Travelling with a residence permit and a return visa
Documents for a trip abroad
You are going on a trip abroad. You need the following documents:
- A valid travel document.
For example, a passport or an identity card. This can also be an foreign national’s passport or refugee’s passport. The residence permit is not a travel document. - A valid residence permit.
You need the residence permit to travel back to the Netherlands. Using the residence permit, you can show that you are allowed to be in the Netherlands. - A visa.
There are a few countries that require a visa. Always find out if you need a visa before you leave. You must apply for a visa to the embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit.
Travelling within the Schengen Area
Do you have a valid Dutch residence permit and a valid travel document? Then you do not need a visa for travelling within the Schengen Area.
Passport necessary to travel
Do you not have a (valid) passport? Then you cannot travel. You can apply for a (new) passport at the embassy or consulate of your country of origin.
Alien's passport
Are you not able to get a passport from the country of your nationality? Or do you have an asylum residence permit? In some situations you can get an alien's passport. You apply for this passport at your municipality. With this passport you can travel to all countries, but not to your country of origin. For many countries you do still need a visa.
Return visa (TKV)
Are you going on a trip abroad, but your residence permit is temporarily no longer valid? Or does your residence permit expire during your trip? Then you need a return visa to travel back to the Netherlands. With the return visa, you show that you are allowed to be in the Netherlands. Find out more about the return visa.
List of Travellers for school trips
Is a primary or secondary school, or a vocational education institution going on a school trip or excursion within the European Union (EU)? In that situation, a teacher at the school can apply for a List of Travellers for this trip. This is a visa replacement document for pupils from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland who are staying legally in the Netherlands and need a visa because of their nationality. With the List of Travellers, these pupils can travel through the EU without a visa. They do have to meet though any national entry requirements of the country they will visit during the school trip. The List of Travellers also replaces the passport if a pupil does not have one.