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I'm a U.S. Citizen current living in the Netherlands for the last year on a knowledgeable worker visa, with my wife who is a Spanish citizen.

I have just left my company, but would like to stay in the Netherlands. What is the procedure to change my visa from a knowledgable worker visa, to a spouse-sponsored residence permit? The instructions here assume that I am out of the country during the application process. How is this process different while living in the country?

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  • Are you sure you're looking at the right permit? You should most likely go for ind.nl/EN/individuals/residence-wizard/eu/… and the procedure fits. Technically I guess you go for the spouse visa anyway but that's very unattractive, Dutch citizens go out of their way to qualify for the EU thingy and your wife is Spanish so you're simply entitled to it! I am not even sure transitioning without leaving the country is possible at all.
    – Gala
    Sep 18, 2016 at 10:15
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    @Gala as the husband of a Spanish citizen, isn't Flimzy entitled to the right of freedom of movement? If so, why would he need to leave the Netherlands at all? Also, the US is or at least was on the list of countries whose citizens are exempt from the MVV. I would think that Flimzy should just go to the IND and apply for an article 10 residence card.
    – phoog
    Sep 18, 2016 at 14:42
  • @phoog Isn't that what I just wrote? But he was asking about the spouse visa/permit (hence a comment rather than a non-answer about something else)... Also, as I already wrote in my first comment there are overwhelming reasons to go for the EU spouse status instead but I am not sure it's technically true that the Dutch immigration law does not apply. It's just that you seldom have any reason to go for that status when a much better one is available to you.
    – Gala
    Sep 18, 2016 at 16:04
  • @Gala I suppose it is what you just wrote, but I misinterpreted your comment somewhat on first reading. I have a vague sense that the IND would in fact say that the route does not apply once they found out that the spouse is Spanish, even if the route is technically available, but it's just a guess really.
    – phoog
    Sep 18, 2016 at 22:33

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You're looking at the wrong page. That page describes Dutch immigration law, which does not apply to you. Instead, you are covered by the EU section, for, although you are not an EU national, you are the family member of one:

https://ind.nl/EN/individuals/residence-wizard/eu/third-country-nationals

You can apply for a residence permit directly, without leaving the country.

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