

This requirement only applies to Chinese mainland nationals. Passport holders from Taiwan, Macau or Hong Kong
are exempted from this requirement.
In brief, the certificate states that your knowledge of English is sufficient and that your previous education is
genuine.
Students should apply according to the instructions on the NUFFIC website (link). A Chinese translation is available
at the bottom and questions can be asked on telephone number +31 70 4 260 260.

The final certificate will be sent to the UM Visa Office directly.

B. What payments do you have to make?

1. €210 in legal fees, except in the following situations:

o If you have an award letter of a scholarship of Maastricht University, a Stuned scholarship from the
Netherlands Support Office (NESO) in Indonesia, a Fulbright scholarship or a Civil Society
Leaderships Award, the legal fees will be charged to your scholarship
o If you are a citizen of San Marino or Israel, you are exempt from paying legal fees

2. €12000 as a deposit if you do not have a scholarship. In this case you have to mention the words living
allowance in the transfer, otherwise Dutch Immigration will refuse your application.

The amounts under points 1 and 2 can be combined in one bank transfer in order to avoid additional bank charges.

The total required amount should be transferred to:

International Bank Account Number (IBAN): NL10 INGB 0677623798
Bank branch details: ING Bank, PO Box 1800, 1000 BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Beneficiary or payee: Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
BIC- or SWIFTcode: INGBNL2A
Reference your student ID number, full name and living allowance

1. A full year’s tuiton/registration fee must be transferred separately to another account as specified in the
instructions in your admission/registration process.

Bank charges for international transfers will be deducted from the amount transferred, unless you indicate
otherwise. So, to prevent delays and extra expenses for multiple transfers, please make sure that you indicate that
you will pay for the transfer charges, or transfer an excess amount of at least €20 to ensure that UM receives the
full required amount.

Some countries or banks do not allow a bank transfer abroad in excess of a certain amount per transaction. In that
case, please make multiple smaller transfers up to the required amount and inform the Visa Office of your
situation to prevent reminders.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

The refund of a deposit after arrival in the Netherlands

More information on this will be included in the pre-arrival information which you will receive when the residence
permit is approved.

What happens next?

When all submitted documents and payments meet the requirements, we will send your application to Dutch
Immigration. In general, the approval will follow after approximately 5 weeks. As soon as the visa is approved, we
will inform you on how to pick it up. We strongly recommend that you do not purchase any airplane or train tickets
until the visa has actually been approved and you have picked it up at the embassy. Although you will normally be
invited by the embassy to collect the visa, we advise you to contact the embassy yourself to save time. The
appointment might take a few days and you will have to fill out additional forms, submit one or two passport
photographs that meet the Photomatrix Guidelines (link) and have your fingerprints taken.

C. Deadline

You should be in The Netherlands no later than 2 weeks before your programme starts in order to get settled, take
care of several formalities and take part in the (compulsory) introduction. As the procedure with Dutch
Immigration takes 4 to 6 weeks, the deadline for completion of the visa requirements is 2 months prior to the start
date of your programme.

And when I arrive in The Netherlands?

In the mail we will send you regarding the approval of your visa, we will ask you to send us a copy of your MVV
visa sticker as soon as possible.. Please do so, as this is very important for many of the subsequent compulsory
procedures.

Although more detailed information will follow, we wish to briefly address them here:

1. How to collect the residence card

2. The registration in the Municipal Records Database
3. The compulsory TB test
4. Health insurance

1. Collecting the residence card

Once your visa has been approved and a copy has been received by the Visa office, we will let you know where and
when you can pick up your residence card. As this card replaces the visa in your passport, it is essential for travel
outside the Netherlands after your arrival.

2. The registration in the Municipal Records Database

The registration in the municipal database of the city where you are going to live in the Netherlands is compulsory.
If you are going to live in Maastricht (ZIP-codes 6200 AA to 6229 ZZ), you need to bring a valid passport and a
legalised birth certificate. For more information on legalisation, please consult the Dutch government’s legalisation
page (link). If you are going to live in another municipality, please consult City Hall of that municipality on the
requirements. We wish to stress that a Dutch residence permit allows you to live in The Netherlands only. You
cannot register in Belgium or Germany even though Maastricht University is close to the border and
accommodation may be easier to find.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023

3 The TB test

One of the residence permit requirements is that you will also have to subject yourself to an x-ray of your chest to
rule out tuberculosis. The test has to be taken within three months upon arrival. Citizens of these countries (link)
and holders of a valid special EU-residence permit from this list (link) are exempt from the test. In all other cases
you will have to take the test, even if you recently had a similar test in another country.
More information on the test will follow after you have arrived in the Netherlands. Please note that non-
compliance may result in suspension of your residence permit.

4. Health insurance

Health insurance is a statutory obligation in The Netherlands. If you already have a health insurance in your home
country, please check whether this also covers your entire stay in The Netherlands and to what extent. If you do
not have health insurance yet, or if your current insurance policy does not (sufficiently) cover your stay in The
Netherlands, you have to take out health insurance in The Netherlands. We strongly advise you to take care of this
before you leave for the Netherlands to ensure proper coverage. For more information and suggestions, please
refer to this insurance page.

N.B.

Your first priority is getting a private and personal Dutch address. As this is an absolute necessity to register in the
municipality, open a bank account and meet other obligations, we strongly recommend arranging this as soon as
possible from abroad. Postponing this until you have arrived in the Netherlands jeopardizes your financial mobility,
legal residence, timely start of the program, etc. Finding suitable accommodation after you have arrived is
extremely difficult and an address of a hotel, a friend or the university is not acceptable.

A good place to start is the Maastricht Housing website.

Please note that holders of a Dutch residence permit are not allowed to live outside The Netherlands.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023
Enclosure 1; Consent form (please refer to item 4 in section A.)

Consent form for the short visa and residence permit procedure for degree seeking students

Personal details

UM Student ID-number i - 6

Last name First name(s)

Date of birth Place of birth

Country of birth Nationality

Gender  M  F Marital status  Married  Unmarried

Living address in full

Postcode City Country

Telephone Second e-mail address (in case of emergency)

Emergency contact information

Telephone Relation (parent, family member, employer etc.)

Country and city where you will collect the visa of which you have thoroughly checked that is possible to do so:

Programme you will be registered for as a degree seeking student

With my signature, I also declare that:

- all information and documents provided are correct and true
- I am aware that completing this procedure is my own responsibility and Maastricht University does not accept any liability for my
inability to meet any of the other registration requirements
- I authorize the UM Visa Office to legally act on my behalf for the application, extension, change or termination of my visa and
residence permit for study and to exchange information with Dutch Immigration (IND) on my residence status
- I authorize the UM Visa Office to act and exchange information on my municipal registration
- I am aware that my residence permit for study will be revoked when terminating or interrupting my student registration or not
achieving sufficient study progress under the Study Progress Requirement (link)
- I will contact the Visa office myself to arrange the extension of my residence permit, if needed, before my current permit expires.
- Each academic year I will prove to the Visa office that I have sufficient financial resources for living allowance.

- I will transfer the tuition or registration fee for a full year in one lump sum or provide a verifiable Dutch educational or
governmental scholarship letter scholarship to that amount before my application can be submitted to Dutch Immigration. I am
aware that I cannot pay my tuition fee by authorisation (at once or in instalments) and non-compliance will result in annulment
of my registration and residence permit

City Date Signature

Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023
Enclosure 2: Antecedents Certificate

Appendix Antecedents Certificate

1 Certificate
> Please tick the applicable situation

□ I certify that:
• I have never been sentenced to imprisonment or a custodial measure for committing a crime;
• I have never been sentenced to perform community service for committing a crime;
• I have never been imposed an unconditional fine for committing a crime;
• I have never accepted an out-of-court settlement for committing a crime;
• I have never been imposed a penalty order by a public prosecutor for committing a crime;
• I am currently not subject to prosecution for committing a crime;
• I have never been responsible for one of the following categories of acts as referred to in Article 1F of
the 1951 Refugee Convention: a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a serious
non-political crime (for example murder or terrorism), or acts contrary to the purposes and principles of
the United Nations (for example terrorist acts); and
• I am aware of the fact that a sentence for committing a crime may result in a refusal or termination of the
right of residence.
• I have not submitted any incorrect data during earlier residence procedures;
• I did not reside in the Netherlands illegally in the past;
• I am not subject to any entry ban.

□ I am unable to certify the above for the following reasons:

2 Signing (by the foreign national)

I have completed this form truthfully.

a. Name
Place Day Month Year

b. Place and date

c. Signature

Please note!
Not completing this antecedents certificate truthfully is an offense of which in all cases a report will be made.
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023
Enclosure 3: Appendix Declaration of intent to undergo a TB test
In order to obtain a residence permit, you (or the person you represent) must be prepared to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test and - if
necessary - treatment. If you submit the completed declaration of intent to undergo a TB test to the IND together with your application
(and also meet all other conditions), the IND will grant you a residence permit as soon as possible.
You are granted this permit under the express condition that you will actually undergo a TB test within three months. Should it become
clear after the issue of a residence permit that - despite signing the declaration of intent - you failed to undergo a TB test within the
period of three months, this may result in a cancellation of the permit that was granted.

Enclose the completed and signed declaration of intent with your application before you make an appointment with the Municipal Health
Service. In doing so, you declare that you are prepared to undergo a TB test and, if necessary, TB treatment. For the appointment with
the Municipal Health Service, you must complete the referral form as much as possible (part 1) and take it with you.

The obligation to undergo the test does not apply if you are a national of one of the countries listed in the appendix 'Exemption from the
obligation to undergo a tuberculosis (TB) test' (link). Nor does the obligation to undergo the test apply if you have an EU residence permit
for long-term residents issued by another EU country or are his/her family member and were already admitted to another EU country as a
family member of the long-term resident.

1 Details of foreign national to be tested (the applicant)

1.1 Application for a permit for the purpose of work, wealthy foreign national, □ Yes □ No
learning while working or study?
1.2 V-number (if known)
1.3 Name Surname as stated in the passport

First names

1.4 Sex and Date of birth > Please tick the applicable situation Day Month Year
□ Male □ Female
1.5 Place of birth
1.6 Country of birth
1.7 Nationality
1.8 Home address Street Number

Postcode Town

1.9 Civil status > Please tick the applicable situation

□ unmarried □ married □ registered partnership □ divorced □ widow/widower
1.10 Details passport Number Country

Valid from (date) Valid to (date)

1.11.1 Do you have a spouse or (registered) partner?

□ No > Go to 2 'Signing'
□ Spouse > Please complete the requested details below
□ (Registered) partner > Please complete the requested details below
1.11.2 Name Surname as stated in the passport

First names

1.11.3 Sex > Please tick the applicable situation

□ Male □ Female
1.11.4 Home address Street Number

Postcode Town

1.11.5 Nationality

2 Signing

I hereby declare that I am prepared to cooperate in a tuberculosis test and any treatment. I am aware of the
fact that I must undergo a TB test within three months after the issue of a residence permit. If I fail to do so, this may have consequences
for my right of residence in the Netherlands.

2.1 Name of foreign national

Place Day Month Year
2.2 Place and date

2.3 Signature of foreign national

2.4 Name in case of legal

representative
Place Day Month Year
2.5 Place and date
2.6 Signature of legal
representative
Visa Office - Maastricht University Edition 2023
Enclosure 4: Cost breakdown

A. Cost breakdown for non-EU students applying to Maastricht University.

Although this information is rather accurate, it can only be an estimate. Costs may vary per programme, per annum and per
individual pattern of spending.

Legally required funds per month are € 1000. These funds are legally required for the issue of a residence permit. They are
meant to cover the following (estimated) expenses:

- Housing € 480
- Insurances € 80
- Telephone € 50
- Meals, beverages and personal hygiene € 130
- Travel € 60
- Booksand study materials € 50
- Clothing, hobbies, going out € 110
- Miscellaneous € 40
=========
Total € 1000

The non-refundable legal fees for a residence permit application are € 210