Become a recognised sponsor for immigration procedures

What is a recognised sponsor?

A recognised sponsor is an organisation approved by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). It helps people from outside the Netherlands come here to work, study, do research, or join an exchange programme. The IND considers recognised sponsors to be reliable partners and grants them access to simplified and faster application procedures.

The recognised sponsor checks that all conditions are met. They submit the applications. They also make sure the immigration rules are followed. IND may audit recognised sponsors to ensure they perform their duty of care.

When do you need to be a recognised sponsor?

Your organisation must be a recognised sponsor if you want to bring to the Netherlands:

• Highly skilled migrants;
• Researchers (under Directive (EU) 2016/801);
• Students from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland;
• Young people for the purpose of au pair and cultural exchange.

The recognised sponsor is the official contact for IND. They help with the immigration procedure.

Advantages of becoming a recognised sponsor

Being a recognised sponsor in these situations has several advantages. For example:

• Faster processing times for some types of residence permit applications.
• The requirements for supplying documentation are simpler compared to non‑recognised sponsors.
• Direct access to IND's Business Portal for streamlined communication.
• Being listed in IND’s register of recognised sponsors.

For some immigration procedures, you do not need to be a recognised sponsor. For example, it is not required for an intra-corporate transfer, the European Blue Card, seasonal workers, or regular work in paid employment. However your company can still benefit from these advantages.

What are the conditions to become a recognised sponsor?

To become a recognised sponsor, your organisation must meet several conditions set by IND. For example, your organisation must be registered in the KVK Business Register. And your company must be in good financial health. Read the full list of conditions to become a registered sponsor on ind.nl.

Apply to become a recognised sponsor

You must first decide which type of recognised sponsor you want to become. The 4 categories are:

1. Study
2. Exchange (also including au pairs)
3. Research
4. Work

Do you want to become a sponsor for more than 1 category? For example, because your organisation hires highly skilled migrants and foreign researchers. Then you must apply separately for each category.

Follow these steps to apply:

• Check that you meet the conditions.
• Gather all documents before applying.
• Complete the application form to become a recognised sponsor. You can download the application form from ind.nl.
• Send your application with the requested documents to IND by post. Which documents are needed is stated in the application form.
• Pay the invoice you receive from IND. They will only process your application after your payment.
• Wait for the decision from IND. This takes a maximum of 3 months. You receive the decision in a letter.

Costs of the application procedure

There is a one-time fee for the recognised sponsor application. The amount depends on the sponsor category and on the size of your organisation. Fees are updated yearly. Check the latest application costs on ind.nl.

Please note: Your organisation will not receive a refund if the application is rejected.

Public Register for Recognised Sponsors

Is your application successful? Your organisation will be listed in the Public Register for Recognised Sponsors on ind.nl until cancelled or the conditions are no longer met. Anyone can check the register.

File an objection if unsuccessful

Is your application to become a recognised sponsor unsuccessful? If you do not agree with the decision, you can file an objection. You must file an objection within 6 weeks of the decision.