Working in the Netherlands from Kenya: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Reality check: Moving from Kenya to the Netherlands

If you are a Kenyan worker with experience in a trade like welding, specialized driving, equipment maintenance, or commercial agriculture, working in the Netherlands is an option, but you must understand the rules. The Netherlands has strict immigration laws for workers coming from outside the European Union.

For general manual trades, such as standard warehouse packing, basic construction labor, or general cleaning, the Netherlands is a challenging target. Dutch law requires an employer to prove that no suitable worker could be found in the Netherlands or anywhere else in the European Union before they can hire a non-EU citizen. Because of this strict labor test, work visas for non-specialized general labor are rarely approved for applicants from Kenya.

If you do not have specialized technical qualifications or certified trade experience, you may find better legal employment opportunities in other European countries like Poland, Croatia, or Romania. These nations currently offer more accessible work permit routes for general labor roles. However, if you are a skilled trade specialist with proven experience, the Netherlands does recruit internationally, provided you follow the correct legal route.

The official work permits: GVVA and TWV

You cannot simply apply for a Dutch work visa on your own. The process always begins with a legitimate employer in the Netherlands who wants to recruit you. The employer submits the application to the Dutch government before you attend any visa interview in Kenya.

There are two main permit routes for foreign trade workers coming to the Netherlands:

• Single Permit (GVVA): This is the official combined residence and work permit (known locally as Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid). It is designed for workers staying longer than 90 days. Your Dutch employer submits the application directly to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
• Short-stay Work Permit (TWV): This work permit (known locally as Tewerkstellingsvergunning) is used for seasonal work lasting up to 24 weeks, primarily in agriculture and horticulture. The employer applies for this through the Dutch employee insurance agency (UWV).

Under both routes, the employer initiates the application in the Netherlands. You do not visit an embassy or fill out visa forms in Nairobi until the IND or UWV gives preliminary approval to your employer.

Applying from Kenya: VFS Global and the Embassy in Nairobi

Once your Dutch employer receives approval for your permit, you will be notified to complete the final steps in Kenya. You must collect your provisional residence permit sticker, known as the MVV (Machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf).

Here is where you complete your application in Kenya:

• VFS Global Visa Application Centre in Nairobi: Most Dutch visa processing appointments, document submissions, and biometric registrations are handled through the VFS Global Netherlands application centre located in Nairobi.
• Netherlands Embassy in Nairobi: Depending on specific appointment routing, you may attend the Netherlands Embassy in Nairobi to present your physical passport, submit your fingerprints, and receive your MVV visa sticker.

Never hand your passport or money to an informal agent or broker outside these official facilities. Only the official centre in Nairobi handles passport processing and biometric collection for the Dutch government.

Required documents and legalisation in Kenya

To secure your visa sticker in Nairobi, you must present a complete set of verified documents. Any document issued by Kenyan authorities must be officially legalised so Dutch immigration officials accept it.

You will need to gather and submit the following core items:

• Valid Kenyan passport: Your passport must have at least two blank visa pages and remain valid for at least 3 to 6 months past your intended stay.
• Signed employment contract: A formal, binding contract from a company registered in the Netherlands detailing your job title, working hours, and monthly salary in Euros.
• Police Clearance Certificate: An official Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kenya. This document shows you have a clean record.
• Proof of qualifications: Certified trade diplomas, apprenticeship certificates, or detailed reference letters from previous employers proving your practical experience.
• Apostille legalisation: Kenya is a member of the Apostille Convention. Official Kenyan public documents, including your DCI police certificate, must be apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi before they are valid for the Netherlands.
• Medical test declaration: A completed tuberculosis (TB) test form or agreement to undergo a TB check upon arrival in the Netherlands.

Official fees and real costs in Kenyan Shillings

It is crucial to separate the official application fees charged by the Netherlands government from the real preparation expenses you incur on the Kenyan side.

The official processing fee for a GVVA Single Permit is set by the Netherlands government and ranges from approximately 380 EUR to 400 EUR. In legal recruitment arrangements, the Dutch employer pays this fee directly to the IND in the Netherlands.

The processing time for a GVVA application ranges from approximately 4 weeks to 90 days from the date of submission.

As a jobseeker in Kenya, your personal out-of-pocket setup costs are roughly as follows:

• DCI Police Clearance Certificate: Approximately 1,050 KES when applying through eCitizen.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs Apostille: Approximately 2,000 KES to 5,000 KES per document legalised in Nairobi.
• Medical examination and TB screening: Approximately 5,000 KES to 15,000 KES at an approved clinic.
• VFS Global service fee: Approximately 30 EUR to 50 EUR (paid in KES at the centre).
• Passport photos and document printing: Approximately 1,000 KES to 2,500 KES.
• Flight ticket from Nairobi to Amsterdam: Approximately 600 EUR to 900 EUR (roughly 85,000 KES to 130,000 KES). Good Dutch employers frequently book and pay for your flight directly once your permit is approved.

Avoid placement fees and job scams

Under European Union rules and Dutch labor laws, it is illegal for an employer or recruitment agency to charge a jobseeker a fee for providing a job contract or securing employment. The hiring costs belong entirely to the employer.

Be extremely cautious of individuals or agencies in Kenya demanding payments of 100,000 KES, 300,000 KES, or more for guaranteed work permits in the Netherlands. Common scams targeting Kenyan trade workers include fake job offer letters, fake visa clearance certificates, and requests for urgent M-Pesa payments for processing files. Legitimate Dutch companies will never ask you to send money via mobile payment to secure a contract.

Trades the Netherlands hires foreign workers for

While general labor permits are limited, Dutch companies regularly hire non-EU technical specialists to fill specific domestic shortages:

• Specialized industrial welders: Dutch shipbuilding, heavy manufacturing, and offshore infrastructure operations hire certified TIG and MIG welders with verified industrial experience.
• Commercial greenhouse technicians: Advanced horticultural operations in the Netherlands hire technical operators experienced in maintaining modern greenhouse climate control equipment.
• Heavy vehicle mechanics: Large international logistics hubs recruit qualified diesel mechanics to service commercial truck fleets and transport machinery.

Myths vs facts

Here are common misunderstandings Kenyan workers have about moving to the Netherlands for work:

• Myth: You can travel to the Netherlands on a tourist visa and convert it to a work permit after finding a job.
• Fact: It is illegal to seek employment or convert your status while in the Netherlands on a visitor visa. You must receive full permit approval before leaving Kenya.
• Myth: Buying a job offer from an agency in Nairobi guarantees you a Dutch work permit.
• Fact: Paying an agent for a contract is illegal, and the IND will reject applications that do not come from legitimate, verified Dutch employers.
• Myth: You must speak fluent Dutch to get any trade job in the Netherlands.
• Fact: While basic Dutch is helpful for daily life, many technical, agricultural, and international logistics operations communicate primarily in English.
• Myth: The worker must pay all visa permit fees directly to the Dutch embassy.
• Fact: The primary permit fee (GVVA) is submitted directly by the hiring employer to the IND in the Netherlands.

Before you sign

Before you sign a contract or transfer any document copies, go through this checklist to protect yourself:

• Confirm that the Dutch employer is officially registered in the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) registry.
• Ensure your employment contract specifies your exact job title, physical workplace location, weekly hours, and monthly basic pay in Euros.
• Verify that the employer is handling the GVVA or TWV application directly with the IND or UWV on your behalf.
• Obtain your official DCI police clearance certificate in Kenya and get it apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi.
• Clarify your housing arrangement in writing, ensuring you know whether the employer provides accommodation or assists you in finding a place.
• Refuse any request to send mobile money or cash transfers to brokers promising guaranteed visa approvals.

Build your Workuro profile today

If you are a skilled Kenyan worker ready to explore legal opportunities in Europe, create your Workuro profile today. Make sure to list your specific trade credentials, precise equipment certifications, practical work history, and your level of English proficiency. Clearly state if you have an active Kenyan passport and an apostilled police certificate ready. Having these details updated makes it easy for genuine European companies to find and review your background.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.