Schengen visa: Which nationalities must apply for a short-stay visa for the Netherlands?
Those who want to travel to other countries may have to deal with a visa. A visa is an official permission to enter and stay in a country. A visa is issued by the country where the traveler is going. In this way, that country can control who enters the country.
Visa for the Netherlands
The Netherlands has had a visa requirement for a long time. The basis for the visa requirement was laid in 1813. Article 7 of the “Decree abolishing domestic passports and further regulatory provisions with regard to domestic and foreign passports” stipulates that:
“Foreigners arriving here shall submit the passports of which they are holders to the visa of the Secretary of State, and shall not be able to depart until it has been similarly ascertained whither they intend to travel. ”
Schengen Treaty
The Netherlands signed the Schengen Agreement in 1985. This treaty regulates the free movement of persons between 26 participating countries in Europe. Under this treaty, citizens of the participating countries can travel freely within the Schengen zone. In 2009 the EU Visa Code entered into force to regulate entry to Schengen countries. Thanks to this code, citizens of non-Schengen countries can travel through all Schengen countries with a single visa valid for a maximum of XNUMX days.
Schengen visa for the Netherlands
If a person from outside the EU wants to travel to the Netherlands for a short stay, he or she may therefore first have to apply for a visa, which depends on the nationality of the traveler. A visa for the Netherlands is officially called a Short stay visa type C, but for convenience we speak of a Schengen visa or Schengen visa.
Which nationalities must apply for a Schengen visa?
Depending on the nationality of the foreign national, there are two options:
- Visa required
- Visa not required
Not every visitor to the Schengen area is required to have a visa. Citizens of the Schengen countries are exempt by definition, but also 62 other countries are exempt from the visa requirement. Passport holders of these countries can visa-free travel to the Netherlands but must meet certain conditions. For example, they must be able to demonstrate that a medical travel insurance has been concluded that meets the EU conditions.
Countries in North America, Oceania and large parts of South America are exempt from visa requirements. Countries in Africa and most countries in Asia require a visa. This means that if someone wants to travel from Indonesia to the Netherlands, for example, this person must first apply for a visa at the Dutch embassy in Jakarta.
Visa-required nationalities
The nationalities listed below are subject to a visa requirement and must apply for a Schengen visa if they want to travel to the Netherlands or other Schengen countries:
| Afghanistan | Algeria | Angola |
| Armenia | Azerbaijan | Bahrain |
| Bangladesh | Belarus | Belize |
| Benin | Bhutan | Bolivia |
| Botswana | Burkina Faso | Burundi |
| Cambodia | Central African Republic | China |
| Comoros | Congo | Cuba |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Djibouti | Dominican Republic |
| Ecuador | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Fiji |
| Philippines | Gabon | Gambia |
| Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau |
| Guyana | Haiti | India |
| Indonesia | Iraq | Iran |
| Ivory Coast | Jamaica | Yemen |
| Jordan | Cape Verde | Cameroon |
| Kazakhstan | Kenya | Kyrgyzstan |
| Kuwait | Laos | Lesotho |
| Lebanon | Liberia | Libya |
| Madagascar | Malawi | Maldives |
| Mali | Morocco | Mauritania |
| Mongolia | Mozambique | Myanmar/Burma |
| Namibia | Nauru | Nepal |
| Niger | Nigeria | North Korea |
| Uganda | Uzbekistan | Oman |
| Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Qatar |
| Russia | Rwanda | Sao Tome and Principe |
| Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Sierra Leone |
| Somalia | Sri Lanka | Sudan |
| Suriname | Swaziland | Syrie |
| Tadjikistan | Tanzania | Thailand |
| Togo | Chad | Tunisia |
| Turkey | Turkmenistan | Vietnam |
| Zambia | Zimbabwe | South Africa |
| South Sudan |
Visa required for Schengen countries
Persons of the above nationalities can apply for a Schengen visa for up to 90 days. With this visa you can travel freely in the Netherlands and other Schengen countries.
You can read how to apply for a Schengen visa here: schengen visa applications
