Short-term visas

If you plan to come to the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days, then you usually need to apply for a short-stay visa. Whether you need a visa depends on your citizenship. With a short-stay visa, you can travel to the Schengen countries and Switzerland.

 

Vacation and family visit:

Do you need a visa? In the list below you will find a list of documents that you need when applying for a visa.

You must also meet the following conditions:

 

• You have a valid travel document such as a passport. The travel document must be valid for 3 months after the expiration of the visa. He may also be no older than 10 years old.
• You do not pose a threat to public order, national security or international relations of any of the Schengen countries.
• You have a travel destination in the Netherlands. It is confirmed by a hotel reservation or an invitation from a sponsor from the Netherlands. It is important that the sponsor must use form confirmation of sponsorship and / or private residence
• You have sufficient financial resources for your stay in the Netherlands, transit and / or return journey.
• You have a minimum of EUR 55 per person per day for your stay in the Netherlands,

or

• Someone in the Netherlands can act as your financial guarantor. This can be an inviting sponsor or any third party. The guarantor has sufficient and stable income. He must use form confirmation of sponsorship and / or private residence
• (Medical) travel insurance in your name. You take out insurance in your country of origin (or in another country). The person you invite can also arrange for insurance for you in the Netherlands.
• The insurance covers at least EUR 30 for medical expenses in the Schengen area and covers at least the following costs:

– Costs of returning to the country of origin for medical reasons.

– Emergency care in the hospital.

• You have sufficient reasons to return to your country of origin or residence. For example, work, children (in school) or your own home. One return ticket is not enough.

What documents are needed to apply for a visa?

 

1. You have a valid travel document such as a passport.
2. 2 passport photos. The photographs must meet the requirements for photographs in a Dutch passport. We wrote about them here.
3. Evidence indicating where you are going.

For example:

• Booking a hotel or other accommodation;
• Original form Certificate of sponsorship and / or private residence This is completed and signed by the sponsor, whose signature must be legalized by the municipality. The legalization period is not established by law.

Do you want to come to the Netherlands with several people? To do this, the sponsor must fill out a separate form for each person.

4. Proof that you have sufficient financial resources for your stay in the Netherlands, transit and / or return journey.

For example:

• One or more bank statements, traveler's checks, or cash.
• Original form Certificate of sponsorship and / or private residence. This is completed and signed by the guarantor, who must documentary evidence that he has sufficient and stable income.
• Does the guarantor work for the employer? Add copies of: employment contract, last 3 payroll, employer statement and passport (European) identity card / Dutch residence permit of the guarantor.

Does the guarantor work for himself? Then add copies of: a recent extract from the registration in the Chamber of Commerce (KvK uitreksel), the latest final income tax estimate from the tax authorities, a recent income statement showing gross profit and passport / (European) ID. / Dutch residence permit of the guarantor. The signature of the guarantor must be legalized at the municipality. The legalization period is not established by law.

Is the guarantor married? The sponsor's partner must also sign the form. Are the sponsor and the guarantor not the same person? Both must complete and sign a separate form. The form can only be used by one person at a time.

5. A copy of the document confirming the availability of travel medical insurance. You must show this document when applying or obtaining a visa. This depends on the Dutch office where you are applying for your visa.
6. Evidence that you have sufficient reason to return to your country of origin or residence.

For example:

• Employer's statement.
• Proof of school enrollment for children attending school.
• Proof of ownership of your own home and / or other real estate.

7. Possibility or (preliminary) booking of a return ticket.

Note! The Dutch office may wish to see other documents in addition to the above documents. Official foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

1. Visa application and payment:

    

You are applying for a visa through a Dutch mission, by link, in your country (country of origin). Or in your country of residence with a valid residence permit (country of residence). You cannot apply for a visa earlier than 6 months before traveling to the Netherlands. People who have been at sea for a long time for work can apply for a visa 9 months before departure.

You almost always need to apply for a visa yourself. You can only ask someone to apply if you have previously submitted a photo and fingerprints within 59 months of submitting your application.

You often have to apply for a visa with an external agency: an external service provider (EDV) such as VFS Global or TLS Contact. This office accepts the application and sends it to the Dutch office for processing. In this case, in addition to the visa application fee, you almost always pay an additional amount to an external service provider.

Please be aware that visa processing takes a long time. Request it in time. Never make a final travel booking until you are sure you will receive a visa.

Application cost

It costs money to apply for a short stay visa. An external service provider will sometimes charge additional fees.

 

2. Application processing

The visa application is usually processed by the Consular Office (CSO) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a link to the website can be found here... Some large overseas missions process visa applications themselves.

The application is sometimes made to the IND Visa Office. The visa office can send the application form to a person in the Netherlands (sponsor). He asks for more information. The visa office then advises the CSO, which ultimately makes a decision.

3. Getting a short stay visa

You can now obtain your visa from the Dutch mission where you applied. The short stay visa is a type C visa. This will be printed on your passport as a sticker.

When you enter the Netherlands, you may be checked again. Therefore, it is recommended that you have with you all the information and documents required to apply for a visa.

Urgent visa:

 

If you would like to visit your family due to the death or terminal illness of a person living in the Netherlands, you can apply for an urgent visa. An emergency visa is usually not a Schengen visa and only gives access to the Netherlands. An emergency visa can only be applied for for a 1st or 2nd degree family member of a terminally ill or deceased person in the Netherlands:

• Parents, children, brothers and sisters,
• Grandmothers and grandfathers,
• Brothers-in-law / sister-in-law, sons-in-law / daughters-in-law and mother-in-law / mother-in-law,
• Foster parents and foster children, step brothers / step sisters.

A family member in the Netherlands contacts the IND by telephone, contact numbers can be found hereto apply for an emergency visa. Then you need to go to the Dutch mission (embassy) to apply for a visa.

You must meet the following conditions:

• You have a valid travel document such as a passport.
• You are not a threat to public order.
• You have no warnings in the Schengen area
• You can prove that you are returning to your country of origin,
• You or a third party have sufficient support (money) during their stay in the Netherlands.

Visa validity (with short stay calculator)

 

A short-term visa is valid for no more than 90 days. You will receive a visa for the number of days that you indicated in the application.

A short stay visa (type C) states:

• From what date is the visa valid (from that day you can travel to the Schengen area).
• How many days are you allowed to stay in the Schengen area.
• From what date the visa is no longer valid (in this case, you must be outside the Schengen area).
• Is it possible to enter the Schengen area once (single entry) or several times (multiple entry) with a valid visa.

Time of stay

There are two types of short-term visas:

1. Single entry visa with a maximum validity period of 90 days. This allows you to stay in the Netherlands / Schengen area once for a maximum of 90 days.
2. Multiple visa with a maximum validity period of 5 years. It allows you to stay in the Netherlands / Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days out of 180 days. You don't have to plan your visit for 90 days at once - you can split 90 days into shorter trips. But you cannot stay in the Netherlands / Schengen area for more than 90 days out of 180 days.

The following applies to both visas: if you have been in the Netherlands or one of the Schengen countries for 90 consecutive days, you must wait at least 90 days before you can return to the Schengen area. Using the short stay calculator (on our website under the Tourism subsection) and on the European Commission website, you can calculate how many days you can still stay in the Schengen area after you enter. You can also use this tool to plan your trip.

The right to work

 

If you want to work in the Netherlands during a short stay, your employer may need a work permit (TWV). The employer must apply for this at UWV. This also applies if you are doing volunteer work or doing unpaid work. In addition, you may need a Citizen Support Number (BSN). The municipality issues it when you register with the non-resident registration system (RNI). For more information, visit the website of the municipality where you live / work or Online .

No entry

After your visa expires, you need to leave the Netherlands and the Schengen area. If you don't, you could get a European travel ban. This does not apply to EU / EEA citizens and their family members.

Additional requests (extend or change)

 

1. Extension of a short stay visa

You can only extend your Schengen visa or free stay in special cases. For example, if you are unable to leave the Netherlands due to serious illness or force majeure. Your total stay must not exceed 90 days. You must also have enough money to support yourself. To send your request, you must make an appointment at the IND desk, the link can be found here.

2. Change single entry visa to multiple entry

You entered the Netherlands on a single entry visa. You want to exchange this for a multiple entry visa. This is only possible in the case of force majeure, humanitarian reasons, serious professional reasons or personal circumstances that have changed since your trip to the Netherlands. To send your request, you must make an appointment at the IND desk, the link can be found here.