Visa and Health Care Information

Visa and Residence Permit

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Third-country nationals must apply for a residence permit to study at the COASTHazar programme partner universities. A third-country national is a person who is not a citizen of the European Union (EU) and who does not enjoy the EU right to free movement. For more information, see Art. 20(1) of TFEU and Article 2(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code).

 

The residence permit application for the Netherlands starts once the COASTHazar programme has started in Spain. However, since the students’ first arrival is at the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain, students will apply for a Spanish student visa first, and later for a Dutch residence permit. The Dutch residence permit is valid across the Schengen area. The application procedure is described below. 

 

COASTHazar students from countries outside of the Schengen area will first need a preliminary visa for Spain. Once students have been granted full admission to the COASTHazar programme and their funding is confirmed (either through an Erasmus Mundus scholarship or other sources), IHE Delft sends an admission letter in both English and Spanish. The University of Cantabria also sends each admitted student an admission letter along with instructions on how to obtain a Spanish visa. Using this letter, students can apply for a student visa for Spain at a Spanish Embassy. Upon arrival in Spain, the University of Cantabria will provide further information. It may be the case that students have to apply for a TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero, similar to a residence permit). In case the student visa is valid for 179-180 days, students do not need to apply for a TIE. To apply for the TIE, students must submit additional information such as a criminal background and medical reports. To avoid this process, students are advised to apply for the short-term visa of 179-180 days for Spain, if possible. The University of Cantabria will support in the process of applying for a TIE.  

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After the students arrive in Spain, IHE Delft will apply for the residence permit (VVR) for the Netherlands with mobility (per EU directive 2016/801) for the entire duration of the COASTHazar programme. With this mobility permit, students can also stay in Portugal and Spain for up to 360 days within the permit's validity period.

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The students' residence permit will be processed through the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), under the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands. With the Dutch residence permit for study, students are required to familiarize themselves with the rights and obligations associated with holding that permit. The IND has published a document in https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits, detailing these rights and obligations, as well as the residence permit application process, which all COASTHazar students are required to read.

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Around mid-October, after the students have begun their first semester in Spain, IHE Delft will send detailed instructions on how to proceed. These instructions include a set of forms that students need to sign and return to IHE Delft, along with a copy of their passport and valid Spanish visa or their TIE. Once IHE Delft receives and approves these documents, they are sent to the Dutch Immigration Department (IND) along with the applications for the VVR. If approved, the IND will inform IHE Delft for each student of who this process is complete, and IHE Delft will inform the student.

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The students can travel to the Netherlands with the Spanish student visa or TIE. Upon arrival in the Netherlands, the student will have to make an appointment for the so-called biometrics at an IND office. About 2 weeks after that, the IND will inform IHE Delft that the residence permit card with mobility has been prepared and is available at the IND office in The Hague. It could be that IHE Delft schedules an appointment with the IND, and an immigration officer will come to IHE Delft to distribute the residence permit cards with mobility to the students. If this arrangement is not possible, students must travel to the IND office in The Hague to collect their residence permit card themselves. This permit will be valid until the end of the program plus an additional three months (typically until December following graduation).

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With the Dutch residence permit card with mobility, students can move between the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain and stay in these countries for a maximum period of 360 days. IHE Delft mentioned the mobility to Portugal in the application for the Dutch residence permit. During the third semester IHE Delft will inform the IND about the mobility for the fourth semester.

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Upon arrival at the University of Algarve (third semester) or University of Cantabria (fourth semester, for thesis research), students must report to the Foreigners Office and, if approved, obtain authorization to stay in Portugal/Spain based on mobility agreements among EU countries. No further procedures are required. 

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Additionally, students conducting research in Portugal must finish and leave the country before the 360-day maximum expires. As their third semester begins in the second week of September and research typically concludes in July (with thesis defence in the beginning of September), this should not be an issue.

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​​Permit for Family Members

 

The COASTHazar universities are not responsible for applying for permits for participants' family members and will not provide or issue any supporting documents for individuals not directly involved in the programme. Most of the time, inviting family members for a short visit under tourism purposes is straightforward. Be sure to follow guidelines provided by the embassy in your country for short-term visits. This section is intended as a guide for inviting family members during the study period, especially when in the Netherlands.

According to Dutch immigration law, you are considered the “referee” (responsible person) for your family during their stay in the Netherlands. This means that you are responsible for reporting to the IND in case of:

• changes in your marital status;

• the birth of a child; or

• departure of your family members from the Netherlands, or departure from the Netherlands for a period longer than 6 months

 

Always include your V-number and the V-number of any family members involved. This 10-digit number is indicated as "VNR" at the bottom of your permit or in letters from the IND.