The Netherlands | Cross Borders Overseas

Netherlands Tourist Visa 2023: All you should know before you apply

A short-stay Schengen visa can possibly take you to 26 EU countries with a single document.

Key Highlights

What is the Netherlands Tourist Visa?
Types
Eligibility Criteria
Documents Required
How to Apply for the Netherlands Tourist Visa?
Estimated Cost and Processing Time
Other FAQs

The Netherlands holds a great amount of tradition, culture, and unrivaled charm. Right from winding canals to fields of blooming color, the Netherlands isn’t all smoke as stereotyped. Most travelers only plan enough time to visit Amsterdam. Don’t be naïve, visit the lowlands.

The Netherlands Tourist Visa allows you to travel freely within the Netherlands and other Schengen countries within a 180-day period.

What is the Netherlands Tourist Visa?

The Netherlands Tourist Visa is also known as a short-stay Schengen Visa. It allows you to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period.

Countries Within the Schengen Area

Types of Travel Visas to the Netherlands

Whether or not you need a visa depends on things like your nationality, destination and length of stay.

Airport transit visa

If you are transferring to another flight at a Dutch airport, you might need an airport transit visa.

Short-stay visa

A short-stay visa (Schengen visa) allows you to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days. Besides the Netherlands, it is also valid in the other Schengen countries.

Long-stay visa

If you want to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, you might need a long-stay visa. This is also called authorization for temporary stay (MVV).

Caribbean visa

If you are planning a trip to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands you might need a Caribbean visa. This will allow you to visit Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten.

Visa facilitation

If you want to travel to the Netherlands with a family member who is an EU, EEA, or Swiss national or join them there, you can apply for a visa facilitation.

Return Visa

For foreigners without a valid residence permit, but need to urgently travel abroad.

Dutch Start-Up Visa

For entrepreneurs wanting to set up a business in the Netherlands. This is a type of residence permit.

Several countries have reciprocal agreements with the Dutch government. This allows their citizens to enter the Netherlands without a visa.

People from these countries can travel to the Netherlands without a Visitor Visa and stay put for 90 days within 180 days. They will however need to apply for a residence permit to stay further.

Citizens of EU/EEA countries will not require any Visitor Visa or a residence permit to be in the Netherlands.

What is the Eligibility for the Netherlands Visitor Visa?

You will be required to fulfil the following to apply for the Netherlands Tourist Visa.

Completed application form
2 passport-size photographs
A valid passport with validity extending the duration of your stay in the country by 3 months at least
Proof of flight bookings, hotel bookings, and detailed plans of your activities during the stay
Copy of the return ticket flight reservation confirmation
Covering letter stating the purpose of your visit and a detailed itinerary
Proof of adequate funds to support travel and stay in the country
Proof of accommodation for the stay in the Netherlands
Recent bank statements for the last 6 months
Proof of having valid insurance
Invitation letter from a sponsor or any family member if applicable

Ensure that you meet the visa requirements and travel documents before applying for the Netherlands Tourist Visa.

Make sure to pay the required fees for the visa application.

What Documents are Required for the Netherlands Visa?

You should provide certain documents along with your visa application. You can also contact the nearest Netherlands embassy or consulate to know the exact requirements.

The following documents are invariably required for your Dutch Visa.

Your valid passport.
Two passport-size colour photos.
Proof of planned travel including reservations with a travel agent.
Proof of travel health insurance covering the value of at least 30,000 Euros in the Schengen area.
Documents providing your reason for return to your home country.
Documents demonstrating the purpose of your trip.
Proof of financial independence or support during your stay in the Netherlands.

Transit Visa

This visa is also known as the Airport Transit Visa or A-visa. It is for passengers making a stopover at the airport in the Netherlands or other countries within the Schengen area.

The Transit Visa however does not permit you to leave the airport.

You will need to apply for a Netherlands Schengen Visa if you wish to exit the airport or continue the journey by car, bus, or train to other Schengen countries.

Return Visa

This visa is for foreign nationals living in the Netherlands. It is useful when there is an urgent reason to travel abroad for family weddings, and illness or death. It is also useful for people whose residence permit is either stolen, lost, or being processed.

Return Visas allow you to travel out of the Netherlands and then legally re-enter. The Dutch Return Visa is not valid in other Schengen countries.

MVV Authorization for a Temporary Stay

This is ideal for people wanting to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days. Make it a point to apply for MVV authorization and a residence permit (TEV Procedure) before commencing your travel.

MVV is similar to a visa. It is a provisional residence permit that grants you entry into the Netherlands on arrival. MVV allows you entry as a potential resident rather than a tourist. It can also be availed while your residence permit application form is being processed.

How to Apply for the Netherlands Tourist Visa?

The steps which have to be followed while applying for a Schengen Visa are:

Step 1: Find out the Schengen Visa type you need as per your purpose of visit.
Step 2: Check the right place for you to apply for the visa application.
Step 3: As per your requirement to visit the country, find a suitable day and time to apply and start the visa process.
Step 4: Book your appointment with the Consulate or the Embassy.
Step 5: Complete the Schengen Visa application form with the right information.
Step 6: Gather all required documents which are needed to support your visa application.
Step 7: Attend the visa interview as scheduled with the Embassy or the consulate.
Step 8: Now, pay off your visa fee to begin the application process.
Step 9: Wait for receiving the confirmation from the consulate or the embassy on your visa approval.

Related Faqs

On what grounds can my Schengen Visa be rejected?

The most common reasons for Schengen Visa rejection by the immigration officer at the Netherlands Visa Centre are enumerated below:

Past or current criminal actions.
False travel documents.
An insufficient explanation for the trip and circumstances was called for.
Damaged passport holders.
Invalid passport holders.
Lacking to provide the travel itinerary.
Invalid invitation letter.
Insufficient means of subsistence.
Unacceptable birth or marriage certificate.
Invalid travel insurance.
Lacking to present proof of accommodation.
Unfavorable Schengen visa situation.

Prepare yourself well for these situations and avoid disappointment. This information is meant to assist you to apply for a Schengen Visa.

What is the Cost of a Tourist Visa to the Netherlands?

The application fee requirements vary from one visa type to another. Find below the table illustrating the visa fee requirements. However, it should be noted that the fee requirements change from time to time.

Schengen Visa Fee Charges

What is the Processing Time for the Netherlands Tourist Visa?

Normally it takes around 10 – 15 days to receive the Netherlands Tourist Visa after application form submission. It could at times also come earlier or be delayed.

Take these factors into account.

You may have to personally visit the visa centre if you are applying for the first time.
Visa application centres are only available in major cities.
The processing of the Schengen Visa application form is a bit complicated when compared to visas to France, Spain, and other EU countries.

Make sure that all the documents are in place before applying. Plan your travel.

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Other Important FAQs

1. Is the Dutch Visa Also Valid for Other Countries?

The Schengen short-stay visa also allows you to stay in other countries within the Schengen area. It is valid for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days. Choose the multiple-entry option while making your application. You can enjoy free travel between the 26 Schengen countries while the visa is valid. Submit the visa application to the embassy or consulate of the country you intend to visit first.

2. Is it possible to enter the Netherlands without a visa?

Yes, it is. But only if you are from a visa-waiver country. Whether you need a visa to visit the Netherlands mainly depends on your nationality, destination, and length of stay. Unfortunately, the visa waiver does not apply to Indian citizens.

3. Can I reapply for the Netherlands tourist visa if my earlier application was rejected?

You are not restricted by time to reapply for a Schengen Visa. However, find out why your visa was rejected in the first place. You would have received a notice explaining why your earlier attempt on travel authorization was denied.

4. Do Indians need a visa to visit the Netherlands?

Yes, Indians require a visa sticker on their passport to travel to the Netherlands. You may also have to attend an interview during the process.

5. What are the visa tips for Indians visiting the Netherlands for the first time?

Follow the visa guidelines to choose the right type of visa as per your needs. You can choose from a student visa, tourist visa, or business visa to visit the Netherlands.

6. What other types of visas can you look for to visit the Netherlands?

Visa applicants can avail of the Netherlands Visa on various grounds like sports, cultural activities, medical treatment, studies, research, making films, visiting family and friends, and others. Separate visa application forms are available in these categories. Carefully choose them as per your needs.

7. Can I pay the Netherlands Visa fee through Debit/Credit Cards?

Yes, applicants can pay the Schengen Visa fee by cash, credit card, debit card, or postal order.

8. Do embassies check and verify bank statements in the Netherlands?

It is at the sole discretion of the embassy consulate as to what to look for. It is also possible that they choose to verify your bank statements in the Netherlands.

9. How long is the validity of the visa to the Netherlands?

The Schengen Visa allows you to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days. With the multiple-entry option, you can freely travel between the Schengen countries and re-enter the Netherlands as long as your visa is valid.

10. What is a Schengen Visa?

A Schengen Visa is a type of short-stay visa that allows you to circulate within the 26 Schengen area signatory states. It permits you to travel freely for 90 days to these countries within a 180-day period.

11. Extending Your Schengen Visa

Yes, the Schengen Visa can be extended under some exceptional conditions.

Also, the extension of the Schengen Visa can be done under the IND if you meet the required eligibility conditions:

Your expected visa extension should not be more than 90 days.
An explanation that declares that your circumstances force you in extending your period of stay and for this, you need to provide relevant documents to support and prove your requirement for visa extension.
You need to prove that you can manage your financials after the visa extension or have a sponsor who can manage and support your financials.
You have to be covered by travel or healthcare insurance.
Need to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months, and also, it should not be older than 10 years.
You should indicate that you are not holding other reasons, such as interest in settling in the country by extending the visa.

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