Cons: Short-term visas and lease

In the 2026 Dutch housing market, the dynamic between immigration status and housing is more complex than ever. For international newcomers coming to the Netherlands on the basis of a short-term visa, such as a short-stay visa (C visa), a search year visa for recent graduates, or a temporary work permit for less than a year, finding a stable rental home is a considerable challenge. Although the Netherlands welcomes international talent, the legal reality of short-term residence statuses often conflicts with the wishes of hosts and the strict regulations in the housing sector.

The combination of a visa with a limited shelf life and the desire to rent a home creates a series of disadvantages and barriers. In this article, we'll analyze the specific disadvantages associated with renting on a short-term visa in 2026.

The refusal by commercial landlords

The most immediate disadvantage for short-term visa holders is direct rejection by major property managers and institutional investors. In 2026, these parties will use strict screening processes that directly compare the end date of the residence permit with the minimum duration of the rental contract.

Landlords in the free sector are looking for stability and continuity. When a visa is only valid for six months or one year, the landlord considers this to be a high financial risk. After all, there is a risk that the tenant will have to leave the country before the contract expires, which can lead to vacancy or legal complications in collecting the remaining rent. In 2026 practice, candidates with a temporary visa are often filtered in the first selection round, in favor of tenants with a permanent contract and an indefinite residence permit.

Restricted access to the diplomatic clause

Although the “diplomatic clause” still exists in 2026, it works to the disadvantage of the holder of a short-term visa. This clause was originally intended to protect landlords who temporarily rent out their own homes, but for tenants with a temporary visa, the system offers little flexibility.

Renters with short-term visas often fall between chairs: they are not legally allowed to stay longer than their visas allow, but many leases require a minimum stay of one year. If the renter is forced to move the country because the visa is not renewed, this will not automatically be considered a valid reason for breach of contract without penalty in 2026. As a result, these tenants run the risk of losing their full deposit or being held liable for the rent for the remaining months.

Financial discrimination: Higher deposits

Another major disadvantage is the financial compensation that landlords demand for the perceived risk. For newcomers with a short visa, it is not unusual in 2026 for hosts to ask for a deposit that is twice or even three times the standard.

Where a regular tenant is often sufficient with a one-month deposit, the holder of a short-term visa often has to shell out. Some hosts even require that the full rent for the entire visa period be paid in advance. This puts enormous pressure on the newcomer's starting capital and limits the financial resources needed for other business costs, such as furnishing and insurance. This form of “legal exclusion” based on financial capacity makes the market for temporary migrants extremely tight.

BRP registration issues

As discussed earlier, address registration in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) is crucial. However, for holders of certain short-term visas (such as the short-stay visa of less than 90 days), registration in the BRP is often not even possible or allowed at a regular home address.

Even with visas that do allow registration, many hosts of temporary rooms or short-stay apartments refuse the tenant to register at that address. This creates a vicious cycle: without BRP registration at a fixed address, the visa holder cannot open a bank account or take out local health insurance, which is often a requirement for the eventual visa extension or conversion to a work permit. The short-term visa holder is thus in an administrative no man's land.

The lore to the informal market and scams

Because the formal housing market (brokers and corporations) is almost inaccessible to people with a temporary status, they will be driven en masse to the informal market in 2026, such as groups on social media.

This makes this group extremely vulnerable to rental fraud. Scammers know that people with short visas are desperate and have less time to do a thorough investigation into the legality of a home. As a result, newcomers are more likely to accept poor living conditions, unsafe contracts or overoccupancy, simply because they have nowhere else to go. The lack of rent protection in this grey circuit means that they can't fall back on anything in the event of a conflict with the landlord, as their residence status weakens their position in legal proceedings.

Uncertainty about visa extension

In 2026, the housing market will be so competitive that landlords often preemptively cancel the rent (if it is a temporary contract) or refuse to renew the contract when the visa expires, even if the tenant is applying for a long-term residence permit.

The uncertainty of the immigration process thus seeps directly into the living situation. A tenant can be in the stressful position of losing both his right to stay and his roof over his head at the same time. The dependence on the landlord's' favor 'to wait for the decision of the IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service) is a disadvantage that seriously hampers the integration and well-being of the temporary resident.

The combination of short-term visas and the Dutch rental market in 2026 is a recipe for administrative and financial hurdles. The focus on long-term regulatory stability actually excludes a growing group of flexible, international employees and students from quality and fair housing.