Applying for a Netherlands Schengen Visa in the UK - Netherlands Visa (2023)

Who Needs a Visa to Travel to the Netherlands From the UK?

Any UK citizen who holds either a full UK passport or a BOTC, BOC, BPP or BS passport can travel to the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean visa-free. However, many non-EU nationals who reside in the UK are still required to get a Schengen visa to travel to the Netherlands.

In recent years, following visa liberalization policies for non-EU countries, the number of countries whose nationals require visas to travel to Europe has slightly dropped. Here is the list of nationalities that are still required to get a Schengen Visa to visit the Netherlands and other Schengen states.

Below you can find more information on applying for a Netherlands visa from the UK.

Who Can Apply for a Netherlands Visa From Within the UK?

Citizens of these countries residing in the UK and planning to visit the Netherlands are required to get a Dutch visa in order to be able to enter the Netherlands. The main requirement is that you must have a UK residence permit valid for at least another three more months beyond the date you plan to leave the Netherlands / the Schengen Area.

Use theSchengen visa eligibility checkertool to find out if you qualify to apply for a visa to the Netherlands from the UK.

If you have a 3-month UK visa, you can extend it for three more months in order to be eligible to apply for a Dutch Schengen visa from within the UK. You must apply for an extension before your visa expires and while you’re still in the UK. Find out moreon how to extend your UK visa.

You should apply for a visa via the appropriate Dutch Embassy/Consulate or Dutch visa application centre in the UK if:

• The Netherlands is the only Schengen country you plan on visiting
• The Netherlands is your main destination (the country you will be staying the longest in)
• The Netherlands is the first Schengen country you are visiting since you will be spending an equal amount of days in each Schengen country you plan to visit

If you plan on staying in the Netherlands for more than 90 days, you must apply for a residency permit, not a Dutch Schengen visa.

Please, note that if you are not a resident in the United Kingdom, you should apply at the Dutch Embassy/Consulate or Dutch visa application centre in your country of residence.

Netherlands Visa Application Documents and Requirements for UK Residents

The following documents are required in order to obtain a Dutch visa in the UK:

• A valid passport or Travel document. Please make sure that:
  • Your passport has been issued within the previous 10 years,
  • Your passport has 2 full blank pages, one for the visa stamp and an additional spare page,
  • Your passport will be valid for at least three (3) months after the date you exit the Schengen Area.
• A valid UK residence permit or another form of Identity Card. The UK residency permit must be endorsed in the actual passport (or on a new biometric ID card)
• One application form filled out completely and signed by the applicant (please read the explanations carefully).
• One passport format photo that has a light background, is brightly coloured and shows full face features. The photo must be less than three months old and be glued to the application form.
  • Applications with stapled photographs will be rejected.
  • Applicants who are not able to provide a photo of such requirements for medical reasons are required to submit a letter that states such inability and is signed by a doctor or medical organisation. Only then they are exempted from providing a photograph.
• Biometric fingerprint data and a digital photograph (from 2 November 2015)
  • Children under the age of 12 are exempted from providing fingerprints
• A cover letter that explains the purpose of the visit to the Netherlands
• Proof of travel arrangements: Round trip flight/travel reservations or other proof of intended transport and complete itinerary of your visit to the Netherlands (if several Schengen States will be visited or if the trip covers several Schengen States and non-Schengen countries).
• Travel Insurance stating that you are covered in case of a medical emergency and repatriation not just in the Netherlands but in the whole Schengen zone (minimum coverage of € 30.000). Thetravel insurance policy for the Netherlands can easily be purchased online fromEurop Assistance.
• Proof of accommodation in the Netherlands:
  • Evidence of a hotel booking or rental agreement, or
  • Invitation from your Dutch host (family member, friend) with a copy of their passport (Proof of sponsorship),
  • Accommodation proof issued by the town hall in your host’s residence
• Proof of financial subsistence:
  • A recent statement of the UK bank account for the last three months shows funds of at least 30 £ per person per day spent in the Netherlands. Cash, cheques or credit cards are not considered proof of financial subsistence.
  • For the Dutch Caribbean (in US Dollars) the amount required as proof of financial subsistence is:
    • Between 150$ and 200$ per day for a business or tourism visa
    • 100$ per day for a family visit

Note: Photocopies of the original documents should also be submitted and documents should not be more than one month old.

The documents listed above are documents required in all cases regardless of the purpose of your visit to the Netherlands. Depending on your employment status, here is a list of additional documents that are required for your visa application:

For employees:

• Employment contract
• Current bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Leave permission from the employer
• Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary

For the self-employed:

• A copy of your business license
• Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

For foreign students in the UK:

• Proof of enrollment
• No-objection certificate from school or university

For retirees:

• Pension statement of the latest 6 months

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

• A recent (less than 3 months old) Confirmation of Employment letter from their spouse’s employer stating the position held within the company as well as the starting date,
• Spouse’s valid passport
• An officially translated marriage certificate. The translation must be in English or Dutch and must be certified as a true copy by the Embassy of the country where the marriage took place or by the Legalization Bureau of the Foreign Office in the UK
• Dutch family record book

If being sponsored:

• For the sponsor:
  • Copy of passport
  • Employment letter
  • A bank statement that proves financial sufficiency
  • Valid Schengen visa
  • Recent payslips

• For the applicant
  • Sponsorship letter
  • Proof of relationship with the sponsor
  • Original and copy of marriage or birth certificate

Note: If the Marriage Certificate was issued outside the European Union, it must be stamped by the Foreign Office of the issuing country or its Embassy in the UK.

Requirements for children under the age of 18

Parents or adult guardians are required to accompany their underage children to the application centre at the Dutch Embassy. Also, minors who are granted a Dutch visa are not allowed to travel to the Netherlands by themselves. They should be accompanied by an adult guardian during their stay in the Netherlands.

Required documents for visa application for underage children

• Proof of parent’s regular income (work contract with specified monthly income or a bank statement or business license)
• Notarized travel permission from parent (parental travel consent)
• If one parent lives in another country – their notarized parental travel consent

To find more about the documentation needed for applying for a visa to the Netherlands click here: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/netherlands-visa/

How to Apply for a Dutch Visa From the UK?

• By booking an appointment via email with Dutch Embassy in London. Not all applicants are qualified to apply at the Embassy. Only the following applicants can do so (Source: www.netherlandsandyou.nl):
  • Diplomatic passport holders
  • Visa applicants for the Dutch Caribbean
  • Dutch residents who lost their residence cards while in the UK.
• Through VFS Centres.

The visa section ofthe Dutch Embassy is closed every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month and on public holidays:

• 1 January
• Good Friday
• Easter Sunday and Monday
• 27 April
• 5 May
• 25 May
• Whit Sunday and Monday
• 25 and 26 December

Netherlands Visa Application and Processing Time

You can apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa 6 months before your planned trip. Depending on the nationality of the applicant, the processing time may take at least 15 days from the day of your application. In some cases, it may take up to 30 days or even 60 days if required documents are missing from the application.

Therefore, you are advised to make sure you provide all required documents and submit your application at least 15 days before you plan on leaving the UK.

Here is a list of third countries for whose nationals “ex-post” information is required. For such nationals, the processing time takes an extra 7 days.

Netherlands Visa Fees for UK Residents

Since the Netherlands is a Schengen state, visa fees are the same as any other Schengen visa. These are the costs of a Dutch Schengen Visa when applying from the UK:

Keep in mind that these fees may change depending on currency fluctuations and can only be paid in UK Pounds and payment must be made in cash or via credit/debit card. Also, the visa application fee is not refundable and does not guarantee that you will be granted a visa.

Visa fee exemptions

• Children younger than 6 years of age
• Spouse/family member of an EU/EEA national

Netherlands Visa fee discounts

Besides children of ages 6 and 12 these are two cases when applicants receive visa fee discounts (35 € or 29.70 £):

• Nationals of countries (that have visa facilitation agreements with the EU) that are granted visa discounts are:
  • Armenia*
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina*
  • Cape Verde Islands
  • Georgia*
  • Kosovo
  • Montenegro*
  • North Macedonia*
  • Russian Federation
  • Serbia*
  • Ukraine*

*Note: This only applies to those nationals who do not hold a biometric passport.

• Persons who apply for a Dutch Caribbean visa

Frequently Asked Questions about Netherlands Visas

Who issues Visas for the Netherlands in the UK?

Unlike other Schengen countries that authorize their respective embassies to handle visa applications, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands issues Dutch Schengen visas for UK residents.

What can I do if my Dutch visa is refused?

If your visa is refused, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will return your passport and send you a letter stating the reasons for refusal. You are able to appeal against this decision within a period of 4 weeks. The appeal has to be submitted in writing.

If you plan on re-applying for a Netherlands visa you should pay attention to the reasons mentioned in the refusal letter in order to make amendments where needed.

Also, all fees are non-refundable and do not serve as a guarantee of your application’s success

Can someone else write the objection letter for me?

You can authorize a third person to submit your appeal for you. You are required to write a letter of authorization in one of the following languages: Dutch, English, French or German.

Can I apply for a visa if I don’t have a bank account?

You can apply even if you don’t have a bank account. In that case, you must provide:

• Traveller’s cheques worth 50 £ per day to cover your entire stay, or
• Proof that you have a sponsor in the Netherlands

What is a Dutch Caribbean visa?

A Dutch Caribbean visa is a short stay multiple-entry visa issued only for travelling in the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands:

• Aruba
• Bonaire
• Curaçao
• Saba
• Sint Eustatius
• Sint Maarten

Who needs a visa to travel to the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands?

Nationals of a large number of countries do not require a visa to travel to the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands. They are mostly Schengen countries and countries that have a visa facilitation agreement with the EU. You can find out more about who is exempted from such a visa here.

Can I visit the Netherlands with a Dutch Caribbean visa?

You cannot travel to the European part of the Netherlands with a Dutch Caribbean visa or another Schengen country.

Related visa information for the UK Residents:

• French Visa –UK
• Spanish Visa – UK
• PortugueseVisa – UK
• Italian Visa – UK
• Dutch Visa – UK
• German Visa – UK
• Swedish Visa – UK
• Norwegian Visa – UK
• The Czech Visa – UK
• Greece Visa – UK

Embassy & Consulates of the Netherlandsinthe United Kingdom

• Consulate of Netherlands in Gibraltar, United Kingdom
• Consulate of Netherlands in Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Cardiff, Wales (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Belfast, N. Ireland (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK)
• Royal Netherlands Embassy in London, England (UK)
• Vice Consulate of Netherlands in Plymouth, England (UK)
• Vice Consulate of Netherlands in Leeds, England (UK)
• Vice Consulate of Netherlands in Harwich, England (UK)
• Vice Consulate of Netherlands in Dover, England (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Southampton, England (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Manchester, England (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Liverpool, England (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Hull, England (UK)
• Consulate of Netherlands in Guernsey, United Kingdom