Knowing the Netherlands Schengen visa processing time is crucial if you want to plan your trip efficiently. Visa applications take time, so the day you submit your documents is not the day the visa will be allocated to you. If you have plans to visit the Netherlands any time soon, the information on this page will help you plan your trip effectively.
Keep reading to know more.
Entry Into Netherlands
Any visitor wishing to enter the Netherlands must apply for a visa from their home country or country of residence before boarding a flight. Visas are stickers or stamps attached to a visitor’s passport that serve as evidence that the holder has met all the immigration requirements of the country and, therefore, is qualified to enter the country.
All visas have validity limits, so the visitor has to use them to enter and exit the country later on before it expires. The Dutch government issues different types of visas, and the chief among them is a Schengen visa.
What Is The Dutch or Netherlands Schengen Visa?
A Schengen visa issued by the government of the Netherlands is a travel document that allows the holder to visit any of the member countries in the Schengen Area. This visa allows non-Schengen citizens to travel freely from one country within the union to another for as long as their visa remains valid.
Schengen visas issued by the Netherlands must first be used to enter the country before the visitor can travel to another country. A standard Schengen visa is valid for 180 days, but some last much longer. In total, you can use it to visit 25 other countries aside from the Netherlands.
Netherlands Schengen Visa Processing Time
A Schengen visa takes about 15 days to process, counting from the very first day you submit your documents to the embassy. Due to the number of security and compliance checks your documents have to pass through and a backlog of unprocessed applications, you may need to wait for up to six weeks in some cases.
Processing during the warm summer months of July and August takes much longer because, during this period, many people travel for vacation.
How To Apply For A Netherlands Schengen Visa?
To apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa, you must follow these processes meticulously.
Check Your Eligibility: The first thing you need to do is check if you actually need a visa to enter the Netherlands. If you are from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, you don’t need a visa unless you want to start for much longer than 90 days. EU citizens from Schengen countries don’t also need a visa to enter the Netherlands; they only need a valid passport or means of identification. The visa is only required if you don’t come from any approved visa-free countries.
Length of Stay: You need to know how long you want to stay in the country. If you want to stay much longer, you may need to apply for a different visa, as the Schengen tourist visa for the Netherlands is only for 90-day visits.
Arrange Your Documents: The next step is to arrange your documents; you will need a
A valid passport that will not expire for the next six months from the day of your arrival
Two recent identical passports that meet Schengen requirements
A medical travel visa with at least €30,000 coverage for medical emergencies
Proof of funds to cover minimum expenses of €34 daily
Hotel reservation
Round trip flight Itinerary
These documents must be organized with photocopies made of them
Fill The Form: Fill out the application form and sign it
Book An Appointment: You should book an appointment once your documents are in place. Where you book the appointment will depend on where Dutch Schengen visa applications are processed, which may be the Dutch embassy, consulate, or visa application center. On the day of the appointment, you will be called in for an interview, and your documents will be reviewed, with some of them collected from you.
Pay the Application Fee: You will be asked to pay an application fee to process your documents. Fees vary depending on the age of the applicant. Applicants between the age of 12 and above must pay €80, while those from 6-11 years pay €40. There are no fees for children under 6.
What Can You Use This Visa For?
This visa is for short visits like tourism, family visits, sports or cultural events, medical treatment, and business visits. You can use it for non-economic activities that will not exceed 90 days.
Now that you know the Netherlands Schengen visa processing time, complete and submit the visa application form at the Netherlands embassy so the visa will be released on time.