The EU lists theNetherlands among the Schengen area countries, and says EU nationals have the right to travel freely there. Under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, nationals of the countries in its Annex II are exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and nationals of the countries in Annex I must hold a visa; the Schengen Visa Code sets the visa fee at EUR 90. The EU says ETIAS, the travel authorisation that will be required of visa-exempt nationals, is currently not in operation.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 25, 2026· How this site works
Check requirements for your passport
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
How long you can stay
90 days in any rolling 180-day period
90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen Area rather than per country. Leaving and coming back does not reset the allowance: the Schengen Borders Code counts the 180-day period preceding each day of stay, so days already spent anywhere in the area during that period still count against the 90. The day you enter counts as the first day of stay and the day you leave as the last.
Leaving and re-entering does not start a fresh allowance.
The day you arrive counts as a full day.
The day you leave counts as a full day.
This limit is the one set for travellers who need permission to enter. It does not cap a stay you make under freedom of movement.
Under the Schengen Visa Code, children from six and below 12 pay EUR 45, and children under six are exempt.
When to apply: Apply to the consulate at least 15 days before the journey and no earlier than 6 months before it.
Documents the application asks for
Valid passport — Expiring at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area (for a multiple-entry visa, 3 months after you leave the last country visited)
Photo — Meeting ICAO standards
Medical insurance — Covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including in the event of death
Supporting documents — On the purpose of the stay, your financial means and accommodation, and your intention to return home
Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Armenia visa facilitation agreement
Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days
The EU–Armenia visa facilitation agreement (Article 6) sets the fee at EUR 35 and waives it for pensioners and children under 12, among other listed categories.
Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Azerbaijan visa facilitation agreement
Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days
The EU–Azerbaijan visa facilitation agreement (Article 6) sets the fee at EUR 35 and waives it for pensioners and children under 12, among other listed categories.
Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Belarus visa facilitation agreement
Fee
35 EUR
Processing
up to 30 days
Stay per entry
90 days
The EU–Belarus visa facilitation agreement (Article 6) sets the fee at EUR 35, or EUR 70 when the applicant has requested a decision within two days and the consulate has accepted, and waives it for children under 12, among other listed categories. Council Decision (EU) 2021/1940 suspended some of the agreement's provisions as regards members of Belarusian official delegations and certain officials.
Schengen short-stay visa — European Union and Cabo Verde short-stay visa agreement
Fee
67.5 EUR
Processing
up to 45 days
Stay per entry
90 days
The EU–Cabo Verde visa facilitation agreement as amended in 2021 (Article 5) sets the fee at 75% of the amount charged under domestic law (the European Commission lists EUR 67.50); children aged 12 to below 18 pay 50% of it, and children under 12 pay nothing, among other listed categories.
Schengen short-stay visa for citizens of the Russian Federation
Fee
90 EUR
Processing
up to 45 days
Stay per entry
90 days
Standard fee under the Visa Code (Article 16): children from six and below 12 pay EUR 45, and children under six are exempt. Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 suspended the EU–Russia visa facilitation agreement in whole as regards Russian citizens from 12 September 2022. The European Commission says Russian nationals will no longer be able to receive multiple-entry visas.
When to apply: Apply to the consulate at least 15 days before the journey and no earlier than 6 months before it.
Documents the application asks for
Valid passport — Expiring at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area (for a multiple-entry visa, 3 months after you leave the last country visited)
Photo — Meeting ICAO standards
Medical insurance — Covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including in the event of death
Supporting documents — On the purpose of the stay, your financial means and accommodation, and your intention to return home
Entry requirements
Passport validity
Under the Schengen Borders Code, a third-country national's travel document must be valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States (a requirement that may be waived in a justified case of emergency) and must have been issued within the previous 10 years.
No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.
Travel insurance
Required
Under the Schengen Visa Code, visa applicants must hold travel medical insurance valid throughout the territory of the Member States and covering the entire period of the intended stay; the minimum coverage is EUR 30,000.
No official source we could read makes a return or onward ticket a condition of entry in itself. Under the Schengen Borders Code (Annex I), the supporting documents border guards may check for tourist or private trips include a return or round-trip ticket and a document showing the accommodation envisaged.
EES — Entry/Exit System (biometric registration) — The EU's Travel Europe site says that the first time you arrive at a border crossing point since the EES started, passport control officers will take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints, and your passport will not be stamped; it says this can be quicker if you register some data in advance at a self-service system, where available, and/or through a mobile application. The UK government says there is no cost for EES registration. (at the border on first entry) travel-europe.europa.eu ↗(opens in a new tab)
ETIAS — European Travel Information and Authorization System — The EU's ETIAS site says an ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of the 30 European countries concerned, but that ETIAS is currently not in operation, no applications are collected, and the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. (before travel, once etias starts) travel-europe.europa.eu ↗(opens in a new tab)
A foreigner without lawful stay, or no longer with it, must leave the Netherlands of their own accord within the period in article 62. After a return decision, that period is four weeks. The Minister issues an entry ban against a foreigner who is not an EU national and who must leave immediately or did not leave within the set period. The entry ban lasts at most two years, or at most one year for a foreigner who exceeded the free period of article 3.3 by more than three days but not more than 90 days. For visitors coming for no more than 90 days, the free period is 90 days, or 180 days if the Minister extends it for special circumstances.
Municipal tourist tax (toeristenbelasting) — The municipality can set a fixed amount per person per night or day, or a percentage of the cost of an overnight stay. Paid at the accommodation.
Municipalities may levy a tourist tax on stays by people who are not registered as residents of the municipality. Where the tax is levied on the accommodation provider, the provider may pass it on to the guest. Most municipalities charge it. The rate differs by municipality and may be a fixed amount per person per night or day, or a percentage of the cost of the overnight stay. Registered residents do not pay; other exemptions vary by municipality.
Exemptions: No tourist tax is due for guests registered as residents in the municipal personal records database. Other exemptions vary by municipality.
The EU says that if you enter or leave the EU with EUR 10,000 in cash (or its equivalent in other currencies) you must declare it to the customs authorities of the EU country you are entering or leaving.
The EU's Your Europe portal lists the allowances when entering the EU from a non-EU country: 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer, plus 1 litre of spirits over 22% or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine; tobacco of 200 cigarettes (or 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco) where the higher limit applies, or 40 cigarettes where a country applies the lower limit; and other goods worth up to EUR 300 (EUR 430 for travellers by air and sea).
The EU's Your Europe portal says no further payments are due on alcohol and tobacco bought in another EU country for your own use, and that if customs suspect goods are not for your own use — guideline values may not be lower than, for example, 800 cigarettes or 10 litres of spirits — you may be asked to prove that they are.
The Government of Canada says credit cards are not widely accepted in the Netherlands and advises making sure you have access to enough cash to cover expenses during your trip. No official source we read describes debit-card acceptance.
The Netherlands is a party to the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The Dutch government says that if you have a driving licence from a country other than an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you may drive with it if you come to the Netherlands for work or on holiday, and that if you come to live in the Netherlands you may keep driving with it for 185 days.
No official source we could read names a best time to visit. The Government of Canada says strong winds can occur, particularly during the winter months, and that the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute issues national or regional warnings if severe wind storms are expected.
Tips & warnings
The UK government says that if you are travelling to other Schengen countries as well, your whole visit must be within the 90-day limit, and that visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days count towards your 90 days.
Canada's travel advice says cyclists have priority over other traffic and that, on foot, you should make sure you are not inadvertently walking on a bike path, as these commonly run alongside sidewalks and are not always clearly marked. The UK FCDO says cycle paths are busy and cyclists ride at speed, and to look out for cyclists, mopeds and trams when crossing roads.
Visa requirements by nationality
Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
No. The United States is in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU lists the United States among the countries whose nationals will need an ETIAS travel authorisation (EUR 20 application fee) once it starts; it is currently not in operation.
How much does a Netherlands Schengen visa cost?
Under the Schengen Visa Code the short-stay visa fee is EUR 90; children from six and below 12 pay EUR 45, and children under six are exempt.
How do I stay in the Netherlands longer than 90 days?
The IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) handles applying for or extending a residence permit. Its fee table lists EUR 254 for a first application to stay with a family member (including a partner), for study, for researchers and for the orientation year, and EUR 423 for highly skilled migrants and for work in employment.
What is the Dutch orientation year (zoekjaar) permit?
The IND lists it as a residence permit for looking for a job after study, promotion (doctorate) or scientific research, with a fee of EUR 254 for a first application. No official source we could read states the eligibility conditions.
Is cash widely accepted in the Netherlands?
The Government of Canada says credit cards are not widely accepted in the Netherlands and advises making sure you have access to enough cash to cover your expenses during your trip.
Sources & verification
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
Netherlands visa and entry requirements
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