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A foreign tourist may stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. It does not matter whether or not the tourist is required to have a visa. This is formally called a short stay.
A tourist who comes to the Netherlands can only stay here for a limited period. There is no difference in the type of visit, so a business visit, partner visit or visit to the family is also included. Even if you have a Schengen visa for the duration of 5 years, you can only stay in the Netherlands for 90 days in a period of 180 days.
Simply put: after those 90 days you have to leave the Netherlands again for 90 days and then you can come back to the Netherlands for 90 days. A number of nationalities are only allowed to return to the Netherlands after 180 days.
Duration of stay in the Netherlands for foreigners not requiring a visa
As a foreign tourist not requiring a visa, you may stay in the Netherlands or another country in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. The 90 days can be spread over 180 days, but they can also be used all at once in a row. If you stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for 90 consecutive days, you will have to wait 90 days before you can travel to the Netherlands/Schengen area again.
Contrary to the above rule (90 per 180 days), a different calculation of the period of stay applies to the nationalities below. If you have the nationality of one of the following countries, you may stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for a maximum of 3 months out of 6 months.
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Brazil
- Mauritius
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Seychelles
With the short stay calculator On the website of the European Commission you can calculate for yourself how many days you can stay in the Schengen area after your entry. You can also use this tool to plan your trip.
Duration of stay in the Netherlands for foreigners requiring a visa
A short-stay visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days. You will receive the visa for the number of days you indicated in the application.
The short stay visa (type C) states:
- From which date the visa is valid (from that day you can travel into the Schengen area).
- How many days you can stay in the Schengen area.
- From which date the visa is no longer valid (you must then be out of the Schengen area).
- Whether you can enter the Schengen area once (single entry) or several times (multiple entry) with the valid visa.
Length of stay different short stay visas
There are two types of short stay visa:
- A single entry visa with a validity of up to 90 days. This allows you to stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for a maximum of 1 days once.
- A multiple entry visa with a validity period of up to 5 years. This allows you to stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days per 180 days. This does not have to be consecutive. You may also spread this, but you may never stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for more than 90 days out of 180 days.
The following applies to both visas: if you have stayed in the Netherlands or one of the Schengen countries for 90 consecutive days, you must wait at least 1 days before you can return to the Schengen area.
With the short stay calculator On the website of the European Commission you can calculate for yourself how many days you can stay in the Schengen area after your entry. You can also use this tool to plan your trip.
Source: IND.nl – this article was published on 3 May 2021. No rights can be derived from it.
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