Interrupting your stay
Do you need to temporarily return to your home country? How this will affect your residence permit status depends on whether you will continue studying from home.
I will continue my Leiden University studies from home
You will remain entitled to your student residence permit if you meet all the following conditions:
- You inform the Visa Team of your situation.
- Your absence is due to exceptional circumstances, such as travel restrictions or a family situation.
- You return to The Netherlands within six months.
- You are able to study online and your study programme agrees to this.
- You remain registered as a student and continue actively studying and paying your tuition fee.
You can return to The Netherlands within six months if your residence permit is still valid. If your permit will expire whilst you are away or you end up staying away longer than permitted, contact the Visa Team for instructions.
I will NOT continue my Leiden University studies from home
- You must cancel your student registration via Studielink and notify the Visa Team. Your student residence permit will then be cancelled.
- If you later want to come back to the Netherlands to continue your studies, you must apply for a new visa/residence permit and request permission from your study programme. Contact the Visa Team for instructions.
International students: be alert for telephone scams!
International students are sometimes targeted by scammers claiming to be from the IND, government agencies, banks or insurance companies. These organisations will never call you to ask for personal data. If in doubt, hang up immediately and contact the police.