Short stay, holiday or business visa

You can travel to the Netherlands and other Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days without a visa. You will, however, still need to meet the following requirements:

• You have a valid passport or other travel document. Your passport may not have been issued more than 10 years ago. The passport must also be valid for at least another 3 months after your departure from the Netherlands.
• You are not a danger to the public order or national security. Or to the international relations of a Schengen country.
• You have travel insurance including medical cover taken out in your name. This is not required if you do not need a visa. Your sponsor may take out this insurance for you in the Netherlands. The insurance must cover at least €30,000 for medical expenses in the Schengen Area. In any event, the insurance must cover the following:
  • Costs of return to your country of origin for medical reasons. The country of origin is the country of your nationality.
  • Urgent medical care.
  • Urgent treatment in hospital.
• You have enough reasons to return to your country of origin, or country of continuous residence. For example, because you work there, have school-age children or your own house. A return ticket alone is not enough. The country of continuous residence is the country where you are allowed to stay for more than 3 months, because you have a valid residence permit there or you are waiting for a decision on a residence application. 

Extra requirements for holiday or family visit

• You have a travel purpose in the Netherlands. You can show this, for example, with a hotel reservation in the Netherlands. Or with an invitation from a sponsor. This sponsor has a valid residence permit or is a Dutch national.
• You have enough money for your stay in the Netherlands, and the transit journey or return journey. You have at least €55 per person per day for the duration of the stay. Or someone in the Netherlands guarantees this for you. This can be the sponsor, but also another person. The person giving this guarantee must meet the income requirements.

Extra requirements for business visit

• You have a business travel purpose of economic interest to the Netherlands. Examples of business purposes are the following:
  • o    consultation with or training at a business division located in the Netherlands;
  • o    purchase and sale of products, business payments and offers; 
  • o    going to a trade fair, conference or seminar;
  • o    participation in a cultural or sport event;
  • o    diplomatic visit (diplomats);
  • o    traineeship or study (less than 90 days).
• You have been invited by a business or organisation. For example a foundation, volunteer organisation or sports club in the Netherlands. The invitation may come from a foreign organisation, but the travel destination must be the Netherlands.

At the border, the Aliens Police (Aliens Police, Identification and Human Trafficking Department or AVIM) may check whether you meet the requirements.

Collect documents

You may need the following documents for a check:

• A valid passport or other travel document
• An option on or (provisional) reservation of a return ticket
• A copy of proof of travel insurance including cover of medical expenses. This is not compulsory, but it is recommended.

Extra documents for holiday or family visit

• Evidence of your travel purpose, for example:
  • a reservation for a hotel or other accommodation; 
  • an invitation from the person you will be staying with in the Netherlands.
• Evidence that you have enough money for your stay in the Netherlands and for the transit journey or return journey. For example 1 or more bank statements, travel cheques or cash. Will someone in the Netherlands guarantee the costs of your travel and accommodation? You can use your own guarantee. Your guarantor can use the form Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation
  Bewijs Garantstelling en/of particuliere logiesverstrekking (E) 1310 (PDF, 212.39 KB)
• Evidence that you have enough reasons to return to your country of origin or country of continuous residence, for example:
  • Employer’s declaration;
  • proof of registration of your children at a school;
  • proof of title to your own home and/or other immovable property.

Extra documents for a business visit

• An original, signed invitation letter from a company or organisation in the Netherlands. The company or organisation can write its own letter. The letter must, however, be written on letterhead stationery of the company or organisation. A small company can also use the form Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation
  Bewijs Garantstelling en/of particuliere logiesverstrekking (E) 1310 (PDF, 212.39 KB)
  The invitation letter must contain at least this information:
  • your personal details (name, date of birth, passport number);
  • the reason why you will come to the Netherlands (purpose of travel);
  • the period that you will stay in the Netherlands (with arrival and departure date)
  • information on who is responsible for which costs (plane ticket, hotel, transport, medical insurance);
  • information on where you will stay during your short stay in the Netherlands;
  • statement that the company or organisation will be your sponsor, and that you will return on time to your country of origin or country of continuous residence.
• Evidence showing that you or the company you work for has enough money for your stay in the Netherlands, and for the transit journey or return journey. For example:
  • a statement by the company that the company will pay all costs of your journey to and stay in the Netherlands. The company may also state this in the invitation letter; 
  • proof of business done previously or pro forma invoices;
  • registration in a commercial register abroad;
  • proof of enough money to make business payments and pay for offers; 
  • copies of bank statements from the last 6 months showing that you have enough money of your own;
  • proof of payment of taxes. 
• Evidence showing that you have a job in your country of origin or country of continuous residence. For example an employer’s declaration or employment contract.

Have official documents from abroad legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

You are allowed to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within a period of 180 days. Did you stay in the Schengen Area for 90 days in a row? In that case you have to wait 90 days before you can travel to the Schengen Area again. You can also spread the 90 days across the period of 180 days.

Longer duration of stay for certain nationalities

Do you have the nationality of one of the following countries? In that case you will be allowed to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 3 months out of a period of 6 months.

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Brazil
• Mauritius
• Saint Kitts & Nevis
• Seychelles

Short stay calculator

Do you want to know how many days you are allowed to stay in the Schengen Area after your entry? You can calculate this on the website of the European Commission with the short stay calculator. You can also use this tool to plan your journey.
 

Do you want to work in the Netherlands during your visa-exempt period? Your employer may need a work permit (in Dutch: tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV). This also applies if you do voluntary work or an unpaid assignment.

Citizen service number

In addition, you may need a citizen service number (in Dutch: burgerservicenummer or BSN). The local council gives you this number when you register in the Register of Non-Residents (in Dutch: Registratie Niet-Ingezetenen or RNI). For more information, visit the website of the local council (in Dutch: gemeente) where you live or work. Or visit the  website of Netherlandswordwide.