Immigration · Updated 13 Sep 2026 · ~11 min read

Netherlands Schengen visa (short stay) in 2026: who needs it, what it costs, how long it takes

A Schengen visa covers visits to the Netherlands of up to 90 days, for a holiday, business or family. This guide explains the 90/180-day rule, the documents and 2026 fee, where to apply, how long it takes and what to do if you are refused.

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Check the 90/180 rule Documents

Rules from Netherlands Worldwide, the IND and the European Commission · Checked 13 September 2026

Short answer

A Netherlands Schengen visa lets you stay in the Netherlands and the rest of the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for example for a holiday, a business trip or a family visit. You apply in your country of residence to the country of your main purpose of travel, between 6 months and 15 days before you go. The fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11; under 6 is free. EU rules allow 15 days for a decision, up to 45, and Netherlands Worldwide currently gives an average of 25 calendar days.

Key facts for 2026

90 days in any 180-day period is the most you can stay in the Schengen area on a Schengen visa.
€90 is the visa fee for adults; children aged 6 to 11 pay €45, and under 6 is free.
€30,000 is the minimum medical cover your travel insurance must give, in every Schengen country.
6 months before your trip is the earliest you can apply, and 15 days before is the latest.
15 days is the normal EU decision time, extendable to 45; the current Dutch average is 25 calendar days.
5 years is the longest a multiple-entry visa can be valid.
4 weeks is the time you have to object to a Dutch refusal, with the IND.

This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.

How long you can stay

The 90/180-day rule, with examples

You may spend at most 90 days in the Schengen area in any 180-day period, in one trip or spread over several. On any day of your stay, count back 180 days: the days you spent in the Schengen area in that window may not add up to more than 90. The EU’s short-stay calculator does the counting for you.

30 days used. If you have spent 30 days in the Schengen area within a 180-day period, you have at most 60 days left in that period.
90 days in a row. After 90 consecutive days, you must wait at least 90 days before entering the Schengen area again, whether your visa is single-entry or multiple-entry (Netherlands Worldwide).
Your sticker can say less. The ‘duration of stay’ on your visa sets your limit, and it may be shorter than 90 days. A visa valid for 1 year does not let you stay for a year (Netherlands Worldwide).
Residence permits are different. Days on an EU residence permit or a long-stay visa do not count towards the rule.

Nationality

Who needs a Netherlands Schengen visa

Whether you need a Schengen visa depends on your nationality; our Netherlands visa guide lists the countries whose citizens can visit without one. Staying longer than 90 days, for work, study or family? Then you need a residence permit instead; see our guide to residence permit types. If you are visiting the Netherlands from Canada, you don’t need a Schengen visa for short stays, though ETIAS is on its way.

Visa facilitation. Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss nationals, family members of Dutch nationals and parents of a Dutch child under 18 may get a Schengen visa through a special procedure, without the visa fee (Netherlands Worldwide).
Urgent visa. Only to visit a terminally ill family member in the first or second degree, or to attend their funeral. The IND decides, and the visa is valid for the Netherlands only (Netherlands Worldwide).

Visa types

Single-entry, multiple-entry and the purpose of your trip

A single-entry visa lets you enter the Schengen area once; a multiple-entry visa lets you enter as often as you like while it is valid. Your sticker says ‘1’ or ‘MULT’ under number of entries. A single-entry visa is valid for at most 90 days and a multiple-entry visa for up to 5 years, though yours may be shorter.

Purpose of travel	What its checklist adds	Checklist
Tourism	A hotel reservation or rental agreement for the whole trip, or proof of property you own in the Netherlands	Tourism checklist
Visiting family or friends	A proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation form, signed by your host and legalised by their Dutch municipality, plus a copy of their Dutch ID, passport or residence permit	Family and friends checklist
Business trip or official visit	An invitation from the company or event with your details, the dates and the reasons for the visit	Business checklist

Netherlands Worldwide also has checklists for medical reasons, study or events, seafarers and family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens (list). With more than one purpose, use the checklist for your main one.

Checklist

Documents for a Schengen visa application

Every application needs the same core documents, and the checklist for your purpose adds the rest. Babies and children must also be there in person in most cases. Our Netherlands visa application guide turns this into a printable checklist.

Document	What it must show
Application form	Filled in online for yourself, then printed and signed; only forms made online get the unique code (form)
Passport	No more than 10 years old, at least 2 empty visa pages, valid 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, and signed
Photo	Colour and no more than 6 months old; not needed at VFS Global or TLScontact, which take a digital photo
Legal residence	Proof that you live legally in the country where you apply, such as a residence permit valid 3 months after you leave
Ties to home	An employer statement plus 3 months of bank statements or payslips; a business permit or tax return if self-employed; proof of enrolment if you study
Accommodation	A hotel reservation or rental agreement for the whole trip
Paying for the trip	Who pays for travel and stay; if you do, bank statements for the last 3 months and 3 recent payslips. You need at least €55 per person per day, or a sponsor (sponsorship)
Travel reservation	A booking in your name to and from the Schengen area; you do not need a paid ticket
Travel medical insurance	In your name, valid in all Schengen countries for your whole stay, with at least €30,000 of medical cover including repatriation (requirements)
Children under 18	If travelling without one or both parents: a recent birth certificate extract and consent from the parent not travelling

Source: the tourism checklist on Netherlands Worldwide. You sign a statement that an incomplete application may be rejected, and that the fee is then not refunded.

Costs

Schengen visa fee for the Netherlands in 2026

A Schengen visa costs €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11 in 2026; children under 6 pay nothing (Netherlands Worldwide fee list).

No visa fee for visa facilitation; school pupils, students or accompanying teachers travelling for their studies; researchers travelling for research or a seminar; and people aged 25 or under representing a non-profit organisation at an event (Netherlands Worldwide).
Service costs. VFS Global and TLScontact charge their own service costs, even when you pay no visa fee.
No refunds. Neither the visa fee nor the service charges are refunded if your visa is refused (Netherlands Worldwide).

Applying

Where to apply: your country of residence and your main destination

You apply in the country where you live, to the Schengen country of your main purpose of travel. With the same purpose in several countries, apply to the one where you stay longest; with equal stays, to the one you enter first. A business trip to the Netherlands with a longer holiday in Sweden afterwards still means applying to the Netherlands (Netherlands Worldwide).

You may apply outside your country of residence only if there is no application location there, if you can prove you have not been there for the past 6 months, or if you did not know you would need to travel when you left, for example for medical treatment. A slow appointment system or a long journey is not a reason (Netherlands Worldwide).

In India, for example, you apply at VFS Global in 12 cities, from Ahmedabad to New Delhi (Netherlands Worldwide). Our visa appointment guide lists where to book in 16 countries. If you live in Bangladesh, see how the Schengen visa from Bangladesh works through the VFS Global centre in Dhaka.

Applying from a specific country? See our guides for India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey, Dubai and the UAE, the UK, the US.

Timeline

How long a Netherlands Schengen visa takes

Apply between 6 months and 15 days before your trip; the EU decision time is 15 days, and up to 45 when more checks are needed (European Commission).

Right now: 25 calendar days on average, because of the high season. The clock starts when the Consular Services Organization has your documents and passport (Netherlands Worldwide).
Longer waits come from high volume, a closer look at your application or extra documents. For some nationalities other Schengen countries are consulted, which takes up to 7 days within the 45.
The email is not the decision. It says your application has been processed, not whether you got the visa. Follow it with our Netherlands visa tracking guide.

Refusals

Refused? How to object

If the Netherlands refused your visa, you can object (bezwaar maken) to the IND within 4 weeks, free of charge. The period starts 1 day after the decision is announced. If another Schengen country decided, you object in that country (IND).

How. In a letter or by secure email, in Dutch, English, German or French, with your name, date of birth and address, the date, why the decision is wrong, your signature and a copy of the decision. For a family or friends visit, your host can object online for you.
How long. The IND has 6 weeks to decide and can extend by 6 more.
If you win, you have 6 months to enter on the visa. You pay no new visa fee, but VFS Global or TLScontact charge their service fee again (Netherlands Worldwide).
If you lose, you can ask a court to review the decision, or apply again.
Travelling soon? A new application is the faster route, but you pay the visa fee again. Read the refusal letter first and fix what was missing.

Visa refused for a visit to family or friends?

Your host in the Netherlands can object for you, and the deadline is 4 weeks. Tell Finn what the refusal letter says. We prepare the case and introduce your host to an independent immigration lawyer who works in English. Most clients are introduced to a lawyer within one business day.

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Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for visiting or moving to the Netherlands.

Visas

Which Netherlands visa you need

Short or long stay, the visa-exempt countries and every residence permit route.

Applying

Book a visa appointment

VFS Global, TLScontact or the embassy: where to book in 16 countries.

Applying

Track your visa application

The official trackers and what each stage of the process means.

Permits

Types of residence permit

For stays longer than 90 days: the main permits side by side.

Overview

All immigration guides

Every FindLawyer immigration guide, plus the pages for your city.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa?

Check that the Netherlands is your main destination, then choose your country of residence on Netherlands Worldwide. Fill in your own application form online, print and sign it, and gather the documents on the checklist for your purpose of travel. Book an appointment, usually with VFS Global or TLScontact, between 6 months and 15 days before your trip, and hand everything in yourself.

How much does a Schengen visa for the Netherlands cost in 2026?

The fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, and children under 6 pay nothing. Some applicants are exempt, such as people eligible for visa facilitation, students travelling for their studies and researchers. Applying through VFS Global or TLScontact adds their service costs, even when no visa fee is due, and neither amount is refunded if the visa is refused.

How long does a Netherlands Schengen visa take?

EU rules give 15 days, extendable to 45 when an application needs a closer look or extra documents. Netherlands Worldwide currently gives an average of 25 calendar days because of the high season. The clock starts once the Consular Services Organization has your documents and passport, and for some nationalities other Schengen countries are consulted, which can take up to 7 days within the 45.

Can I stay 90 days in a row on a Schengen visa?

Yes, if the duration of stay on your visa says 90 and the visa is still valid. After 90 consecutive days in the Schengen area, you must wait at least 90 days before entering again, even with a multiple-entry visa. Check the duration of stay on your sticker first: it can be shorter than 90 days, and then that shorter number is your limit.

Can I apply for a Netherlands tourist visa from India?

Yes. In India you apply at a VFS Global centre in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune or New Delhi, which also serve residents of Afghanistan and Bhutan. Book the appointment yourself, one per person, and bring the documents on the tourism checklist. The embassy never asks anyone to pay visa fees into a bank account.

I am visiting several Schengen countries. Where do I apply?

Apply to the country of your main purpose of travel. With the same purpose in each country, choose the one where you will spend the most time, and with equal stays, the first one you enter. A business trip to the Netherlands followed by a longer holiday in Sweden still means applying to the Netherlands. Applying to the wrong country gets the application rejected.

What can I do if my Schengen visa is refused?

If the Netherlands decided, you can object to the IND within 4 weeks; the period starts 1 day after the decision is announced, and objecting is free. The IND has 6 weeks to decide and can take 6 more. For a trip coming up soon, Netherlands Worldwide says a new application is your best option, but you pay the visa fee again.

Can I extend my Schengen visa in the Netherlands?

Only in a special and unexpected situation, such as a serious illness, that stops you from leaving. You apply at an IND desk from 3 weeks before your visa ends, with proof of the situation, insurance for the extra time and at least €55 per person per day. It costs €30, unless the reason is beyond your control or humanitarian.

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Official sources, checked 13 September 2026

Final notes and legal disclaimer

This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
No rights can be derived from this article.
For decisions about a Schengen visa application, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service. Legal advice comes from the independent lawyer.

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