Schengen visa South Africa – Netherlands

Traveling from South Africa to the Netherlands: Schengen visa and travel insurance required!

If someone from South Africa comes to the Netherlands, a Short stay Schengen visa necessary. With a Schengen visa, someone from South Africa may stay in the Netherlands/the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days. It is an important condition for obtaining a visa for Schengen take out medical travel insurance that meets the visa requirements.

If the main purpose of your stay is the Netherlands, you can obtain a Schengen visa to request. For this you make an appointment with VFS Global, which is an external service provider designated by the embassy to provide the visa application and other documents to collect and check.

Short Stay Visa for South Africans and the most important requirements

There are a number of requirements for applying for a Short Stay Schengen Visa, so someone from South Africa must:

• Be in possession of a valid travel document (passport). The travel document must be valid for 3 months longer than the end of the visa period and may not be older than 10 years.
• To be able to afford the trip financially: he/she has sufficient means of subsistence. For the Netherlands this is € 55 per day per traveler. If the traveler does not have sufficient means, a guarantor (the inviting party) must stand surety.
• Being able to submit documents related to the place of residence, such as a hotel reservation or proof of residence (accommodation) with a private individual or the guarantor. For the Netherlands, an original form 'proof of guarantee and/or private accommodation' must be completed for this purpose.
• Have medical travel insurance for the entire Schengen area with a cover of at least 30.000 euros. You can request this insurance from us.
• Has an option or reservation on an airline ticket. Do not book (pay) the ticket until the visa has been granted!
• Makes it plausible that he/she will return to South Africa (or the country of origin) in time. It is a combination of evidence. For example, previous visas for (Western) countries, a job, possession of real estate and other matters that demonstrate a strong social or economic bond with the country of origin, such as care for minor children.
• Has not been reported to the European authorities and does not pose a threat to public order or national security.
• A completed and signed application form for a Schengen visa.
• Two recent passport size photos that meet the requirement.

Use the handy checklist

With a checklist for applying for a Schengen visa (visiting family and/or friends), you ensure that you are well prepared to go through the procedure. 

Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria

The Dutch representation in South Africa can be found in Pretoria:

Contact information

• Ambassador: Han Peters
• Address: 210 Florence Ribeiro / Queen Wilhelmina Avenue, Cnr Muckleneuk Street, 0181 New Muckleneuk, Pretoria
• Telephone: +27124254500 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Fax: +27124254511Email: pre@minbuza.nl
• Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 8.00 a.m. – 17.00 p.m. Friday: 8.00 a.m. – 13.00 p.m. Also check the closing days of the embassy.

Consular section contact details

For visa matters, you can contact the consular department:

• Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 8:30 am – 12.00:8.30 pm. Friday: 11.00 am – XNUMX am.

Schengen visa Netherlands and Caribbean visa

• Make an appointment via Vfs global.

Consular questions?

Ask your question:

• via telephone number +27124254500. Please note: are you calling from the Netherlands? Then call +31 247 247 247.
• through whatsapp. Send a WhatsApp message directly. Or add the mobile number +316 8238 7796 to your smartphone's contact list and send your message.
• by email via the contact.

When to apply for a Schengen visa?

A visa application for the Netherlands can be submitted from 2 February 2020 at the earliest 6 months and no later than 15 calendar days (due to the normal maximum decision period) before the start of the intended travel date. It is therefore advisable to submit the application well in advance, preferably at least one month before the intended departure date.

Make an appointment with VFS Global in South Africa

For a short-stay Schengen visa, you must make an appointment with VFS Global, which is an external service provider that receives and checks the visa application documents. You then visit us on the agreed date and time and hand in the application and the required documents, including the medical travel insurance policy. You must also pay the application fee in local currency.

VFS has a call center to answer your questions about the visa application process, technical questions about the online booking and the possibilities to book an appointment by talking to a consultant.

• Telephone +27 (0) 12 425 3005 Available: 08:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 16:00. Monday to Friday, except public holidays
• Make an appointment to submit an application to the Netherlands Visa Application Center Click on schedule an appointment
• Filing Hours: 08:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 13:30 PM to 15:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays
• Passport collection time: 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM Monday to Friday, except public holidays
• Alternatively, you can also send an e-mail to info.nlza@vfshelpline.com for all information about the visa process.

VFS Global addresses

VFS Global has offices in the following cities:

• NETHERLANDS VISA APPLICATION CENTER PRETORIA
  Address: 1st Floor, Cherry Lane Office Park
  114 Fehrsen Street, New Muckleneuk
  Brooklyn, Pretoria Gauteng
• THE NETHERLANDS VISA APPLICATION CENTER JOHANNESBURG
  Address: 1st floor Rivonia Village
  Corner Rivonia Boulevard and Mutual Road
  Sandton, Johannesburg
• NETHERLANDS VISA APPLICATION CENTER CAPE TOWN
  Address: 47 Strand Street
  5th Floor Office 504
  Kaapstad
  Western Cape
• THE NETHERLANDS VISA APPLICATION CENTER DURBAN
  Address: Unit 409, 4th floor
  91 -123 Cowey Road (Mkhize Road issue)
  Essenwood
  Durban

Medical travel insurance Schengen visa

If you need medical travel insurance for a Schengen visa, the Travel Risk Insurance from Allianz Global Assistance is an excellent choice. This travel insurance is especially intended for foreign guests from South Africa (friends, family or partner) who come to the Netherlands. The Travel Risk Insurance from Allianz Global Assistance is an excellent medical travel insurance for everyone from South Africa.

The insurance reimburses the costs of, among other things: general practitioner, medicines, ambulance and hospital costs in the Netherlands and other Schengen countries up to € 30.000, but also the costs of repatriation. That is bringing your foreign guest back to South Africa in the event of illness or death. This insurance is only suitable for unexpected (medical) situations during a stay in the Netherlands. Existing ailments, defects and pregnancy are not covered.

Meets all conditions for a visa

The Travel Risk Insurance meets all insurance requirements for a Visa Short Stay Netherlands (also known as a tourist visa or Schengen visa). These are the requirements:

• Coverage for emergency medical assistance and repatriation to South Africa.
• The cover for medical costs must be at least € 30.000.
• Valid for all Schengen member states.
• Must provide cover for the entire duration of the stay.

On this website you can easily and quickly take out medical travel insurance for your guest from South Africa. You may be the policyholder (premium payer) and your guest is then the insured. You take out the policy and send it to the visa applicant (email is also possible because you will receive the policy as a digital file). You will receive the policy quickly. If you apply for a policy today, you will receive it the same or the next day.

Visa guarantee: If the visa is rejected, we will cancel the insurance and you will not have to pay!

Travel Risk Insurance

The Travel Risk Insurance from Allianz Global Assistance is an excellent medical travel insurance for foreign guests from South Africa. The insurance also meets the requirements for applying for a Schengen visa. The Travel Risk Insurance has extensive cover for:

• SOS costs and repatriation.
• Medical costs: up to €30.000
• Winter sports (for a premium surcharge).
• Special sports (for premium surcharge and only Europe).
• Europe coverage (for persons within Europe, who come to the Netherlands and possibly continue their journey within Europe).
• Worldwide coverage (for people inside and outside Europe, who come to the Netherlands and possibly continue their journey outside Europe).
• Cancellation insurance (only if the trip has been booked with a Dutch tour operator).

You already have comprehensive medical travel insurance for people from South Africa for only € 3,00 per day.

Please note: The Travel Risk Insurance – medical travel insurance can only be taken out for persons who have not yet reached the age of 70 on the commencement date of the insurance.

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 the Schengen insurance that we offer. 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 South Africa and the travel insurance can only be taken out for persons under the age of 70! Is your guest 70 years or older? Read more information for an alternative here: Schengen travel insurance for persons aged 70 and older.

Stake out Schengen insurance with a Dutch insurer

Taking out medical Schengen insurance with a Dutch insurer has several advantages, especially for those who guarantee a foreign guest or partner. Some important benefits are:

1. Dutch law: By choosing a Dutch insurer, the insurance falls under the Dutch legal system. This means that you as a consumer are protected by Dutch law, which offers you rights and guarantees.
2. Strict supervision: Dutch insurers are under strict supervision by Dutch supervisors, such as the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). This supervision ensures that these insurers are reliable and meet high quality and integrity requirements.
3. Reliability: In general, Dutch insurers are considered more reliable than some foreign insurers. This is due to the strict supervision and good reputation of the Dutch insurance market.
4. Ease of communication: If you take out insurance with a Dutch insurer, you can communicate in your own language. This is particularly useful for questions, problems or claims. It prevents language barriers and makes the process easier and more understandable.
5. No International Call Charges: You do not have to call abroad for questions or claims, which prevents costs and possible complications with international calls.

All these factors make taking out Schengen travel insurance with a Dutch insurer an attractive choice, especially in case of high costs or complex situations. It provides security, convenience and accessibility, contributing to a smoother experience for both the guarantor and the visa applicant.

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.