Netherlands Visa Policy

Visa Policy for the Netherlands<

As it has signed the Schengen Agreement, the Netherlands shares the same visa policy as the other states in the Schengen passport-free zone.

According to the Schengen visa policy for the Netherlands, nationals from approximately 100 countries around the world do not require a Dutch visa to visit the country.

Schengen zone citizens may use a National ID card to gain freedom of movement to the Netherlands no matter the purpose of the stay. Other visa-free citizens are required to present a valid passport at Dutch borders to gain visa-exempt entry for a stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, transit, or medical treatment.

However, once the Electronic Travel Authorization System for the Schengen Area is implemented in 2021, citizens from all visa-exempt countries outside Europe will be required to obtain an ETIAS visa waiver online to travel to the Netherlands for the same purposes and periods of stay.

Citizens of more than 150 countries must obtain an approved Schengen visa in advance to enter the Netherlands, by applying at the nearest Dutch government diplomatic office.

When applying for a Dutch embassy visa, it is necessary to select whether a short-stay visa or long-stay visa is required and whether the purpose fo the travel is for tourism, business, transit, or to work, study, or live, or for another purpose.

A Schengen embassy visa for the Netherlands may be granted as either a single or multiple entry travel document.

Please find the visa requirements for your nationality in the following list:

Tourist Visa Policy for the Netherlands

According to the tourist visa policy of the Netherlands, citizens of the 26 countries in the Schengen area do not require a Dutch travel visa for tourism because of the free movement agreement. They may simply use a valid ID card to enter the Netherlands.

Nationals of over 65 other countries are also currently permitted to visit the country without a tourist visa, to stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days every half a year. At the moment, the only requirement for travelers from these countries is to travel with a valid passport.

But, from 2022, these same nationalities will need to obtain an ETIAS online visa waiver before they are permitted to travel to the Netherlands for tourism.

Other than the tourist visa-free nationalities, passport holders of approximately 150 selected countries are required to apply for a short-stay visa for tourism for the Netherlands.

This must be obtained from the nearest Dutch overseas diplomatic mission, by making a consular appointment at least a few weeks in advance of travel to guarantee sufficient tourist visa processing time.

Please check the following list to see if you require a visa to visit the Netherlands or not:

ETIAS

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is an electronic visa waiver program that will allow Schengen Area authorities to keep track of visitors from countries who do not require a visa to enter the Netherlands.

This Electronic Travel Authorization for the Netherlands will be a mandatory requirement for visa-free countries to travel to the Schengen Area for short stays for tourism, business, medical treatment, and transit purposes.

An approved Netherlands ETIAS will allow multiple entries of a stay of 90 days each time in the Schengen zone, as it is a multiple entry waiver valid for 3 years from issue.

To apply for an ETIAS for the Netherlands, travelers will need to complete the simple travel authorization online form and pay an application fee to submit the form.

Once the information provided on the form has been screened against European security databases, the approved European Visa Waiver for the Netherlands will be electronically linked to the same valid passport used to complete the application.

A copy of the ETIAS travel permit will also be sent by email to the applicant, which they are then advised to print to present when boarding an aircraft for Europe.

Embassy or Consular Visa Required

As the Netherlands is one of the member countries of the Schengen Area, Dutch visa policy and who needs an embassy visa is congruent with the visa policy of the Schengen Area.

Citizens of over 150 countries need to go through the process of meeting visa requirements and attending interviews in order to obtain a Schengen visa for the Netherlands, no matter the length of the intended stay or the travel purpose.

These travelers need to make an appointment in advance at the nearest Dutch embassy or consulate to submit a completed application form.

It is also necessary to provide a range of supporting documents depending on nationality and the purpose of the trip, which may include travel visa insurance, proof of accommodation, and sufficient financial means for the period of stay.

An embassy visa for the Netherlands may be issued as a tourist visa, work visa, student visa, resident visa, or another visa type.

Dutch embassy applicants from visa-required countries should have a passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of arrival in the Netherlands, containing at least two blank pages.

Discover if you need a Dutch embassy visa for your nationality in the list below.

Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Algeria
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Armenia
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Botswana
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Cuba
Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Isle of Man
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Martinique
Mauritania
Mayotte
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territory
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
United States Virgin Islands
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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Visa Not Required

According to the Schengen visa policy for the Netherlands, nationals of approximately 100 countries are currently able to enter the country for tourism, business, or transit purposes without applying for a visa.

Nationals from approximately 30 member countries of the Schengen Area are granted freedom of movement to enter the Netherlands if they present a valid ID card at Dutch immigration control.

Citizens from the other visa-free countries require a valid passport to visit the Netherlands, which should be valid at for least 3 months upon entry.

The visa exemption for these countries is for a short-stay only, up to 90 days per visit within every 180-day period, for purposes of tourism, business, medical, or transit.

However, from 2022, it will be necessary for citizens of these same visa-exempt countries to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization (see above) before they can enter the Netherlands for the same purposes and periods of time.

If visa not required travelers wish to stay more than 90 consecutive days, or visit for other purposes, they will need to apply for a long-stay Schengen visa from the closest Netherlands embassy or consulate.

Below is a complete list of visa-exempt countries for the Netherlands: