Netherlands Visa Appointment 2026: VFS, Embassy & IND Desks

Short answer

To book a Netherlands visa appointment abroad, open your country’s page on Netherlands Worldwide: most countries book online with VFS Global, China with TLScontact, and Nigeria through Belgian or French TLScontact centres. Book it yourself, one appointment per person, between 6 months and 15 days before you travel. In the UK, VFS Global has centres in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. Already in the Netherlands? Once the IND letter arrives, book biometrics, the collection of your residence document or a sticker in the IND appointment planner. The IND desks are in Amsterdam, The Hague, Den Bosch and Zwolle.

Key facts for 2026

6 months before your trip is the earliest you can apply for a Schengen visa, and 15 days before is the latest.
12 is the age from which you give fingerprints at a visa appointment; children under 18 must also come in person.
3 months is the time Netherlands Worldwide gives applicants in India, the UK and the US to apply for the MVV sticker after the IND letter.
90 days is how long an MVV sticker stays valid; you collect your residence permit in the Netherlands within that time.
4 IND desks offer every IND appointment: Amsterdam, The Hague, Den Bosch and Zwolle.
2 weeks after your biometrics is when the IND aims to have your residence document ready.
€197 is the 2026 price of a return visa; biometrics and a residence endorsement sticker cost nothing.
8 September 2026 is the day the IND Service Point in Nijmegen opened.

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.

Abroad

Netherlands visa appointment abroad: where to book

In most countries you book a Netherlands visa appointment online with VFS Global; China uses TLScontact, and Nigeria sends you to Belgian or French TLScontact centres. You normally apply in the country where you live (Netherlands Worldwide). What to bring and how long the visa takes are in our Netherlands Schengen visa guide.

Country you live in	Where you apply	Application centres
India Our guide for Indians	VFS Global	12 cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore
United Kingdom Our guide for the UK	VFS Global	Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, Manchester
United States Our guide for Americans	VFS Global	7 cities, including New York, Chicago and San Francisco
Türkiye Our guide for Turkish citizens	VFS Global	8 cities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir
Nigeria Our guide for Nigerians	TLScontact: the Belgian centre for the states listed on the page, the French centre for the rest	Abuja, Lagos
South Africa Our guide for South Africans	VFS Global	Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria
Pakistan Our guide for Pakistanis	VFS Global	Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore
China	TLScontact	15 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou
Morocco	VFS Global	Rabat, Tangier
Egypt	VFS Global	Cairo
Indonesia	VFS Global	Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya
Philippines	VFS Global	Cebu, Makati
United Arab Emirates Our guide for Dubai and the UAE	VFS Global	Abu Dhabi, Dubai
Saudi Arabia	VFS Global	Al Khobar, Dhahran, Jeddah, Riyadh
Ghana	VFS Global	Accra
Kenya	VFS Global	Nairobi

Each country page says who may apply there; the centres in India, for example, also take residents of Afghanistan and Bhutan.

5 steps

Book your visa appointment, step by step

Have your passport and travel plans ready, then follow these steps.

Check where you can applyOpen your country’s page on Netherlands Worldwide from the table above. It names the application centres and says who may apply there.
Fill in the form and gather the documentsComplete your own Schengen visa application form online, then print and sign it. Collect every document on the checklist for your main purpose of travel.
Book the appointment yourselfBook online with VFS Global or TLScontact, no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before your trip. Make a separate appointment for each person, and do not use an intermediary.
Go to the appointment in personBring your passport, the documents on your checklist and the checklist itself. You give fingerprints if you are 12 or older, answer questions about your trip and pay the visa fee.
Choose how you get your passport backSay whether you will collect your passport or have it sent. You also get a reference number to follow your application online.

VFS Global and TLScontact charge service costs on top of the visa fee, even when you pay no visa fee (Netherlands Worldwide). The full document list is in our Netherlands visa application guide. Afterwards, follow your application with our Netherlands visa tracking guide.

United Kingdom

Netherlands visa appointment in the UK

If you live in the UK, you book a Schengen visa appointment online with VFS Global and apply in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London or Manchester.

Only for people who live in the UK. British passport holders need no visa for a visit (Netherlands Worldwide).
Diplomatic or official passport? You apply at the Netherlands embassy in London instead.
Orange Carpet Visa Facility. If your company or organisation is registered for it, you can apply at VFS Global without an appointment, from 8:30 to 11:30, Monday to Friday (Netherlands Worldwide).
MVV visa sticker. Only at the embassy in London, and only if your IND letter says so. Collect it without an appointment on Tuesday 13:30 to 15:30 or Friday 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 15:30, or have it sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery (Netherlands Worldwide).

Long stay

MVV visa sticker appointments

Once the IND approves your long stay, you book an appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate-general that the IND letter names, usually in your country of residence (Netherlands Worldwide).

Book in good time. On the Netherlands Worldwide pages for India, the UK and the US you have 3 months from the IND letter to apply, and appointments fill up quickly (India page).
Bring your passport, valid for at least 6 months from the appointment with 2 empty pages, and a copy of its photo page; your residence permit if you are not a national of the country you live in; a passport photo that meets Dutch requirements; a copy of the IND letter with your V-number; and the other documents the letter lists. If you applied at the embassy yourself, you only bring your passport.
Hand in your passport. The sticker can take up to 10 working days.
Travel within 90 days. The sticker is valid for 90 days from the day it is issued, and you collect your residence permit at an IND appointment while it is still valid (Netherlands Worldwide).

The MVV fee goes to the IND, not to the embassy (Netherlands Worldwide). Not sure you need an MVV? Our Netherlands visa guide lists who is exempt. The MVV visa guide explains the TEV procedure step by step.

No slots

No appointment available? What helps, and what to avoid

Netherlands Worldwide’s advice is to try again later, because slots can open up when other people cancel or reschedule.

The embassy cannot book VFS Global for you. Questions about a VFS Global appointment go to VFS Global (Netherlands Worldwide).
No slot is no reason to apply elsewhere. The exceptions are no application location in your country of residence, proof that you have not been there for the past 6 months, or proof that you did not know you would need to travel when you left, for example for medical treatment (Netherlands Worldwide).
Limited agendas. On 13 September 2026, the Türkiye and South Africa pages said appointments are currently limited.
Book it yourself. Netherlands Worldwide warns against booking through an intermediary, and the embassy in India never asks anyone to pay visa fees into a bank account.
Check IND messages. IND email addresses always end in @ind.nl; if in doubt, call the IND (IND).

In the Netherlands

IND appointments in the Netherlands: how to book

You book IND appointments online in the IND appointment planner, but only after the IND letter has arrived.

Wait for the IND letterThe IND cancels a biometrics appointment booked before its letter arrived. Book the collection of your document only once a letter, My IND or a text message says it is ready.
Choose the service and the locationIn the planner, choose biometrics, collecting your document, a residence endorsement sticker or a return visa. Collect your document only at the location named in the letter.
Keep the confirmation emailIt holds your appointment code and a cancellation link. You cannot reschedule: cancel and book again. A group appointment can only be cancelled as a whole.
Bring your passport and codeBring your valid passport or travel document and the appointment code, plus any old Dutch residence document, or the police report if it was lost or stolen.
Go in personNobody can collect your document for you; children under 18 come with a parent or legal representative.

Biometrics, a residence endorsement sticker (verblijfsaantekening) and collecting your document at an IND desk or Service Point are free; a return visa costs €197 in 2026 (IND). The IND aims to have your residence document ready within 2 weeks of your biometrics (IND), and if approved, a sticker goes into your passport at the appointment itself (IND).

Sources: IND on biometrics appointments and on collecting your document.

Where to go

IND desks, Service Points and expat centres

The 4 IND desks offer every IND appointment; IND Service Points and expat centres offer most of them to people in their region.

Location	Address	What you can do there	Who can book
Amsterdam, IND desk	Pieter Calandlaan 1, opposite Lelylaan station	Biometrics, collecting your document, residence endorsement sticker, return visa	Anyone with an IND letter
The Hague, IND desk	Rijnstraat 8, separate side entrance	All four services	Anyone with an IND letter
Den Bosch, IND desk	Leeghwaterlaan 14	All four services	Anyone with an IND letter
Zwolle, IND desk	Zuiderzeelaan 43-51	All four services	Anyone with an IND letter
Haarlem, IND office	Jansweg 15	Biometrics only	Anyone with an IND letter
Goes, IND Service Point	M.A. de Ruijterlaan 2, City Hall	Biometrics, collecting your document, sticker or return visa	People living in Zeeland or the Brabantse Wal
Maastricht, IND Service Point	Mosae Forum 10	Biometrics, collecting your document, sticker or return visa	People living in Limburg
Nijmegen, IND Service Point	Mariënburg 30, open since 8 September 2026	Biometrics, collecting your document, sticker or return visa	People living in the Nijmegen or Arnhem area
Utrecht, IND desk for Ukraine	Atoomweg 100	A sticker or card	People from Ukraine only

Sources: IND desks and locations and the IND biometrics page. Visits are by appointment only.

City	Expat centre	Who can use its IND services	Cost
Amsterdam	IN Amsterdam, World Trade Center	Highly skilled migrants and other permits listed on its site, if chosen on the application form	Service fee; none for orientation year or start-up
The Hague	The Hague International Centre, City Hall	Permits listed on its site, in the Hague region, if the document is sent there	Free
Rotterdam	Rotterdam International Center, Weena 725	Highly skilled migrants and other listed groups, including EU citizens with the 30% ruling	Fee; free for orientation year
Utrecht	Utrecht International Center, Stadsplateau 1	People living or working in the Utrecht region, with an IND letter naming the centre	Biometrics and stickers free; fee to collect your document
Eindhoven	Holland Expat Center South, Stadhuisplein 10	Listed permits and EU employees of recognised sponsors working in the region	Not stated
Wageningen	Welcome Center Food Valley, Bronland 10	Booked through your employer	Fee to collect your document
Enschede	International Center East, Hengelosestraat 51	International employees and their family	Not stated
Groningen	International Welcome Center North, Gedempte Zuiderdiep 98	Listed permits at a recognised sponsor, and family	Fee for most work permits; free for start-up, self-employed and orientation year

Each of these 8 centres decides whether you pay; to avoid a fee, choose an IND desk or IND Service Point on your application form (IND).

Your city page covers the nearest desk and local registration: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Groningen, Leiden, Maastricht, Tilburg and Breda.

Keep reading

Related guides

More of our guides for people moving to the Netherlands.

Visas

Which Netherlands visa you need

Short and long stays, the permit for each purpose and its 2026 IND fee.

Applying

Track your visa application

The tracker for VFS Global, embassies and My IND, and what each status means.

Permits

IND processing times

How long the IND takes, and what to do when a decision is overdue.

Permits

Extending a residence permit

Renewal timing and documents, and collecting the new card.

Family

Family reunification

The sponsor, income and MVV steps for bringing a partner or child.

Work

Highly skilled migrant permit

What the permit requires and how a recognised sponsor applies.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I book a Netherlands visa appointment?

Start with your country’s page on Netherlands Worldwide. In most countries you book online with VFS Global; in China you book with TLScontact, and in Nigeria at the Belgian or French TLScontact centre. Book the appointment yourself, one per person, between 6 months and 15 days before you travel. For an MVV visa sticker, book at the embassy or consulate-general named in your IND letter.

What can I do if there are no VFS Global appointments?

Try again later. Netherlands Worldwide says slots fill up quickly and can open up again when people cancel or reschedule. The Dutch embassy cannot book a VFS Global appointment for you, so questions go to VFS Global. A lack of appointments does not let you apply in another country, unless for example you have not been in your country of residence for the past 6 months.

Can someone else attend my visa appointment for me?

No. You must appear in person to submit your application, even if you are under 18. Netherlands Worldwide also advises you to book the appointment yourself rather than through an intermediary, and to make a separate appointment for each person. Collecting the passport afterwards is different: someone else can do that with ID, the proof of payment and a letter you signed.

Where do I book a Netherlands visa appointment in the UK?

If you live in the UK, book online with VFS Global and apply at its centre in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London or Manchester. British passport holders need no visa for a visit. Diplomatic and official passport holders apply at the Netherlands embassy in London. An MVV visa sticker is issued only at the embassy in London, and only if your IND letter says so.

How do I make an IND appointment?

Wait for the IND letter, then book online in the IND appointment planner: choose biometrics, collecting your residence document, a residence endorsement sticker or a return visa. The IND cancels appointments made before the letter arrived. Collect your document only at the location the letter names. IND Service Points and most expat centres have their own booking.

Can I change my IND appointment?

No, you cannot reschedule it. Open the confirmation email, use the link to cancel the appointment, and then book a new one. If you booked one appointment for several people, you can only cancel it for all of them. For the new appointment, bring your passport and the new appointment code from the confirmation email.

Is an IND appointment free?

Mostly. Having your biometrics taken and getting a residence endorsement sticker are free, and the IND charges nothing to hand over your residence document at an IND desk or IND Service Point. Expat centres may charge for the same service. A return visa costs €197 in 2026, or €57 for Turkish nationals covered by the EU-Turkey Association Agreement.

How long after biometrics is my residence card ready?

The IND tries to have your residence document ready within 2 weeks after taking your biometrics. You then get a letter saying where to collect it, and you book that appointment. If you travelled on an MVV and your card is not ready yet, you can get a free residence endorsement sticker in the meantime.

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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 booking a visa or IND appointment, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.

FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.

Netherlands visa appointment 2026: how to book at VFS Global, an embassy or an IND desk