Informational use only. This page is a travel-preparation reference for Indian passport holders, not legal or immigration advice.
iamravi.com is not affiliated with any embassy, consulate, government, VFS, BLS, CGI Federal, USTravelDocs, USVisaScheduling, or any other visa service provider.
Visa rules change without notice. Always verify current requirements, fees, and processing times on the official source linked on this page before you apply, pay any fee, or book any appointment.
Indian passport holders need a Schengen Short-Stay visa (Type C) to visit the Netherlands for tourism or business — the Netherlands is part of the Schengen Area, so this same visa also covers travel across other Schengen countries during your trip. There is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival option. Applications go through VFS Global, the official partner of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in India.
The Netherlands is one of 29 Schengen Area countries, and a Schengen Type C visa allows a stay of up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, calculated across the whole area. See our France visa guide for the full explanation, the list of member countries, and the EU's official short-stay calculator.
VFS Global's Visa Application Centre for the Netherlands in India also accepts Short-Stay Schengen Visa applications for Latvia — if your trip involves both countries, or you're unsure which to apply through, this is worth knowing. As with any Schengen application, if you're visiting multiple Schengen countries, apply through whichever country is your main destination (longest stay), or your first point of entry if stays are equal.
The Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) visa covers holiday travel, family/friend visits, and business visits with "economic interest" to the Netherlands (for example, consultation or training at a Dutch business division, or purchase/sale negotiations) — the Dutch IND provides separate document checklists for holiday/family visits versus business trips.
A visa is required for every visit to the Netherlands, regardless of length or purpose, since India has no visa-waiver arrangement with the Schengen Area.
iamravi.com is not affiliated with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the IND, or VFS Global. All application, payment, and biometric steps happen through the official VFS Global platform or the relevant Dutch authority — never here.
Per the IND's own published requirements, your passport must not have been issued more than 10 years ago, and must be valid for at least 3 months after your departure from the Netherlands (and the Schengen area generally). You'll also need travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, including costs of return to your country of origin for medical reasons.
The Schengen visa application form, completed online to generate a unique code, then printed and signed, is the core document — forms without this code may cause processing issues and should not be reused from another applicant.
Per NetherlandsWorldwide's own published checklists: the signed application form with unique code; a valid passport (issued within the last 10 years, 3+ months validity beyond departure, 2+ blank pages), including the biometric data page, the last page (for Indian nationals specifically), and any pages showing prior Schengen entry/exit stamps; a recent photo meeting Dutch specifications (a digital photo is taken at your VFS appointment if applying through the external service provider, so you may not need to submit one separately); proof of legal residence in India if you're not an Indian national applying in India; travel medical insurance of at least €30,000; and, for business trips, an invitation letter from the Dutch business or organisation, and a declaration signed at your appointment confirming you understand the consequences of an incomplete application (including that fees are non-refundable).
A photo meeting Dutch requirements is required — if applying through VFS Global as the external service provider, a digital photo is captured for you at your appointment rather than submitted separately. Fingerprints and a photo are captured in person at your VFS Global appointment.
The Schengen short-stay visa fee is set at EU level, the same framework as our France, Germany, Italy, and Spain guides. We were not able to independently confirm the exact current fee from a primary IND or Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs fee-schedule source during this review. Confirm the current fee directly with VFS Global or NetherlandsWorldwide before applying, since your visa application fee will not be refunded even if your application is rejected as incomplete.
The IND's own guidance is specific here: you need at least €55 per person per day for the duration of your stay in the Netherlands (covering the stay itself, transit, and return journey), unless someone in the Netherlands formally guarantees this for you and meets the relevant income requirements.
Book your VFS Global appointment after completing your online application — remember that in-person attendance is required for every applicant, including infants, unless you've separately confirmed an exception with the Visa Application Centre.
Per VFS Global's own current notice (2 August 2026): you can apply up to 6 months before travel, average processing takes 25 calendar days, with a maximum of 45 calendar days — apply with a wide enough buffer, particularly if travelling during peak Schengen application periods.
Spotted outdated information, or have a correction for the Netherlands guide? Let us know below. Suggestions are reviewed before appearing here — nothing is posted instantly.