Travelling within the Schengen Area with a residence permit or visa
Schengen countries
The Netherlands is part of the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area consists of different European countries. There are no border controls within the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area consists of the following countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark (without the Faeroes and Greenland)
- Estonia
- Finland
- France (without French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion)
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway (without Spitsbergen)
- Poland
- Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira)
- Romania
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Spain (including the Balearic and Canary Islands)
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Documents required to travel within the Schengen Area
Do you want to travel within the Schengen Area? Then you need specific documents. Find out with which document you are allowed to travel within the Schengen Area and how long you are allowed to travel with that document.
Passport or other travel document always required
You always need a passport or other travel document for a journey abroad. This is also the case for a journey within the Schengen Area. Your passport or travel document must not have been issued more than 10 years ago. The passport or other travel document must also be valid for at least another 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area.
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Travellers with the nationality of a Schengen country
open minusTravellers with the nationality of a Schengen country are free to travel to all countries in the Schengen Area. They do not need any extra document besides their passport or other travel document.
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Travellers with residence permits
open minusWhat if you do not have the nationality of a Schengen country but do have a valid Dutch residence permit? Then you are allowed to be in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Besides your passport or other travel document, take your residence permit with you when you travel.
Travelling in the Netherlands after your residence permit has expired
Is your residence permit expiring and you will not continue to live in the Netherlands? But do you wish to stay in the Netherlands for an additional maximum of 90 days after the end of your permit? Read about a short stay after end of residence permit.
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Travellers with a provisional residence permit (mvv)
open minusDo you not have a residence permit, but you do have a valid provisional residence permit (in Dutch: machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf or MVV)? Then you are allowed to enter and exit the Netherlands and other countries in the Schengen Area. The MVV is a sticker in your passport.
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Other travellers
open minusYou do not have the nationality of a Schengen country. Nor do you have a valid residence permit or valid provisional residence permit (MVV). In that case you sometimes need a visa to travel in the Schengen Area. This can be a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa.
No visa needed
Do you not need a visa? Then you are allowed to be in the Schengen Area in the visa-free period for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. In this period you are allowed to enter and exit the Schengen Area several times. You do not need an extra document besides your passport or other travel document.
Do you want to be in another Schengen country for a short stay? Then you do not have to first leave the Schengen Area. Do contact the authorities of the country you want to visit.
Single entry visa
You have a valid single-entry Schengen visa. You may enter the Schengen Area once with this visa. You may be in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. When you arrive in the Schengen Area, you must show that the Netherlands is your destination.
Multiple entry visa
You have a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa. You may enter and exit the Schengen Area several times with this visa. You may be in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The first time you enter the Schengen Area you must show that the Netherlands is your destination.