To travel to the Netherlands, citizens of the Russian Federation require a visa, even if the tourist plans to use the local airport only as a transshipment base. At the same time – which is very sad – the country of tulips, mills and canals is among the top ten states that most often refuse to issue Schengen to Russians. In addition, the Netherlands is very reluctant to issue multiple visas. According to COUNTRYAAH, Netherlands is a country that starts with letter N.

However, to those who provide all the necessary documents, observing the deadlines and requirements, and ideally have Schengen visas from other countries, the Dutch are quite supportive. Such travelers can count on a minimum visa covering travel dates, and a maximum of a “cartoon” for a period of six months or more.

Tourist visa to the Netherlands: general information

Do they give multivisa?	given for at least six months
Term of receipt	from 4 working days; but in fact – about 10 days
Validity limit	3 months from the end of the trip

• The cost of a regular visa: 35€

• Express Visa: 70€

• Visa fees: 24€

Types of visas

• transit: issued when traveling by plane, when a tourist needs to make several transfers in the EU countries; one of its types allows access to the city, the other – only being in the transit zone of the airport;
• visa to the Antilles (Caribbean) Islands: a single entry permit to the group of islands belonging to the Netherlands can be issued separately, then visiting the rest of the Kingdom will be prohibited. You can also enter the islands on a C visa;
• category C visa: can be single and multiple, includes tourist, guest and other visas; done more often than others.
• national visa (category MVV or D): the most expensive, longest in terms of processing and validity; with her they go to work, study, live in the Netherlands, staying in the country for more than 90 days in a 180-day period. With such a permit, you can travel to other Schengen countries – there it will be considered a standard Schengen visa.

Applying for a visa yourself

Documents for a Dutch visa are submitted through the VFS Global visa center (issues short-term visas to the Netherlands and the Caribbean Islands of the Kingdom) or through the embassy / consulate of the country. A national visa will have to be issued through the Naturalization and Immigration Service of the Netherlands.

Pre-registration is required. You will also be required to be fingerprinted if this has not been done in the last 59 months. You can attend the submission of documents in person or, for a certain amount, entrust the “going through the throes” to professionals (provided that you do not need to take fingerprints).

The consular fee is paid by everyone except those who are exempt from it (children, the disabled, other categories). The money is not returned, even if the visa is denied.

Documents should be submitted no earlier than three months and no later than two weeks before the intended trip. You will have to wait for a passport with a coveted sticker from 4 working days.

Documents for a visa to the Netherlands

Required documents for obtaining Schengen category C:

1. Copies of internal passport

Copies of all completed pages of the internal passport;

2. international passport

“Not older than” 10 years with a validity period of 90 days from the end of the trip with at least two blank visa pages plus one page for each child entered in the passport. As well as copies of the first page and the page with visas of the canceled passport;

3. Photocopies of the international passport

Copies (two copies) of all pages of the international passport, where there are marks. Original and copies of all pages of a valid second passport, diplomatic passport or sailor’s passport;

4. Photo

Two color photographs (see requirements below);

5. Questionnaire

Completed in duplicate and signed application form (each copy is printed on two sides of one sheet);

6. Help from the place of work

Certificate from the place of work on the letterhead of the company, which was certified and signed by the head, which indicates the position, length of service, salary, dates of the next vacation;

7. Bank statement

The statement must be fresh, not older than 6 months. Document confirming the purchase of foreign currency, travel checks at the rate of 34 EUR per person per day;

8. For students, schoolchildren

A certificate from the place of study, a sponsorship letter with a photocopy of the sponsor’s civil passport, a certificate from work / an extract from the sponsor’s account (issued according to the general rules);

9. Medical insurance

Medical insurance valid throughout the Schengen area and for the entire duration of the trip (the amount of insurance coverage is not less than 30,000 EUR);

10. Hotel reservation

Confirmation of hotel or other accommodation reservation (paid, covering all days of travel, preferably on the official letterhead of the host organization).

11. Copy of tickets

A photocopy of air tickets or round-trip tickets for any type of transport;

12. For a private visit: invitation and/or proof of kinship

Everyone who travels by invitation (study, business, visiting) must attach the original invitation indicating the purpose of the visit, dates, details of the guest and the host, who bears the costs, as well as a letter of guarantee (Garant-verklaring), which inviters are required to obtain from the Dutch municipality.

13. For a business visa: an invitation and a copy of the contract

If the purpose of the trip is business, you will additionally need a paper confirming the registration of the traveler at the conference or congress and an official document stating that the host party bears all expenses. And also provide an employment contract, proof of residence for the entire period of work, a petition from the employer. There are other subtleties, so it is easier to entrust the execution of such a visa to the employer.

14. For student visa

Those wishing to study in the Netherlands need to provide an invitation from the educational institution. Also, future students will be asked for a student ID and a certificate of purchase of courses (certificate of payment for tuition), an apostille of a birth certificate with a translation, an official confirmation that the student has a place and something to live on.

15. For national visa

Documents for a national visa will have to be submitted independently. The standard package will be supplemented with an apostille of a birth certificate (for obtaining a residence permit), a marriage registration with a spouse living in the Netherlands, a copy of the first page of his passport. And also a copy of the certificate of passing the test for social integration (knowledge of the language, laws of the country) – only minors and persons over 65 years of age do not pass it.

Visa processing for children

For children, regardless of whether they travel with or without parents, a separate form is filled out, it is signed by parents, guardians or legal representatives. You will also need two color photographs, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, copies of his parents’ Russian passports (or certificates of their death), a notarized original and a copy of permission from the parents to leave (from one – if traveling with the second parent, from both – if traveling with third parties).

Photo Requirements

The requirements are standard: the face is located strictly in the center, looking at the camera, free space above the head is from 0.2 cm, the neck and upper shoulders are visible. Photos must be taken no more than 6 months before the submission of documents, high-quality, clear, color, contrast, without color correction, retouching, blots. Background – light gray, white or pale blue, plain. There should be no shadows, glare, foreign people or objects in the picture, even if a child is being photographed.

Hats are allowed only for religious reasons, and they should not hide parts of the face (eyes, forehead, temples).

You can take a picture in glasses with transparent glasses in a light frame – as long as they do not block your eyes and do not give glare. Hairstyle elements should also not hide the face.

The length of the head from chin to crown is approximately 30 mm (70-80% of the area). The photo is taken from the front, the gaze is directed to the camera, there is no smile.

Consular fee – 35 €

When submitting documents through the consulate, the fee will be 35 EUR, paid in rubles on the day of application. If a package of documents is submitted to the consulate three days before the expected date of travel (urgent visa), the fee will increase to 70 EUR, payment is also in rubles. Those submitting papers through the visa center additionally pay a service fee in the amount of 2000 RUB.

Children under 6 years of age, close relatives of citizens legally residing in the Schengen area, members of official delegations traveling by official invitation, members of the federal and regional governments and parliaments, the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, schoolchildren, students, graduate students and accompanying teachers are exempt from paying the fee. who go to study or internship, disabled people and their attendants (one per person).

Also, those who travel for humanitarian purposes (urgent medical care, funeral of a loved one, visiting seriously ill relatives), participants in international youth sports events and their companions, representatives of science, culture, art, non-profit organizations planning to participate in special programs and events in the Netherlands do not pay the fee..

Registration of a national visa MVV will cost 28-230 EUR.

Fingerprint for visa

Since September 14, 2015, everyone who applies for the first time to obtain a Schengen must submit biometric data – fingerprints of 10 fingers and a digital photo. They take fingerprints at the visa center. Everyone undergoes the procedure, except for children under 12 years old and people who have no fingers (they are only photographed). Children over 12 years old “give fingers” in the presence of their parents.

If the fingers are simply damaged, the fingerprinting procedure is postponed until they heal, until then a visa will not be issued.

The data is stored in the Visa Information System for 59 months, after which the procedure must be repeated. If the data is lost (rarely, but it happens), the biometrics will have to be resubmitted the next time you apply for a visa. The service is free.

Visa processing time

The minimum period is 4 working days, but can be up to 7 and even 30 working days if additional verification of the data provided is required. Also, the terms for consideration of documents increase if they fall on Russian or Dutch holidays.

The term for issuing an MVV visa is from 1 month.

Validity of visas

Short-term visas are issued for a certain period – 30, 45 and another number of days, as long as they are valid. The appropriate decision is made by the consular staff. More often, a multivisa is issued for six months with a permitted stay in the country from 45 to 90 days or for a year with a total stay of 90 days for every 180 days. A national visa is issued for a year or more, the number of days of stay in the country is not limited.