Apply for a Schengen visa

Applying for a Schengen visa, how do you do that?

Good preparation is of great importance for a positive visa decision. Make sure you read carefully, consult official websites for (up-to-date) information. Collect all necessary documents and use the official checklist from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 2 February 2020, you can submit the application for a Schengen visa up to 6 months before the intended date of travel to the Schengen area. So take plenty of time, for example 3 months before the intended departure date.

Where should I apply for a Schengen visa?

You must apply for a Schengen visa at the embassy of the country you intend to visit. If you plan to visit several Schengen states, you must apply for the visa at the embassy of the Schengen country where you will be staying the longest. If you plan to visit several Schengen states and will stay for the same length of time, you must apply for a visa at the embassy of the country whose external borders you will cross first upon entering the Schengen area.

How to start?

Below we describe the steps you need to take to apply for a Schengen visa:

1. First see if you visa required are.
2. Visit the website of the Dutch embassy in the country of origin.
3. Download and complete the mandatory forms such as the visa application form (use the checklist).
4. If necessary, provide the proof of sponsorship and accommodation in the Netherlands form.
5. Have a passport photo taken according to the requirements.
6. Request medical travel insurance that meets the conditions.
7. Make an appointment for the submission of the required documents and an interview.
8. Visit the embassy, ​​consulate or external service provider Vfs global.
9. Have the biometric data taken.
10. Submit the required documents and pay the fees (costs).
11. Wait for the decision (visa has been granted or not).
12. Collect your passport (or wait for it to be sent to you) and check the visa sticker.
13. Go on a trip (bring copies of the mandatory documents).

Use a checklist

The best way to prepare a visa application for Schengen is to use a checklist. You can find these checklists here: checklist for a visa application.

The checklists ensure that you collect the right documents and that you cannot forget anything. The visa applicant must provide the original and a copy of each document. The documents must be submitted in Dutch, English, French or Spanish (or translated into one of these languages).

Read our tips

On this page you can read a number of general ones tips for applying for a Schengen visa.

You can take out medical travel insurance well in advance

You can arrange a number of things for a visa application well in advance. The same applies to taking out medical travel insurance. You can change the start date free of charge. And if a visa application is rejected, you do not have to pay anything.