The Netherlands is one of the European and Schengen countries where you will find the majority of Indians as they are the most traveled global citizens. Besides, many Indian nationals live, work, and school in Europe.
Therefore, if you want to travel to the Netherlands, make sure to apply for a Netherlands visa from India. This article will discuss all the essentials of this visa, from types to requirements and application fees.
Are Indians Required to Get a Visa to Travel to the Netherlands?
Yes. Indian citizens need a visa to travel to the Netherlands. This is because India is not on the list of visa-free countries as authorized by the Dutch government. Therefore, you are required to get a pre-approved visa before taking a flight to Amsterdam.
Types of the Netherlands Visas for Indians
Based on various purposes including tourism, business, study, medical treatment, etc, you need to choose from several types of visas to travel to the Netherlands.
This section discusses the major and minor categories of visas that you can apply for.
Schengen visa
The most common of all visas is a Schengen visa. It is also known as a short-term or Type C visa that allows you to stay for almost 90 days in the target country. Besides, it is valid for up to 180 days.
Subcategories
- A seafarer visa allows seamen from a country with a visa requirement who want to join a ship at a Dutch port to travel to the Netherlands. Moreover, you can apply for this visa for up to nine months before your trip.
- If you are working in a company that is registered with the Netherlands Embassy in India, you can apply for a business visa through the Orange Carpet Facility Program.
- A Schengen business visa allows you to travel to the Netherlands to attend business meetings and conferences. You cannot start paid employment unless you have a work permit.
- Furthermore, traveling to the Netherlands for sightseeing and tourism purposes requires you to apply for a tourist visa.
- A medical treatment visa permits you to travel to the destination country for medical purposes.
- You can use a visa to visit family and friends who are living in the Netherlands. They can also sponsor your trip.
- Official and diplomatic passport holders can apply for an official visit visa to travel to the Netherlands for official purposes.
- If you want to participate or engage in any of the cultural or religious events happening in the Netherlands, you can apply for a cultural, sports, and religious events visa.
- Citizens of certain countries need an airport transit visa to change their flights at the international airport of the Netherlands and the Schengen Area. Besides, you can contact the embassy to check if you need it or not.
- An entry visa will help you to return to your country in case you are a non-Dutch who has lost your documents in the destination country.
- Last but not least, a visa after approved appeal will allow you to travel to the Netherlands after you send an objection letter to the embassy for the wrongful visa rejection reason.
Long stay visa (MVV)
On the other hand, if you want to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a provisional residence permit (MVV). Alternatively, it is also known as a long-stay or Type D visa.
In addition, you can use it for reasons including work, study, or living with a family member. For this purpose, you can submit your application to the Netherlands Immigration and Naturalization Service IND.
Dutch Caribbean visa
Lastly, if you want to visit the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, you have to apply for a Dutch Caribbean visa. These include Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten.
The need for this visa depends on your nationality and the stay duration.
Subclasses
It has the following subclasses.
- Planning to live in the Caribbean parts for almost 90 days, apply for a short-stay Caribbean visa. It is a multiple-entry visa, valid for one hundred and eighty days. Besides, it does not allow you to travel to other European/Schengen countries and you cannot take on paid employment while living in any of the Dutch Caribbean parts.
- On the other hand, a long-stay Caribbean visa permits you to travel and live in any of the above-mentioned Caribbean parts for more than 90 days.
- If you are a frequent visitor to Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius, and St Maarten, you can apply for a short-stay visa through the Caribbean carpet program. Applying through this channel gives you an advantage, i.e., your visa will stay valid for a longer period.
What Documents Do I Require to Apply for a Netherlands Visa from India?
The following are the supporting documents required for Netherlands visa from India.
Passport
Indian citizens are required to submit their original passport to the embassy with a validity of at least three months ahead of their stay in the Netherlands. Moreover, it should have two blank pages.
Visa application form
Another requirement is to complete the Netherlands visa application form which you can download online or get through the embassy. Make sure to fill it out with the accurate information.
Pictures
Moreover, a Netherlands visa application requires you to submit two passport-size pictures that are according to the Schengen photo guidelines. For instance, it should not be older than the last three months, must be sharp, and of HD quality.
Proof of accommodation
Furthermore, you must have a place to stay during your journey to the Netherlands. This requires you to show proof of accommodation either in the form of a hotel reservation or a rental contract for an apartment or house.
You can read this guide to learn how to book a hotel with RFV Travels easily.
Proof of flight reservation
One of the most important requirements of this visa process is to have proof of flight reservation. This document will help the embassy analyze that you have concrete plans of flying to the Netherlands by showing details such as your flight number, travel dates and times, IATA codes, etc.
Cover letter
A cover letter for a visa is another essential document that you must have to support your visa application. You can include information such as the reason for traveling, stay duration, any other plans, etc.
You can get this document from coverletterforvisa.com at a minimal cost.
Travel health insurance
A travel health insurance policy is a mandatory visa document that you must have when traveling to a Schengen region. This should have a coverage amount of at least 30,000 to 45,000 euros to bear expenses such as hospitalization, surgery, repatriation, evacuation, luggage loss, etc.
Proof of financial resources
Your trip to the Netherlands requires you to have a sufficient amount to manage your daily expenses. For this purpose, the embassy may ask you to submit your financial documents including a bank statement, salary slip, or income tax return.
Documents for minors
In case a minor is traveling with you, make sure that you have certain documents with you. For example, this includes a consent letter from the parents, a passport of the guardians, a birth certificate of the child, or a court order letter.
Additional documents
Depending on your employment status, you may need to submit an employment contract, a no objection certificate, a bank statement, a company registration certificate, a salary slip, an income tax return, a letter of sponsorship, or a pension slip.
Where Can I Apply for a Netherlands Visa in India?
Indian citizens have two options on where they can submit their Netherlands visa application in India.
The first one is the Embassy of the Netherlands in India. The following details will help you locate the embassy easily.
Location: 6/50 F Shantipath Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021, India
Phone number: +91 11 2419 7600
Fax: +91 11 24197710
Secondly, you can also apply through VFS Netherlands India. VFS Global is an application center outsourced by the Netherlands’ government to work on behalf of the embassy. Various cities in India have several application centers including those in Mumbai, Pune, Puducherry, Chennai, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Goa, New Delhi, Kochi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.
Applying for a Netherlands Visa from India
Follow the steps given below to apply for a Netherlands visa from India.
Step 1: Check if you need a visa
The first step requires you to identify whether you need a visa or not. Since you are an Indian, you must have a permit to travel to the Netherlands. Citizens of EU and EEA countries do not require a Schengen visa to travel to this European country.
After that, select the visa type considering the purpose of your trip. For this purpose, you can visit the official website of VFS Global and enter the home and target countries. This will take you to a new page.
Step 2: Collect the documents
Once your visa type has been selected, start gathering the required documents. This will give you ample time to put them in a logical sequence. Besides, the selection of the documents depends on the purpose of your travel.
After that, make sure to fill out a visa application form. You can download and print it from the official portal of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Step 3: Book an appointment
You can schedule a Netherlands visa appointment India through VFS Global or by calling the embassy directly. This is necessary to give your biometric data such as fingerprints and photos. After completing this step, you will receive a confirmation email.
Step 4: Visit the application center
On the day of your appointment, visit the nearest application center of VFS Global in your jurisdiction. This step requires you to submit your documents along with the application form.
Moreover, make sure to pay the application fee either in cash or through a debit or credit card.
Besides, the visa officer may ask you for a short and quick interview before or after depositing the visa fee.
Step 5: Track your application
After completing the above steps, wait for the answer from the embassy. Meanwhile, you can do Netherlands visa tracking India online by entering the reference number or your date of birth.
Step 6: Collect your passport
Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email to collect your passport from the center on the given date and time.
Step 7: Prepare for the trip
Lastly, with an approved visa, you can begin your journey to the Netherlands from India. Always make sure to follow the rules and regulations of the target country.
Netherlands Visa Application Fee for Indians
When applying for a Netherlands visa from India, you need to pay the application fee depending on your visa type and the age group to which you belong.
For more details related to the visa fee, you can visit the official website of the Dutch government.
However, the following fee structure will help you identify the standard amount.
| Visa type | Fee in Euros | Amount in Indian Rupees |
| Schengen visa | Child (6-11)= 45 € | Child (6-11)= 3,994 INR |
| Adults= 90 € | Adults= 7,987 INR | |
| Airport transit visa | Child (6-11)= 45 € | Child (6-11)= 3,994 INR |
| Adults= 90 € | Adults= 7,987 INR | |
| Caribbean visa | Child (6-11)= 40 € | Child (6-11)= 3,550 INR |
| Adults= 80 € | Adults= 7,100 INR | |
| Entry visa | Child (6-11)= 45 € | Child (6-11)= 3,994 INR |
| Adults= 90 € | Adults= 7,987 INR |
Surprisingly, children below six are free to travel to the Netherlands.
Irrespective of this amount, you need to pay an additional 1,592 INR in the name of VFS Netherlands visa fees.
Processing Time for a Netherlands Visa from India
The standard Netherlands visa processing time India is almost 20-25 working days. However, the period gets extended to an additional two weeks in rare cases. For instance, this includes the application volume, the workload on the embassy, and the completion of your documents.
So, you are requested to apply in advance (at least three to four months) before your intended date of departure.
Frequently Asked Questions- Netherlands Visa from India
- Can I stay in the Netherlands for five years with a Schengen visa?
Yes, you can. However, to get a multiple-entry visa valid for five years, you must have used a previous multiple-entry visa legally valid for almost two years within a period of three years.
- What can I do if my Netherlands visa is rejected?
If your Netherlands visa is rejected, you can use any of the following two options. For instance, you can either appeal the decision if you think that the reason for rejection is unjustified. Secondly, you can reapply for a new visa application in case the reason for rejection is correct, i.e., you have submitted a fake document.
- Is it possible to travel to other European countries with a Netherlands visa?
Yes, a Netherlands visa allows you to travel and visit other neighboring European countries. This is because the Netherlands is a Schengen country and this region has zero internal borders thus allowing free movement of goods and people.
- Is there a visa for Indians upon arrival in the Netherlands?
Unfortunately, the nationals of India cannot get a visa on arrival in the Netherlands. Therefore, citizens who have a legal Indian passport must get a paper visa from the Netherlands Embassy in India to enter the country’s jurisdiction.
- What are the consequences of overstaying a Netherlands visa?
If you have a valid reason for extending your Netherlands visa, you can do so by visiting the nearest Immigration Office. As a result, they can legally start the extension process.
However, if you do not have a genuine reason, you must leave the country before your visa expires because overstaying it will result in deportation, fines, or jail.
Read also: Poland Visa from India