The Netherlands may require non-EU applicants to submit fingerprints for visas

08 March 2012

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A new bill was brought forward in the Netherlands to require all non-EU nationals applying for residency and work visas to supply their fingerprints and photograph to the immigration department.

If the draft legislation becomes law, applicants who wish to come to the Netherlands to work, study or be reunited with their families will need to submit their fingerprints and photo. The fingerprints will be stored in a central register and can be accessed by police but will primarily be used to combat identity theft and illegal immigration, according to Immigration Minister Gerd Leers.

Currently, only asylum seekers have to supply fingerprints when applying for refugee status.

The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service and the police hope the new measure will help them combat identity fraud and illegal immigrants.

If you are applying for a temporary residency permit in the Netherlands you will want to apply as soon as possible as processing your application will take time. It is important for you to apply for the temporary residence permit at least three months prior to your intended stay in the Netherlands.

If you are a non-EU citizen and wish to work in the Netherlands your future employer must apply for a work permit for you. The employer will only receive a work permit if there are no eligible workers in the Netherlands and the EU to fill the position. You must also meet the following requirements:

• you must have a valid passport.
• you must have health insurance with cover in the Netherlands.
• you must not constitute a risk to public order.
• you must have sufficient funds.

If you would like to apply for a visa, WorkPermit.com can help. WorkPermit.com is a specialist visa consultancy with almost twenty-five years of experience dealing with visa applications. We can help with a wide range of visa applications to your country of choice. Please feel free to contact us for further details.