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Whether or not you need a visa to visit the Kingdom of the Netherlands, known usually as simply the Netherlands, depends on a number of factors like your purpose of visit, length of stay, and most importantly, your nationality.
If you are thinking of paying a visit to Amsterdam, but are not sure if you need a visa, this article will help you. So, scroll down to see whether you need to apply for a Dutch visa.
Do I need a Netherlands Transit Visa?
You only need an Airport Transit Visa for Netherlands if you are traveling to a non-Schengen area country and if your country appears on the list of nationals who require one. Those countries include:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Cuba
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
However, this does not apply if you hold a service or special/official passport.
Dutch Airport Transit Visa Exemptions
Exemptions for an airport transit visa (ATV) also apply in the following cases:
- If you are a holder of a visa or residence permit for a country in the EU, the EEA, or the Schengen Area
- If you hold a visa for Japan, Canada, or the United States
- If you hold a diplomatic passport
- If you are a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen
- If you have a residence permit which gives you unlimited return for Canada, Japan, the US, Andorra, and San Marino
- If you are part of an on-duty aircrew as well as a citizen of a member country of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Please note, however, that you only need an airport transit visa if your final destination is a non-Schengen area country. If you are stopping in the Netherlands to board a plane to a Schengen country, you need a regular short-stay visa also known as a Schengen visa.
Also note that a transit visa does not permit you to stay in the country for any period of time, meaning you cannot leave the airport.
Do I need a Netherlands Schengen Visa?
A Netherlands Schengen visa, also known as a “C” visa, allows you to stay in any member country of the Schengen area, including the Netherlands, for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period.
You do not need a Schengen visa visa to visit the Netherlands if you are:
- A national of a Schengen area country (the passport-free zone encompassing 26 Eurpoean countries).
- A national of a country in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or from Switzerland.
- Your country is exempt from a Schengen visa.
Who does not need a Netherlands Schengen visa?
Citizens from the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland can travel freely to the Netherlands without a visa or a residence permit.
You do not need a visa for the Netherlands if you have a residence permit or long-stay visa issued by another country of the Schengen area.
Also, you do not need a Netherlands Schengen visa if you hold a valid residence permit for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or the United Kingdom which states that you are a family member of a citizen from the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland.
Note that citizens of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and Serbia do not need a visa for the Netherlands only if they possess a biometric passport.
Citizens of Taiwan do not need a visa only if their ID card number is included on their passport.
Do I need a Netherlands Caribbean Visa?
The countries who need to apply for a short-stay visa to visit the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands of are the same as the ones who need a Schengen visa.
The Caribbean parts of the Kingdom include: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten.
A Dutch Caribbean visa, like a Schengen visa, allows you to stay in the Caribbean parts for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period. Unlike a Schengen visa, however, you cannot use a Caribbean visa to visit another Schengen area country.
You will most likely not need a Caribbean visa if you are simply transitioning through the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom or are a part of a cruise ship.
If you want to stay in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom for more than 90 days, you will have to apply for a Dutch long-term visa and a residence permit.
Do I need a Netherlands Long-Stay Visa?
Depending on your nationality and purpose of stay, you may need a Dutch MVV visa and/or a residence permit to stay in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days.
You do NOT need a Dutch long-stay visa nor a residence permit to stay in the Netherlands only if you are a citizen of:
- An EU member state.
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
You do NOT need an MVV, but DO need a Dutch residence permit if you are a citizen of:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- San Marino
- South Korea
- The United States
- Vatican City
If you are a citizen of another country, other than the ones listed above, whether you need a long-stay visa, a residence permit, or both depends on the reason you are travelling to the Netherlands.