The Dutch and EU permanent residence permits are residence permits that allow you to live in the Netherlands for as long as you like with much less restrictions than the other visas. You can apply for these permits if you have been living in the Netherlands for over five years without any gaps* Predominantly those who have studied in the Netherlands apply for the Dutch permit as it takes into account your years studying and the zoekjaar, while the EU permit takes these into consideration as if they were a reduced period (student years count half and the zoekjaar doesn’t count at all).
The difference between the two is that one is written into Dutch law and the other is written into EU law, there are small differences in the way they work and the way they are obtained but differences are minor.
*Gap: It is important to have in mind that a gap in your registration can affect your time count for your permanent residence permit. The date that it says the residency permit is expiring, on that day it is too late, everything needs to be sorted by that date.
Dutch Residence Permit
If you are not registered somewhere in the Netherlands, whether you are between homes, you’ve left for a period or you are living somewhere where you cannot register, for any period at all you will lose all of your years and the five year clock will start again. Even if this period is only for one day. Find out about this permit here(opens in a new tab).
EU Residence Permit
They are slightly more lenient of what actually constitutes a gap. For example if you apply in the Netherlands for your self-employment residency permit and the permit is being processed but you didn’t add all the information that is necessary and this hasn’t been rectified before the end of your current residence permit this short gap would restart the clock in the Netherlands but it wouldn’t for the EU residence permit. So there is not a huge difference but it is slightly more lenient. You can find out more about this permit here(opens in a new tab).
Example: You studied for two years, then had a zoekjaar and then obtained a self-employed residence permit for another two years. After that you can apply for a permanent residence permit. IMPORTANT: If you have even a day between the end of your self-employed residence permit and the five year mark you will have to apply for another non-temporary residence permit to carry you over.