Schengen visa Netherlands for Turks

From Turkey to the Netherlands? A Schengen visa and medical travel insurance is then required!

Are family or friends traveling to the Netherlands from Turkey for a short stay? Then a Schengen visa must be applied for at the Dutch embassy. A Schengen visa allows Turks to stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days.

An important condition for obtaining a Schengen visa is taking out the correct one medical travel insurance. This is possible on this website for only € 2 per person per day (Europe coverage).

Do you live in Turkey? And do you want to apply for a visa for a short stay in the Netherlands? Check out which rules apply and how to apply for a visa.

How do you make an appointment for a short-stay visa in Turkey?

The Dutch embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul use the external service provider VFS Global to process applications for a short-stay Schengen visa. For a timely appointment, you can make an appointment online via VFS Global. look at the website of VFS Global for the documents you need to bring with you for your application.

Visa application procedure in Turkey

For more information about the requirements and submitting applications for the visa, please contact visa facilitation service VFS Global (English and Turkish). They can be reached by telephone on: +90 212 373 58 06, from Monday to Friday: 08:30 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 17:00, or send an e-mail.

Note: making appointments is free! The Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul only work with VFS Global. We strongly advise you not to use intermediary agencies or other agencies that pretend to be (affiliated with) the embassy or consulate.

VFS Global in Ankara

• Netherlands Visa Application Centre, Ankara.
• Office: İşçi Blokları Mh. Muhsin YazIcIoglu Cd. No:57/A Cankaya/Ankara 06530 – Regnum Sky Tower.

VFS Global in Istanbul – Beyoglu

• Netherlands Visa Application Center, Istanbul – Harbiye
• Office: Hacıahmet Mh. Kurtuluş Deresi Cd. No: 29/A (Elysium Soul) Beyoğlu-İstanbul.

When do you need an interpreter?

• The following applies to Ankara: If you do not speak Dutch, English or Turkish, you must provide an official interpreter yourself. An official interpreter has a special pass that proves that he/she is an official interpreter. The interpreter may not be a family member.
• The following applies to Istanbul: If you do not speak Dutch, English, Turkish or Arabic, you must provide an official interpreter yourself. An official interpreter has a special pass that proves that he/she is an official interpreter. The interpreter may not be a family member.

Visa exemption for service providers

Turkish nationals who provide services in the Netherlands for a short period do not require a visa. These so-called service providers must be employed by a Turkish employer or have a company established in Turkey. The stay may not exceed 3 months per six months.

The exemption from the visa requirement only applies to service providers and not to all Turkish nationals traveling for business purposes. Travelers must be able to prove at the Dutch border that they belong to the visa-free category. The Dutch embassy in Ankara or the consulate general in Istanbul can help with this. Turkish service providers can submit documents such as an employment contract or an extract from a chamber of commerce. The embassy or consulate can then issue a 'service provider statement' free of charge.

This statement does not guarantee entry to the Netherlands. The Dutch border authorities check whether the requirements for entry are met. They can also refuse entry. However, the declaration can prevent unnecessary delays at the border. For the issuance of a statement, a service provider must submit a copy of a Turkish passport. This passport must be valid for 3 months upon departure from the Netherlands.

The exemption from the visa requirement is only valid for the Netherlands and for a maximum period of 3 months per six months. A visa must still be applied for to visit another Schengen country. A visa must also be applied for for other travel purposes, such as tourism, a visit to family or friends, or a business visit.

EC-Turkey Association Agreement

Turkish nationals pay a lower fee for applications for the following residence permits:

• Work as independent
• Paid employment
• Work learn program
• Seasonal work
• Research under Directive (EU) 2016/801
• Knowledge migrant
• Looking for work after study, promotion or scientific research (orientation year) ​
• Au pair
• Stay as a family member of a Turkish national (even if you do not have Turkish nationality yourself). Family members are the spouse or registered partner - not unmarried partners -, a (grand)child or a (grand)parent.

In this case, the low rate does not apply if the Turkish national has a residence permit for medical treatment or for spending leave in the Netherlands.

The low rates also apply if you have another nationality in addition to Turkish nationality, for example Dutch. Are you applying for residence with a Turkish national in the Netherlands and does this person also have Dutch nationality? Please enclose a copy of a valid Turkish passport or ID card with your application. Indicate in an explanation that you are doing this in order to qualify for the low fee.

More information about the special rules for Turkish nationals and their family members.

What does a person from Turkey need for a visa application?

• You must present a passport of Turkey or other official travel document with at least 2 blank pages. The travel document must have been issued within the last 10 years. This must be valid for at least 3 months after the date on which you want to leave the Schengen area.
• You provide a completed and signed form visa application form in. Each person traveling on your travel document must submit their own form. Forms for children under the age of 18 must be signed by a parent or guardian.
• Are you under the age of 18 and traveling without (1 of) your parents or guardian? Then have them fill in the consent form (in English). The border control may ask for this upon entry into the Netherlands.
• You submit a passport photo in accordance with Dutch requirements.
• You have your fingerprints taken. You do this when you submit your application. These remain valid for 59 months. For some applicants, such as children under the age of 12, this is not necessary. Have you provided biometrics (fingerprints and photo) within the last 59 months prior to your current application? Then you can choose to have your application submitted by someone else. You do not have to appear in person.

Furthermore, a Turkish traveler must meet the following conditions:

• You are not a threat to public order, national security or the international relations of one of the Schengen countries.
• You have a destination in the Netherlands. For example, a hotel reservation or an invitation from a referent (partner, family, friend, etc.) in the Netherlands. This sponsor has a valid residence permit or is a Dutch national. The sponsor uses the Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation form.
• You have sufficient financial means for the stay in the Netherlands, the transit and/or the return journey:
  • You have at least € 55 per person per day for the duration of your stay in the Netherlands or someone in the Netherlands guarantees you. This can be the inviting referent, but also a random third person. The guarantor has sufficient income. At the time of the application, this income must still be available for at least 12 months. The sponsor uses the Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation form, together with the additional documents listed under checklist.
• You have (medical) travel insurance that has been taken out in the name of the visa applicant. The person in the Netherlands who invites you can also take out the insurance for you. The insurance has a minimum cover of € 30.000 for medical costs in the Schengen area. The insurance will in any case cover the following costs:
  • Costs for returning to the country of origin for medical reasons (repatriation).
  • Urgent medical care and emergency treatment in hospital.
• You have sufficient reasons to return to your country of origin or residence. For example, because you have a job there, (school-going) children or your own house. A return ticket alone is not enough to prove this.

Please note: If, when assessing your application, it turns out that your fingerprints are not in the system, you must still provide them. You can also always be called for an interview if your request gives cause to do so.

Medical travel insurance and guarantee

If you guarantee a foreign guest or partner who wants to visit the Netherlands, it is advisable to take out medical travel insurance yourself. Not only is this a requirement for your guest's visa application, but it also provides financial protection for you. As a guarantor, you are financially responsible for any medical costs that your guest incurs during their stay in the Netherlands, and these costs can be significant.

By taking out the insurance yourself and sending the policy to the visa applicant by email, you have control over the process. It is advisable to ensure that you are the policyholder (the person paying the premium) and that your guest is the insured person. A major advantage of this is that any damage payments are transferred to you instead of to your guest's bank account.

A good option for this situation is Travel Risk Insurance from Allianz Global Assistance. This is an excellent travel medical insurance policy specifically designed for Schengen visa applications. It provides the necessary coverage and meets the requirements for obtaining a Schengen visa. By taking out this insurance, you ensure that you meet the visa requirements and offer both yourself and your guest financial protection during their stay in the Netherlands.

Please note: This insurance must be taken out before leaving Turkey and the travel insurance can only be taken out for persons under the age of 70! Is your guest older? Read more information for an alternative here: Schengen travel insurance for persons aged 70 and older.

Premium medical insurance

Europe coverage	€ 2,-
Global coverage	€ 3,-
Winter/special sports	€ 1,15
Cancellation	5% of travel sum
Minimum premium	€ 11,50
Policy costs	€ 4,50
Premium per person per day. Up to and including 69 years.

What is insured?

• SOS charges (including assistance, rescue and search).
• Medical expenses* (including hospital, specialist and doctors).
• Repatriation (including ambulance plane and transport of mortal remains).
• Burial or cremation costs and arrival of family.

* Medical costs are monetary compensation for doctors (fees) and costs of:

• hospitalization;
• operation and operating room use;
• prescribed X-rays and radioactive irradiations;
• prescription medications, bandages and massage;
• medically necessary transport, including any medically necessary evacuation and transport from a ski slope.

Your travel documents (purchase costs, laissez-passer, replacement visa or other official travel document), replacement clothing and/or toiletries and damage to accommodation is also insured. The following is also covered:

• illness, accident or missing person of the insured;
• death of the insured, illness, accident or death of the insured's family not traveling with him;
• death of a co-insured travel companion;
• damage to property of the insured in the country of residence;
• costs due to forced delay.

Frequently asked questions about a Schengen visa from Turkey to the Netherlands (FAQ)