General information

26th January, 2021

Dear applicants,
Please be advised that effective immediately you can apply for a visa for the below travel purposes, given you meet the accompanying criteria for additional supporting documents:

• Airport transit - provided you have prepared all required documents on the checklist;
• Sporting event - given you submit, together with your checklist, a verbal note issued by the Dutch diplomatic mission OR an invitation letter issued by one of the following organizations: the Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC), the Netherlands Sport Federation (NSF), or the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB);
• Journalism - provided you have an International Press Card from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and an invitation letter from the Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ);
• Scientific research - if you can submit an invitation letter from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) together with the remaining documents on the checklist.

We advise you to always contact the diplomatic mission or TLScontact in advance to clarify your questions well in advance to ensure your application documents meet the requirements outlined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

11th January, 2021

Attention: holding a Travel Medical Insurance (TMI) is a requirement to apply for a Schengen visa. The TMI has to cover any expenses that may arise in relation to repatriation for medical reasons and/or emergency treatment during the visa holder’s stay. Expenses made as a result of pandemic situations (including Covid-19) cannot be excluded from coverage. If your TMI excludes the coverage of pandemic situations, your application may be refused.

In order to facilitate the selection of compliant travel insurances, the self-service insurance platforms managed by a third-party service provider are available as an optional service for your conveniences.

5th November, 2020

Dear applicants,
Please be advised that effective immediately and until further notice, Schengen Member States have suspended visa representation for other Schengen member countries. This means that the Visa Application Centre of the Netherlands can now only accept visa applications for the Netherlands itself, and can no longer accept applications on behalf of other Schengen states. Please contact the local representation of the Schengen state you're trying to apply for to receive more information.

10th August, 2020

European Union citizens including UK nationals, and members of their families, as well as residents of third countries on the list established by the EU can presently travel to the Netherlands. Please note this list is subject to change, according to developments regarding Covid-19. For countries still under the EU travel ban, there is a limited number of exemptions (where it is possible to travel to the Netherlands).

Visit the relevant page on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to view the list of countries, to learn more about the exemptions and to see if you can apply for a visa.

Your application will only enter the decision phase if it fulfils all Schengen visa requirements and explicitly and clearly meets the criteria for an exemption.

17th April, 2020

Dear applicants, please be advised that we are now receiving visa applications from individuals who:

Please contact us in advance as you may be asked to provide supplementary evidence prior to application submission.

Due to changes in the Schengen regulations, new rules apply to the visa application process. At the same time visa fees increase. The most important changes are:

Extended application period

You can apply for your Schengen visa 6 months before your planned travel date (this was 3 months). Seafarers can apply 9 months in advance.

Increase of visa fees

The Schengen and Caribbean visa fees have been increased. Please click here to check visa fees.

Multiple-entry Schengen visa for regular travellers

Do you regularly travel to the Netherlands / Schengen area? Then you may qualify for a multiple-entry visa with a longer period of validity. You must meet a number of conditions:

• multiple-entry visa for 1 year: if you have received a Schengen visa 3 times in the past 2 years and used it correctly;
• multiple-entry visa for 2 years: if you have received a multiple-entry visa for 1 year in the past 2 years and used it correctly;
• multiple-entry visa for 5 years: if you have received a multiple-entry visa for 2 years in the past 3 years and used it correctly.

Decisions on the issuing of visa will be made on an individual basis. No rights can be derived from the above.

Biometrics / applying in person for Schengen visa applications

Did you provide biometric data (fingerprints and photo) within the last 59 months before your current application? Then someone else can submit your application for you. You do not have to appear in person.

Please note: it is not possible to verify if your biometric data are in the system at the time of application. It is therefore possible that you will be invited to come to submit them at a later moment. You may also be invited to come for an interview on an individual basis.

Dear applicants,

Please be advised that applications for visa type: Study, Scientific Research are no longer accepted. Those travelling to the Netherlands for study purposes and with a purpose of conducting scientific research can apply for Business visa.

Additional questions regarding those visa types can be directed at the Embassy or the Consulate of the Netherlands.

Due to the regulation of the European Union (Decision 2004/17/CE of December 22nd 2003), it is necessary for visa applicants to be in possession of travel insurance valid during their stay in the Schengen area.

As approved by Dutch Embassy and consulates, the Visa Application Centers in China for the Netherlands introduce an option of choosing a travel medical insurance meeting Schengen insurance requirements on an independent self-service insurance website. This service is provided by a third-party service provider.

The digital and paper documents will be sent to the Dutch consular authority with your passport, and visa decision officers will consider your application in the usual way.

In order to avoid delays in the Visa Application Centre, we recommend to applicants to note the following:

• All documents should be A4 size;
• You photocopy all original and any documents which are smaller or larger than A4 onto A4 sized paper;
• You remove any clips or pins from documents before submitting them;
• If your documents are torn, crumpled or heavily creased documents, please photocopy them onto A4 sized paper before they are submitted, as they cannot be scanned in this condition;
• All photocopies must be clear and complete. It is recommended to submit colored photocopies to ensure a good photocopy quality;
• Arrange your documents according to the document list order;
• Submitted photocopies which do not fulfill the above mentioned requirements might influence the outcome of the visa decision.