Immigration rules concerning health insurance
Mar 17, 2011
Experience has shown that it is not always easy to judge whether a foreign visitor to the Netherlands needs to have healthcare insurance in order to qualify for a visa or residence permit. The situation is explained below.
Short-stay visa, or ‘Schengen visa’ (visum kort verblijf)
If a foreign national intends to apply for a short-stay visa (visa sticker C), they must have travel insurance that covers medical costs for the entire duration of their stay in the Schengen area.
The insurance policy must provide cover for repatriation on medical grounds, urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment. Cover must be provided up to at least € 30.000.
D visa
No healthcare insurance is required when applying for a ‘provisional residence permit’ (MVV, visa sticker D).
D+C visa
Healthcare insurance is required when applying for a D+C visa (i.e. a ‘provisional residence permit’ that also allows travel under the same terms as a short stay visa). The C portion of the sticker is subject to the same conditions as applicable to a short stay visa, including the medical insurance cover.
The insurance policy must provide cover for repatriation on medical grounds, urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment. Cover must be provided up to at least € 30.000
First application for a residence permit
When making their first application for a residence permit, foreign nationals must take out healthcare insurance. It is not necessary to take out the healthcare insurance in advance of the application. The insurance may be taken out afterwards. In other words, an application for a residence permit can be granted even if the applicant does not yet have the necessary healthcare cover.
However, after obtaining a residence permit, the holder will be under an obligation to arrange healthcare insurance as soon as possible.
Because insurance companies only provide healthcare cover to foreign nationals on presentation of a valid residence permit, this approach means that applicants will never end up in the Catch 22 situation that could otherwise occur.
Renewing the residence permit
When renewing a residence permit, foreign nationals must show that they have suitable healthcare insurance.
The cover provided must be at least equivalent to the cover provided under the public healthcare provision in the Netherlands (zorgverzekering). The cover must be current at the time the foreign national submits the renewal application.