The popular American reality show 90 Day Fiancé on TLC follows US citizens who want to bring their foreign partner to the United States on a K-1 visa, also known as the “fiancé(e) visa”. With this visa, the foreign fiancé(e) may enter the US with the intention of getting married within 90 days. If the couple does not marry in time, the partner must leave the country. The show draws large audiences because of the complex emotions and tensions that unfold during those 90 days. From cultural differences and language barriers to family pressure and doubts about intentions, it is all there.
The programme highlights the stress that arises when couples have to decide their future under time pressure. Are 90 days really enough to know someone well enough to get married? With questionable motives and colourful personalities, it is a perfect recipe for peak “guilty pleasure” entertainment.
Do you have to get married in the Netherlands to get a residence permit?
Although 90 Day Fiancé is mainly entertainment, it can create misconceptions about how residence permits work in other countries, such as the Netherlands. In my practice, I often see that people think marriage is the only way to stay with their partner in the Netherlands. But in the Netherlands, you do not necessarily have to get married to qualify for a residence permit based on a relationship.
In the Netherlands, you can apply for a residence permit under the purpose of stay “family and relatives”. In everyday language, this is often called a “partner residence permit”. The key criterion is that you can demonstrate a sustainable and exclusive relationship. You can do this by getting married, but it is not required. If you are not married, you will need to prove the relationship is serious and long-term through other means. This is a major difference compared to how it works in the US.
How does the partner residence permit work in the Netherlands?
The procedure for a residence permit based on a relationship in the Netherlands is quite strict. In most cases, the application must be submitted while you are still in your country of origin, or in a country where you are legally allowed to stay. Only after the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) approves the application may you travel to the Netherlands to collect your residence permit and live here.
There are clear conditions. For example, the Dutch partner must have sufficient and sustainable income, at least the statutory minimum wage. In addition, the relationship must be demonstrably sustainable and exclusive. Evidence can include photos, proof of shared activities, and WhatsApp conversations.
Depending on the country of origin, the foreign partner often has to take a civic integration exam abroad. This exam tests basic knowledge of the Dutch language and society and must be passed before arrival in the Netherlands (unless an exemption applies).
The 90-day rule in the Netherlands: a parallel with 90 Day Fiancé?
Although the Netherlands does not have a “90 Day Fiancé” visa like the United States, there is a loose parallel for some foreign partners. Nationals of certain countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, may travel to the Netherlands as tourists without applying for a visa in advance. This allows them to be in the Netherlands while starting their residence permit application. However, the application must be submitted within 90 days after arrival. If it is not submitted in time, the person must return to their country of origin to wait for the decision there.
This makes the situation for visa-exempt nationals somewhat more flexible than for people from countries that do require a visa. Nationals from visa-required countries, such as India or Türkiye, generally need permission before travelling to the Netherlands. They must submit the residence permit application from their home country and may not travel to the Netherlands until the application is approved.
So, there is no direct pressure in the Netherlands to get married within 90 days like in 90 Day Fiancé, but for certain nationalities there can be a similar deadline to start the procedure. If you submit the application too late, you have to return to your own country. Still a small parallel with the American reality series.