Dutch Embassy: around the World

The Netherlands is a country in Europe. The country consists of 12 provinces with the capital Amsterdam. There are 16 million people living in The Netherlands making it the most densely populated country in Europe. Dutch people are dispersed all around the world. We are the Dutch Embassy to help you out in whichever country you are. Many people move out of The Netherlands for various reasons such as higher studies, business, or for a vacation. So, the Dutch Embassy is there with you in that distant land to help you and preserve your rights and see to it that you are not being exploited.

We are the country famous for it’s cheeses and off course water management. You can come up to us if you have some visa issues or passport issues like you have lost it or some one stole it. We also promote Dutch Interests abroad the world with our 150 Embassies and consulates abroad. We also have appointed around 360 honorary consulates which have limited powers. These consulates are directly governed by The Ministry of External Affairs of The Netherlands.

We have our Embassies spread all over the world so as to not let you feel alone. We have our Embassies in Africa, Asia and Middle East, America and in other countries of Europe.

Travel to The Netherlands - Visa requirements

Do you need a visa for The Netherlands? Where to apply for a Dutch Visa?

Dutch Visa Short Stay- Visa for the Netherlands

If you are planning a short stay in the Netherlands of no more than 90 days, you may need a visa.

Dutch Visa for the Netherlands (Schengen visa)

If you are planning a holiday, business trip or a short visit to the Netherlands of no more than 90 days and you do not have Dutch nationality, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa. The Netherlands is one of the 25 European countries forming the Schengen Area which since 1995 have had no border controls between them. These countries issue a common visa which is called the Schengen visa.

Not everyone needs a visa for their stay in the Netherlands. Read the following section to find out which rules you must follow. We recommend that you ensure you remain legal while resident in Holland and do not try to enter the country without the required paperwork.

Staying for less than 90 days?

Countries whose citizens do not require a visa for a stay of three months or less:

Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (or holders of a BNO, British National Overseas Passport), United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.

If you are a national from any other country, you need a visa for a stay of less than 3 months in the Netherlands. You need to apply for a visa at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country before you come to the the Netherlands.

Staying for more than 90 days?

If you are planning to stay in the Netherlands for a period longer than 90 days, you need an MVV visa. An MVV ( Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) is an authorisation for temporary stay. Only nationals of the following countries do not need a MVV; Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Vatican City.

Getting a visa

If you require a visa for your visit to the Netherlands, you need to apply for one at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country. You should do this approximately 2 months before your arrival to the Netherlands. You cannot get a visa in the Netherlands .

Procedures and documents

Visa application procedures are generally the same in every Dutch embassy/consulate. However, you should call the consulate that has jurisdiction over your state of permanent residence to find out which procedure applies.

Visa types:

A-Visa: Transit visa for airports. Residents from some countries require a transit visa when travelling through the Netherlands to another county. This type of visa does not give you the right to get into the country. You need this transit visa if you are a national from; Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (Democratic Republic), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Sri Lanka.

B-Visa: Travel through visa for a maximum of 5 days. This visa is intended for those whose final destination is not within the Schengen area, but are travelling through it. It gives you the right to enter for a maximum period of 5 days.

C-Visa: Short stay visa for a maximum of 90 days. This type of visa can be obtained for several purposes; holiday, tourism, business, friend/family visit or participation in congresses/sporting events. This visa is valid for a maximum stay of 90 days within a 6 month period. You cannot apply for a residency or work permit with this type of visa.

D-Visa: Permission for temporary stay longer than 90 days, The MVV visa ( Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) is a visa/permit for a period of 91 days to a maximum of 6 months. You need to have an MVV if you want to apply for a residency or work permit. It is possible that you need to take an Immigration and Citizenship Exam (Inburgeringscursus) at the Dutch embassy in your home country before you can apply for a MVV visa.. You can check if you are required to do so on the IND website: www.ind.nl .

Schengen area - what is it and how does it work?

The Netherlands is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, which enables free circulation of residents within countries in the Schengen Area. A visa granted by one of these countries (for example, the Netherlands) is valid in the whole Schengen Area. Travelling within the Schengen Area is legally the same as travelling within the Netherlands. If you enter the Netherlands with a tourist visa, you will be able to stay in the Netherlands and/or any other country in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days during any 6-month period.

In addition to the Netherlands, the other parties to the Schengen Agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Although you can leave the Schengen Area and come back in as many times as you need during its 6-month validity, the total amount of time you can stay in the Schengen area cannot exceed 90 days. A visa granted by one of the Schengen countries is valid in all other member countries. Countries outside the Schengen Area include Switzerland, United Kingdom & the Channel Islands, Ireland, Morocco, and Gibraltar.