Under the family reunification scheme, bringing a partner, spouse, or (minor) child to the Netherlands is possible. These family members may qualify for a residence permit based on family reunification. This requires the so-called “Admission and Residence Procedure,” the TEV procedure.
Needless to say, this also applies to non-heterosexual couples.
The conditions are as follows:
Your income as a sponsor (IND refers to you as a referent) must be sufficient and sustainable.
Sufficient means an income equal to the minimum wage (as of January 2025) equal to €2,191,80 per month excluding holiday allowance) and €2,367,14, including holiday allowance. This concerns the social security salary (in Dutch: sociaalverzekeringsloon or sv-loon in short), also referred to as taxable or withholding income. Note that the SV income is often slightly lower than the gross income. The SV income can be found in the salary specification. (In an upcoming blog post, we will further explore what else qualifies as sufficient)
Sustainable means you are employed with at least a one-year or indefinite contract. For entrepreneurs, income is considered sustainable if they have had at least a gross profit equal to the minimum wage for the 18 months before the application. (In an upcoming blog post, we will further explore what else qualifies as sustainable.)
For persons over 67 years of age or permanently disabled, the income requirement is waived.
Your partner/spouse must have successfully taken the Basic Civic Integration Examination abroad at a Dutch representative (embassy/consulate) in the country of origin. (For information about the civic integration exam, visit the Dutch government website, ikwilnaarnederland.nl. Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Japanese, and South Koreans are exempt from this requirement. This has to do with the fact that this category can lodge the application while in the Netherlands.
The age requirement for family reunification of partners and spouses is 21. Partners and spouses younger than 21 cannot use family reunification. (This entails that both partners must be at least 21 years old.)