Applying for a visa

Short-stay visa/Schengen visa

The Netherlands is part of the Schengen Area, and the corresponding Acquis. This means that the short-stay visa/Schengen visa allows you to stay in the entire Schengen area, which includes 26 countries (22 of the 26 EU member countries and 4 EFTA countries), for up to 90 days in a period of 180 days. You can travel freely throughout the Schengen area while your visa is valid. If you are applying for this visa and you intend to leave and re-enter the area, you can select the 'multiple-entry option'. You should always submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country that is your main destination, in your case the Netherlands. If you are a business traveller and travel to the Netherlands frequently, you or your employer may wish to use the 'Orange Carpet' Visa Facility, which saves time and money if a short-term visa is frequently required.

The most common types of visas for the Netherlands can be found on the website of the Dutch government:

• Short-stay visa (less than 3 months)
• Long-stay visa (over 3 months)

Long-stay visa/Authorisation for temporary stay

If you want to stay in the Netherlands for a period longer than 90 days, you may need a residence permit. In many cases you will also need a long-stay visa before you travel here. This type of visa is called a Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf in Dutch and you will therefore often encounter the abbreviation MVV, even on Dutch websites that are fully English. You can enter your country or area in the search bar on this web page to check the regulations, prerequisites and requirements for citizens from your country who would like to work in the Netherlands.

Do I even need a visa?

If you are from a Schengen country or have a valid residence permit for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or the United Kingdom stating that you are family of a citizen of the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, you might not need a visa. The conditions are very strict, however, so you may want to read into the specific rules that apply to your nationality. Find out if your nationality is on the list of countries whose nationals need a visa. If you have more than one nationality, the passport you travel with will determine whether you need a visa or not. The most recent information on visas can be found on the website of the Dutch government.