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Brexit: the IND sends Brits an information letter
Last update: 30 January 2020
The United Kingdom is about to leave the European Union with an agreement (‘deal’) on 31 January 2020. Around 45,000 Brits living in the Netherlands will receive an information letter about their situation.
The information letter explains that the situation does not change for Brits during the transition period up to and including 31 December 2020. Under the deal, UK nationals can continue to live, work and study in the Netherlands during this period. They just need a valid passport.
Temporary residence permit not needed
The temporary residence permit (in the form of a letter) that UK nationals living in the Netherlands received from the IND in March or October 2019 is not needed. It was only needed in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Brits do not need to keep this permit or to send it back to the IND.
The IND will invite Brits to apply for a residence document
Brits only need a residence document to continue living in the Netherlands after the transition period. The IND will personally invite them by letter to submit an application. The IND wishes to carefully consider every application. For this reason, the IND will send out invitations to submit an application online spread over the transition period. The information letter explains how Brits can prepare to submit their application.
Important: registration in the BRP
The IND calls on all Brits who have not yet done so, to go in person to their town hall (gemeente) to register in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Persoonsgegevens or BRP). Then they will receive an invitation to apply for a residence document. UK nationals who come to live in the Netherlands after Brexit and register in the BRP before 1 January 2021 will also receive an invitation letter.
Brits with other rights of residence
Brits with a permanent EU residence document (EU duurzaam verblijf) will be invited to exchange it for a replacement residence document. They do not need to submit an application online.
UK nationals who have a permanent Dutch national residence permit or another EU nationality in addition to their British nationality, do not need a (new) residence document. Therefore, they will not receive any letters.
More information
Visit the IND's Brexit page for more information. From 3 February, the Brexit page will be given a new layout.