Netherlands visa tracking 2026: check your VFS, embassy or IND application
Netherlands visa tracking depends on where you applied: VFS Global, TLScontact, a Dutch embassy or the IND. This guide gives you the right tracker, explains what your status means and shows what to do when a decision is late.
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Tracker links as given by Netherlands Worldwide and the IND · Checked 13 September 2026
Short answer
To track a Netherlands visa application, use the tracker of the place where you applied. At VFS Global, enter your name and the reference number on your receipt. At a Dutch embassy or consulate, enter the tracking number on your card in the Netherlands track and trace system. At TLScontact, log in to your account. For an MVV or residence permit, log in to My IND with DigiD, or ask your sponsor. EU rules give 15 calendar days for a Schengen visa, and up to 45 in individual cases; Netherlands Worldwide currently gives an average of 25. The IND has 90 days for most residence permits.
Key facts for 2026
- 15 calendar days is the deadline the EU Visa Code sets for a Schengen visa decision; in individual cases it can be extended to 45.
- 25 calendar days is the average processing time Netherlands Worldwide currently gives for a Schengen visa, because of the high season.
- 90 days is the IND’s legal decision period for most residence permits, including an MVV application; study and research have 60.
- 10 working days is the longest the embassy keeps your passport to put in the MVV sticker.
- 28 days is how long My IND keeps showing your application after the IND has decided.
- 2 weeks is the time the IND gets after your notice of default, before you can go to court.
- 4 weeks is the time to object to a refused Schengen visa, counted from the day after the decision was announced.
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.
Where you applied
Netherlands visa tracking: which tracker to use
Where you handed in your application decides where you track it. Netherlands Worldwide describes three ways to track a visa online, and the IND has its own portal for residence permits (Netherlands Worldwide).
| Where you applied | Where to track | What you need | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| A VFS Global visa application centre | VFS Global online tracking | The country where you applied, your name and the reference number on your receipt, such as DENL/180423/0034/01 | The status of your application |
| A TLScontact visa application centre | Your TLScontact account | The email address and password of your TLScontact account | The status of your application |
| A Dutch embassy or consulate-general | Netherlands track and trace system | The country, then the tracking number on the back of the card you were given; it starts with 3 letters | The status of your application. Without a tracking number you cannot track it online |
| The IND, for an MVV or residence permit | My IND | A DigiD login | The status, how long the IND may take to decide, and a place to upload documents |
| An employer that is a recognised sponsor | IND Business Portal | eHerkenning at level 3 or higher | The status of the applications the sponsor submitted, refreshed once a day |
Which visa centre serves your country is on its Netherlands Worldwide page, for example India (VFS Global) or China (TLScontact). How My IND works: IND.
No DigiD? Your sponsor can follow the application. A family member who sponsors you sees your details in their own My IND, and a recognised sponsor sees the status in the Business Portal. Not applied yet? Start with our guide to which Netherlands visa you need.
5 steps
Check your status, step by step
Keep your receipt, card or confirmation of receipt at hand, then follow these steps.
- Find your numberVFS Global puts a reference number on your receipt: the first two letters of the city, then NL and the date. An embassy or consulate gives you a card with a tracking number that starts with 3 letters. If you applied yourself for an MVV at an embassy, the IND confirmation of receipt you get there shows your V-number.
- Open the tracker for the place where you appliedUse the table above. Netherlands Worldwide has no extra information about your status and cannot speed it up.
- Choose the country and enter your detailsVFS Global and the track and trace system first ask for the country where you applied. Then enter your name and reference number, or your tracking number, and click Submit.
- Wait for the emailYou get an email once your visa application has been processed. It does not say whether your visa was approved.
- Collect your passport or have it sentYou chose one of the two at your appointment. At VFS Global, bring a valid ID and the VFS proof of payment to collect it. Someone collecting it for you also needs a signed letter from you that authorises them.
Sources: Netherlands Worldwide on tracking, on the processing email and on collecting your passport; the IND on the confirmation of receipt.
Status
What your visa status means
Each tracker words it differently, so read your status as one of these stages.
| Stage | What it means | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Application received | The visa centre or embassy has your documents and passport. The processing time starts once the Consular Services Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has both. | Keep your receipt and your reference or tracking number. |
| In process | Your application is being assessed. For some nationalities other Schengen countries are consulted first, which can take up to 7 days. | Wait. Netherlands Worldwide asks you not to contact it, the embassy, VFS Global or TLScontact about your status. |
| Processed | There is a decision and you get an email, but the email does not say what the decision is. | Collect your passport, or wait for the courier. |
| Passport ready or on its way | An approved visa is a sticker in your passport. A refusal comes with a letter that explains why. | Check your name and the validity dates on the visa sticker straight away. |
| My IND: still being processed | The decision period has not ended, and the IND may use all of it. | Check the decision date on your confirmation of receipt, and upload any documents the IND asks for. |
| My IND: decision | The IND has decided. My IND keeps showing the application for 28 days after the decision. | After a yes, collect your MVV at the embassy, or book a biometrics appointment at an IND desk if you need no MVV. |
Sources: Netherlands Worldwide on processing, on your passport and the visa sticker, the IND on My IND and on what to do after a positive decision.
Timelines
How long a Netherlands visa takes in 2026
The EU Visa Code gives 15 calendar days for a Schengen visa; the IND has 90 days for most residence permits, and both periods can be extended.
| Application | Legal time limit | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa or airport transit visa | 15 calendar days, up to 45 in individual cases (EU Visa Code, Article 23) | An average of 25 calendar days in the current high season (Netherlands Worldwide) |
| MVV and residence permit (TEV, the entry and residence procedure) | 90 days from the day the IND receives the application | After a yes, up to 10 working days for the MVV sticker at the embassy (Netherlands Worldwide) |
| Highly skilled migrant, first application | 90 days | The IND can add 30 days, and has to give its reasons |
| EU Blue Card | 30 days if a recognised sponsor applies | 45 days if you already hold certain Dutch permits for work or research, otherwise 90 |
| Study or research | 60 days | A target of 2 weeks when a recognised sponsor applies with a complete file |
| Permanent residence or EU long-term residence | 6 months | Longer if the IND extends it (see the note below) |
| Residence card after biometrics | — | The IND tries to have it ready within 2 weeks (IND) |
| Objection to a refused Schengen visa | 6 weeks, plus 6 if the IND extends | Currently up to 6 months, the IND says (IND) |
IND periods: decision periods, updated 21 August 2026. If documents are missing, you get 2 weeks to send them and the period moves back 2 weeks. The IND can extend a period by several weeks, up to 6 months, and sends you a notice when it does (IND).
An extension from inside the Netherlands also has 90 days; our residence permit extension guide covers that application. For the permits themselves, see our guide to residence permit types.
Overdue
When a Netherlands visa decision is late
Once the IND’s decision period has passed, you can send a notice of default (ingebrekestelling); the IND then has 2 weeks, and after that you can go to court.
- Check the dateYour confirmation of receipt says when the IND will decide. If the IND extends the period, it sends you a notice and adds the extra time.
- Send a notice of defaultUse IND form 9001 (in Dutch). Post it to IND, Postbus 14, 9560 AA Ter Apel, or send it through the IND’s secure email for default notices with your V-number in the subject. A notice sent any other way is not valid.
- Wait 2 weeksThe notice asks the IND to decide within 2 weeks.
- Go to courtStill no decision? Appeal to the court against the late decision (beroep niet tijdig beslissen). The court sets a new deadline, and if the IND misses that too, the court can order a penalty payment (dwangsom) that the IND pays you.
Since 15 April 2025 the IND no longer pays a penalty automatically when it misses those 2 weeks; only a court can order one (IND). A lawyer can send the notice for you. If the person you authorise is not a lawyer in the Netherlands, add the IND’s authorisation declaration. Our IND escalation roadmap goes through the steps in more detail.
Waiting on a Schengen visa? The EU Visa Code allows 45 calendar days at most. If more time has passed since you applied, contact the location where you applied.
Decision overdue? Talk to a lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch immigration lawyer. Free 15-minute matching call first. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Delays
Why visa applications get delayed
Most delays come from a busy season, extra checks or missing documents.
- High season. Netherlands Worldwide says the average Schengen wait can rise to 25 calendar days, and to 45 when volumes are high, your file needs a closer look or you have to send more documents (Netherlands Worldwide).
- Consultation. For certain nationalities, other Schengen countries are consulted. That takes up to 7 days, inside the 45.
- Missing documents. The IND writes to you and gives you 2 weeks to send them; the decision period moves back 2 weeks (IND).
- More investigation. The IND can extend the period. On a first application for work, such as a highly skilled migrant permit, it can add 30 days.
- The clock had not started. The IND period starts when the IND receives the application. If you applied yourself at an embassy, you must send the application to the IND and pay the fee within 3 weeks of the date the embassy wrote on your form (IND).
- Fingerprints. If the fingerprints taken at the embassy cannot be used, the IND sends you a letter and you give them again in the Netherlands. My IND shows whether biometrics are still needed (IND).
Refusal
If your visa is refused
You can object within 4 weeks; if you need to travel soon, Netherlands Worldwide calls a new application your best option.
- Object within 4 weeks, counted from the day after the decision was announced. If the Netherlands decided on your Schengen visa, you object to the IND, and objecting is free. If another country decided, you object in that country (IND).
- The IND has 6 weeks to decide on the objection, and can add 6 more. It says an objection can currently take 6 months.
- Applying again? Read the refusal letter first and include the documents it says were missing. You pay the visa fee again, and the fee and service charges for the refused application are not refunded (Netherlands Worldwide).
Keep reading
Related guides
More of our guides for people moving to the Netherlands.
Which Netherlands visa you need
The main visa and permit routes, who needs a visa, and the 2026 IND fees.
PermitsIND processing times
Legal decision periods, stalled files and an escalation roadmap for overdue cases.
PermitsResidence permit types
Temporary, permanent and EU long-term residence side by side.
PermitsExtending a residence permit
Timing, documents and fees for an extension through My IND.
FamilyFamily reunification
Sponsor income, housing and the MVV route for a partner or child.
WorkHighly skilled migrant permit
Salary rules and recognised sponsors for kennismigrant employees.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I track my Netherlands visa application?
It depends on where you handed it in. For VFS Global, choose the country on the VFS tracking site and enter your name and reference number. For a Dutch embassy or consulate, enter the tracking number from your card in the Netherlands track and trace system. TLScontact applicants log in to their account. For an MVV or residence permit, use My IND with DigiD, or ask your sponsor.
Can I call VFS Global or the embassy about my visa status?
Netherlands Worldwide asks you not to contact it, the embassy, VFS Global or TLScontact about the status of your application, and it cannot speed up a decision. The online tracker is the only way to follow your application. If the tracker itself gives you trouble, contact the VFS Global or TLScontact location where you applied.
Does the email mean my Netherlands visa was approved?
No. You get an email once your application has been processed, and it does not say whether the visa was granted. You find out when you have your passport back: an approved visa is a sticker in your passport, and a refusal comes with a letter that explains why. Check your name and the dates on the sticker straight away.
Why is my passport still at the visa centre?
Because it is needed to process your application. The processing time only starts once the Consular Services Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has your documents and your passport. You get the passport back after the processing email, in person or by courier, as agreed at your appointment. For an MVV sticker, the embassy can keep it for up to 10 working days.
Can I travel to the Netherlands while my MVV application is pending?
The IND does not recommend staying in the Netherlands during the MVV procedure. If you have an urgent reason to be there, report it to the IND before you travel; the IND then asks for documents that show the reason. Once issued, the MVV is a multiple-entry visa, and you may enter the Netherlands through another Schengen country.
What can I do if my Netherlands visa is refused?
Object within 4 weeks, counted from the day after the decision was announced. If the Netherlands decided, you object to the IND, free of charge; if another Schengen country decided, you object there. The IND has 6 weeks plus a possible 6 more, but says an objection can currently take 6 months. For a trip soon, apply again and pay the visa fee again.
Where do I find my V-number?
If you applied for an MVV and residence permit yourself at a Dutch embassy or consulate, the V-number is on the confirmation of receipt you get at your appointment. It is your personal number at the IND. Put it, or your case number, in the subject line when you email the IND a notice of default. A VFS Global reference number is a different number.
How do I check my IND application status?
Log in to My IND with DigiD and open the Applications tab. It shows the progress of your application and how long the IND may take to decide, and it stays visible for 28 days after the decision. No DigiD? A family member who sponsors you can see it in their own My IND, and an employer that is a recognised sponsor sees it in the IND Business Portal.
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Official sources, checked 13 September 2026
- VFS Global: online tracking, as linked by Netherlands Worldwide
- Netherlands track and trace system for embassy and consulate applications
- My IND login (DigiD)
- IND: Business Portal
- Netherlands Worldwide: tracking the status of your visa application
- Netherlands Worldwide: applying for a Schengen visa in India
- Netherlands Worldwide: applying for a Schengen visa in China
- IND: My IND
- Netherlands Worldwide: waiting time after a visa application
- IND: applying for an MVV and residence permit from abroad
- IND: positive decision on a residence permit, what you still need to do
- EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 23 (consolidated text of 28 June 2024)
- Netherlands Worldwide: how long an MVV visa sticker takes
- IND: objecting to a Schengen or transit visa decision (updated 10 June 2026)
- IND: decision periods (updated 21 August 2026)
- IND: late with a decision (updated 6 July 2026)
- IND: judicial penalties and the IND
- Netherlands Worldwide: what to do when your visa is refused
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 pending, late or refused visa application, 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.