General information

20th June 2022

From 4th July 2022, Visa application Centre of Chengdu will be relocated to following address: Room 1902B (can be reached by elevators of Tower A and B), Times Plaza, No.2 Zongfu Road, Jinjiang District. The Centre in Room 2012, Times Plaza, No.2 Zongfu Road, Jinjiang District will be closed from 28th June 2022.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

12th January, 2022

Please visit “Consular services portal” of Dutch MFA to fill out the visa application form online

Dear applicants, in accordance with the requirements of the Dutch MFA and the Dutch Mission in China, travelers need to be directed to the “Consular services portal” of Dutch MFA to fill out the visa application form online before submitting the visa application. The Chinese version of the visa application form is suspended to use.

For Fully Vaccinated Traveler

Attention please: Since July 1st, 2021 a new category of travelers is exempted from the travel ban: The Fully Vaccinated Traveler. Depending on the security level of the country, the corresponding visa and entry requirements vary. This exemption does not apply to China at this time. For more information please click here.

For Guangzhou Consular Area

Dear applicants of Guangzhou Consular Area, please check by yourself whether you are exempted from the EU entry ban via the website of https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/exemptions-to-the-entry-ban. If you apply to one of the exemptions, you could try to submit your visa application via visa center. Please do print out the webpage and highlight the category which you apply to.

Please note that granting a visa or not is at the sole discretion of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canton (Guangzhou). Dutch Visa Application Center holds no influence over the final decision of consular staff. Thank you for your understanding.

17th September, 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.

20 December 2021

The entry rules for travelers to the Netherlands from non-EU/Schengen countries will change at 00.01 on Wednesday 22 December.

From 22 December 0:01 onwards, all travelers who travel (back) to the Netherlands from outside Schengen/EU are required to demonstrate a negative COVID-19 test result, including those who are fully vaccinated or recovered. This also applies to travelers from highrisk countries and countries that are on the EU Safe Country List. The other exemptions to the test requirement remain in force.

9th April, 2021

Verify your relevant COVID-19-related travel restrictions before departure!

As part of the measures to contain the spreading of COVID-19, individual Schengen States have introduced travel restrictions, including at certain borders between those states. Depending on the development of the epidemiological situation both within and outside the EU, travel restrictions may be eased or reintroduced. All travelers are responsible for verifying the travel restrictions in place before departure. Holders of a Schengen visa are not automatically entitled to enter the Schengen area but must respect the travel restrictions in place.

Verify your travel restrictions before departure to a Caribbean part of the Kingdom!

As part of the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, the authorities of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom introduced travel restrictions. Depending on the development of the epidemiological situation both within and outside the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, these restrictions may be eased or tightened. All travelers are responsible for verifying the travel restrictions in place before departure. Holders of a Caribbean visa are not automatically entitled to enter the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. You can find the latest information on the travel restrictions and other COVID-19 related measures on the individual websites of the authorities:

• Aruba
• Curacao
• Sint-Maarten
• Bonaire, Sint-Eustatius and Saba

Please visit the Netherlands Government.nl website for the latest information.

• We strongly recommend that you visit the website of the government of the Netherlands to obtain updated and detailed information before submitting your application to ensure that your application and documents meet the requirements.
• Applicants can apply for a visa for the below travel purposes, given you meet the accompanying criteria for additional supporting documents:
  
  

  1）Business and short professional training

  All applicants are required to submit the hotel reservations and flight bookings when submitting your visa application.

  • Business. given you can additionally provide a verbal note issued by the Dutch diplomatic mission.
  • Students coming to the Netherlands for a period less than 3 months. given you can additionally provide the proof of enrolment at an educational institution which is recognized by the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Services (IND).
  • Highly skilled migrants coming to the Netherlands for a short stay (less than 3 months). given you can additionally provide the Dutch employment permit (TWV).
  • 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.
  • Seafarers. working for a non-European client/owner for the construction, conversion, maintenance and delivery in the Netherlands of seaworthy private vessels with a length of more than 24 meters. Seafarers on smaller commercial yachts/pleasure crafts will NOT be exempt from the EU entry ban.
  
  

  2）Visiting family/friends

  • Visiting your newborn grandchild. All grandparents visiting grandchildren aged under 18 are exempt from the EU entry ban. This used to only be the case if you were visiting a newborn grandchild. In addition to the existing standard requirements, birth certificate of grandchild and a Declaration of exemption from COVID-19 entry ban because of a birth are required.
  • Visiting a seriously ill or terminally ill family member or attending a funeral. You must be a family member in the first or second degree (as defined in Dutch law). In addition to the existing standard requirements, a doctor letter and a Declaration of exemption from COVID-19 entry ban are required.
  • You are a divorced parent from a third country, and you want to visit your child (aged under 18) who lives in the Netherlands. You must fill in a Declaration of exemption from COVID-19 entry ban for visiting your child as a divorced parent.
  • LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS (LDR). Foreign partners of Dutch citizens (and the nationality of an EEA country or Switzerland residing in the Netherlands, and the UK national having a residence document that shows his residence rights fall under the Brexit withdrawal agreement) who have demonstrably been a couple for at least three months. At the time of your application submission you will be required to submit additional evidence, including: flight ticket reservation (not a paid ticket), a declaration of relationship in which you state that you have had a relationship of at least three months and a proof that you saw each other within your relationship at least twice in person or once for a period of at least 4 weeks. Such proof may be presented in the form of copies of hotel and ticket reservations, copies of entry and exit stamps from previous trips in passports, or bank statements of reservations or other payments related to the trip to be with the partner.
  • Spouse and child of Dutch citizen. provided you have prepared all required documents on the cheklist
  
  
  

  3）Cultural/sports event

  • Artists/crew/journalists/influencers participating in the Eurovision Song Contest and accredited by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). given you can additionally provide a copy of the Eurovision Song Contest accreditation collection voucher.
  • Cultural activity. given you can additionally provide an invitation letter issued by Fonds Podiumkunsten
  • 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);
  
  

  4）Airport transit

  • provided you have prepared all required documents on the checklist.
  
  

  5）Return visa

  • provided you have prepared all required documents on the checklist.
  
  

  Important Notice

  Schengen Member States have suspended visa representation for other Schengen member countries

  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.

  Changes in the rules for Schengen visa applications and increase of visa fees

  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.

  Study and Scientific Research applications are no longer accepted

  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.

  Implementation of document scanning

  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.