Important update for Nigeria: Dutch MVV stickers can now be collected in Lagos

There is a welcoming news for people in Nigeria who have received approval to move to the Netherlands. The Dutch government confirms that eligible applicants can now apply for and collect their MVV visa sticker at the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Lagos.

In the past, many Nigerian applicants had to travel to the Dutch embassy in Accra, Ghana, or another Dutch representation outside Nigeria to obtain their MVV. Travelling abroad solely to complete the MVV formalities caused additional costs, visa difficulties and uncertainty.

The availability of MVV services in Lagos can make the final stage of relocation considerably easier. However, the change is subject to an important condition: you can use the MVV service in Lagos only if the positive decision letter from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) states that you may apply for the MVV visa sticker in Nigeria.

What is a MVV?

MVV stands for machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, or authorisation for temporary stay. It is a type D entry visa placed in the applicant’s passport. It allows the holder to travel to the Netherlands for a stay of more than 90 days and to collect the Dutch residence permit after arrival.

An MVV is not the residence permit itself. In most cases, the application for an MVV and a residence permit is assessed together through the Entry and Residence Procedure (Toegang en Verblijf, or TEV).

The application is usually submitted to the IND by a sponsor in the Netherlands, such as:

• a partner or family member;
• an employer or recognised sponsor; or
• a university or other recognised educational institution.

After the IND approves the application, the applicant must visit the designated Dutch representation to provide any required biometric data and have the MVV sticker placed in the passport. Nigerian citizens generally require an MVV when moving to the Netherlands under Dutch national immigration law, unless a specific exemption applies.

What has changed for applicants in Nigeria?

The current country-specific guidance provides a direct appointment procedure for obtaining an MVV visa sticker at the Netherlands Consulate-General in Lagos. This means that an eligible applicant no longer needs to travel to Ghana or another country merely to complete the MVV-sticker procedure.

However, the wording of the IND’s positive decision letter is decisive. The letter must indicate that the applicant may obtain the MVV visa sticker in Nigeria.

This is especially important for applications submitted before the Lagos procedure became available or for applications in which Accra or another Dutch representation was selected. If the decision letter names another country, the applicant should not assume that the Consulate-General in Lagos will accept the appointment.

In that situation, first ask the IND, the recognised sponsor or the legal representative handling the case whether the designated collection location can be changed.

When submitting a new application, Nigerian citizens and lawful residents of Nigeria should make sure that Nigeria is selected as the intended location for collecting the MVV, where the relevant application procedure allows this.

How do you make an MVV appointment in Lagos?

An MVV appointment in Lagos must be requested directly by email. It is not booked through VFS Global. Send the appointment request to:

[email protected]

It is advisable to attach a clear copy of the positive IND decision, even if the appointment instructions only require the V-number and contact details.

Make the appointment within three months after the IND’s approval

After receiving a positive IND decision, the applicant generally has three months to visit the designated Dutch representation and complete the MVV formalities. The precise instructions and deadline stated in the IND decision remain decisive.

Do not wait until the end of the three-month period. An appointment may not be available immediately, and the passport containing the MVV sticker will normally not be ready on the appointment date.

The safest approach is to request the appointment as soon as the positive decision is received. Different arrangements may apply in certain procedures. For example, in some family-reunification cases, the period for collecting the MVV may be longer. Applicants should always follow the deadline stated in their individual IND decision.

What documents should you bring to the appointment?

If a sponsor submitted the application to the IND

If a partner, family member, employer, university or other sponsor submitted the application in the Netherlands, the applicant should bring:

• the original passport;
• a photocopy of the passport page containing the photograph and personal details;
• at least one passport photograph that meets the Dutch passport-photo requirements;
• a copy of the IND’s positive decision showing the V-number;
• the appointment confirmation;
• every additional document mentioned in the IND decision; and
• a photocopy of each additional document.

The passport must generally:

• remain valid for at least six months from the appointment date; and
• contain at least two empty visa pages.

Students may use an email from their educational institution containing the V-number if they have not received a copy of the IND’s positive decision.

If the applicant is not a Nigerian citizen

A non-Nigerian applicant who lawfully resides in Nigeria should also bring:

• a valid Nigerian residence permit or other proof of lawful residence in Nigeria; and
• a photocopy of that document.

The positive IND decision must still allow the applicant to obtain the MVV visa sticker in Nigeria.

If the applicant submitted the application personally

If the applicant personally submitted the MVV and residence-permit application through the Dutch representation, the current country-specific guidance states that only the passport may be required for the MVV appointment.

Nevertheless, it is sensible to bring the appointment confirmation and a copy of the positive decision as a practical precaution.

Biometrics and personal attendance

During the appointment, the Dutch representation may take the applicant’s fingerprints, signature and passport photograph for the Dutch residence document. Applicants must therefore generally attend the appointment personally.

The applicant will normally leave the passport at the Consulate-General. The MVV sticker is not issued immediately.

According to the current guidance, it may take up to ten working days for the passport and MVV sticker to be ready. The Consulate-General will email the applicant when the passport can be collected.

Applicants who live outside Lagos should plan carefully. They should take account of:

• travelling to and from Lagos;
• possible accommodation costs;
• the fact that they may be without their passport for up to ten working days; and
• the need to return to collect the passport.

Important: avoid booking a non-refundable flight to the Netherlands before the passport has been returned and the details on the MVV sticker have been checked.

Check the MVV sticker immediately

When collecting the passport, carefully check the information on the MVV sticker before leaving the Consulate-General.

In particular, verify:

• the spelling of the full name;
• the passport number;
• the date of birth;
• the date stated under “issued on”; and
• the start and end dates of validity.

Report any error immediately. A spelling mistake, incorrect passport number or incorrect validity date may cause problems at the airport, at the Schengen border or when collecting the residence permit in the Netherlands.

Travel to the Netherlands within 90 days after the MVV is issued

The MVV is generally valid for 90 days from its date of issue. This is a new and separate period from the three-month period following the IND’s positive decision. Within the MVV’s 90-day validity period, the applicant must travel to the Netherlands.

The date of issue appears on the MVV sticker under “issued on”. Do not calculate the deadline from the day on which the MVV sticker and passport are collected. The MVV may already have been issued several days earlier.

The MVV is normally a multiple-entry visa while it remains valid. It may also be used to travel to the Netherlands through another Schengen country. Nevertheless, its purpose is relocation to the Netherlands, and the applicant should collect the Dutch residence permit before the MVV expires.

What should applicants in Nigeria pay attention to?

1. The IND decision must designate Nigeria

The availability of MVV appointments in Lagos does not automatically override an existing decision letter naming Accra or another location.

Check the decision carefully before requesting an appointment. If another location is stated, ask whether it can be changed before making travel arrangements.

2. MVV appointments are not made through VFS Global

The Lagos MVV appointment must be requested directly from the Consulate-General by email as of 2026.

Do not use the short-stay Schengen visa appointment procedure, and be cautious of agents claiming that they can sell a “special appointment slot”.

3. A MVV is not a Schengen visit visa

The Lagos procedure concerns applicants who have been approved for long-term residence in the Netherlands. Different procedures apply to:

• short-stay Schengen visas;
• airport-transit visas;
• Caribbean visas; and
• return visas.

An appointment for one type of visa cannot automatically be used for another type.

4. The civic integration examination is a separate procedure

Some family migrants must pass the civic integration examination abroad before the MVV application can be approved, unless an exemption applies.

Current Dutch government guidance directs residents of Nigeria to the Dutch embassy in Accra for the civic integration examination abroad. The availability of MVV collection in Lagos does not automatically mean that this examination can also be taken in Lagos.

Applicants should therefore distinguish between:

• taking the civic integration examination before the MVV application; and
• collecting the MVV sticker after the IND approves the application.

5. Check the passport before submitting the application

An expired or nearly expired passport can delay the MVV procedure. Renewing a passport after the IND has issued its decision may also create discrepancies between the application, the decision and the new travel document.

Applicants should ideally check the passport’s validity and empty pages before submitting the residence application.

6. Coordinate with the sponsor in the Netherlands

Employers, universities and family sponsors often receive the IND decision before the applicant. The sponsor/referent should immediately send the applicant:

• the complete IND decision;
• the V-number of applicant;
• the deadline for completing the MVV formalities;
• confirmation of the designated Dutch representation; and
• any special documents mentioned in the decision.

7. Keep copies of all documents

Keep both digital and paper copies of:

• the IND decision;
• the appointment request;
• the appointment confirmation;
• the passport identity page;
• the Nigerian residence permit, if applicable; and
• all documents submitted or presented during the procedure.

It is also advisable to carry a copy of the positive IND decision when travelling to the Netherlands.

A practical overview of the MVV process

How can Pathway Partners assist?

The availability of MVV services in Lagos is a positive development. However, a small procedural mistake can still delay a carefully planned relocation.

Selecting the wrong consular location, missing a deadline, using an expiring passport or attending the appointment without the correct documents can cause avoidable problems after the underlying residence application has already been approved.

Pathway Partners is a Netherlands-based immigration law firm assisting individuals, families, employers and international students with Dutch immigration procedures.

We can assist with:

• assessing whether an MVV is required or whether an exemption applies;
• preparing and submitting the MVV and residence-permit application;
• selecting the appropriate Dutch representation;
• checking the IND decision and designated collection location;
• preparing the documents for the Lagos appointment;
• communicating with the IND about an incorrect collection location;
• advising employers, universities and family sponsors on their responsibilities; and
• assisting with complications, delays or urgent travel planning.

Are you planning to move from Nigeria to the Netherlands, or have you already received a positive decision from the IND? Contact Pathway Partners for advice tailored to your personal situation.