Netherlands

Visa Netherlands

Europe · Europe de l’Ouest

In the Netherlands, the immigration and naturalisation service (IND), attached to the ministry of justice and security, handles residence permits. The pages consulted on 2026-09-17 distinguish the Schengen short stay, limited to 90 days in any 180-day period and applied for from the country of residence, from the long stay, which goes through the provisional residence permit (MVV) applied for at the same time as the residence permit. The IND publishes its fees in euros.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND), ministry of justice and security; short-stay visas are applied for at a Netherlands mission
Where to apply: Short-stay visa applied for in the country of residence, for example at the embassy or consulate of the Netherlands; MVV and residence permit application filed by the sponsor in the Netherlands or by the person themselves from abroad
Electronic visa: Not stated on the portal consulted
Portal language: Dutch and English (English version consulted)

Do you need a visa?

Your nationality

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

“Short stay, holiday or business visa”: According to the page, it allows a stay of 90 days at most in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. Official page (new tab)
“Transit visa” — transit visa: Category priced on the IND fees page. Conditions not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
“Provisional residence permit (MVV)”: According to the page, it is an entry visa in the form of a type D sticker placed in the passport, multiple-entry and valid in the Schengen area. It is applied for at the same time as the residence permit. Official page (new tab)
“Residence permit” — residence permit: The IND groups permits by purpose: family and partner, work, study, au pair and exchange, EU and EEA citizens, EU long-term residence, other purposes and asylum. Official page (new tab)
“Return visa” — return visa: Category named by the IND and priced on its fees page. Conditions not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

For a short stay, the page consulted states that the visa application is made in the country where you live, for example at the Netherlands mission, embassy or consulate. For the Schengen visa fee, the IND refers readers to the Netherlands Worldwide site.

For a stay of more than 90 days, the page devoted to the provisional residence permit states that the MVV and the residence permit are applied for at the same time, and that the sponsor established in the Netherlands usually files the application; where there is no sponsor, the person may file the application themselves from abroad. The IND also offers appointment booking for a residence permit, a return visa, biometric data, a residence certificate, an EU registration card and the handing over of an original document.

Steps of the procedure

Determine the length of the planned stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, or beyond.
For a short stay, prepare the file and file the visa application in the country of residence, at the Netherlands mission.
Gather the proof of resources, accommodation and insurance required by the page consulted.
For a long stay, have the sponsor in the Netherlands file the MVV and residence permit application, or file it yourself from abroad.
Pay the fees published by the IND for the category applied for.
Provide biometric data when the IND requests it, by appointment.
After entering with the MVV, collect the residence permit in the Netherlands.

Documents listed by the authority

Valid passport, issued less than ten years ago.
Travel insurance covering 30,000 euros of medical expenses.
Evidence of the reasons for returning to the country of residence.
Hotel booking or letter of invitation, for a tourist or family stay.
Proof of financial means: the page states at least 55 euros per person per day of the stay.
Where applicable, an undertaking by a sponsor with sufficient income in relation to the amounts published by the IND.
For a business trip: a signed letter of invitation on headed paper, stating the identity of the person, the purpose and dates of the trip, the accommodation and who bears the costs.

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page prevails. These documents are those listed for the short-stay visa.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: for the Schengen short-stay visa, the IND refers readers to the Netherlands Worldwide site; an extension costs 30 euros, and 0 euros where it is due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control. The transit visa costs 80 euros, 40 euros for children aged 6 to 12 and 0 euros under the age of 6. The return visa costs 197 euros.

According to the same portal consulted on 2026-09-17, a first residence permit application costs 254 euros for family reunification, 254 euros for study, 423 euros for employment, and 85 euros for a child under 18 accompanying an adoptive or foster parent. The page specifies that the fees change every January 1 and apply from January 1 to December 31. No processing time is given on the pages read: Not stated on the portal consulted.

After the decision

According to the page consulted, the holder of an MVV travels to the Netherlands and collects their residence permit there. The IND provides a “My IND” area for tracking the status of an application.

The site has separate sections for extending a Schengen visa or a visa-free period of stay, converting a single-entry Schengen visa into a multiple-entry visa, and challenging a decision on a Schengen or transit visa.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Netherlands to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to the Netherlands?

It depends on nationality and purpose; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

For a short stay, in the country of residence, for example at the embassy or consulate of the Netherlands. For a long stay, the MVV and residence permit application is filed by the sponsor in the Netherlands or by the person themselves from abroad.

What is the MVV?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, it is an entry visa in the form of a type D sticker placed in the passport, multiple-entry and valid in the Schengen area; it is applied for at the same time as the residence permit.

How long can you stay on a short-stay visa?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, 90 days at most in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.

What fees are stated?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: 80 euros for a transit visa, 30 euros for a Schengen visa extension, 197 euros for a return visa, 254 euros for a first residence permit application for family reunification or study, 423 euros for employment. For the Schengen visa itself, the IND refers readers to the Netherlands Worldwide site.

What financial means must be shown for a short stay?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, at least 55 euros per person per day for the length of the stay.

Official sources

IND — service de l'immigration et de la naturalisation (new tab) Authority

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

How can we help you? | IND (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Residence permits | IND (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Short stay (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Short stay, holiday or business visa | IND (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Provisional residence permit (MVV) (new tab) read on 17 September 2026
Fees: costs of an application | IND (new tab) read on 17 September 2026

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

The fee for the Schengen short-stay visa is not published by the IND, which refers readers to the Netherlands Worldwide site: a reviewer must decide whether VisaGuideline cites that second source.
No processing time is given on the pages consulted.
The MVV requirement and visa exemptions depend on nationality: those lists fall under the rules reviewed separately and are not reproduced here.
The pages consulted do not say whether an electronic visa exists for the Netherlands.
The fees page carries reduced rates linked to certain statuses: they have not been taken up here and must be checked case by case.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

Describe your situation

Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.
Check at the source

Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.
Track what is left to do

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