Netherlands visa guideThe Netherlands tourist visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for holidays, sightseeing and other leisure travel. It allows an Indian passport holder up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, though the visa you receive may cover fewer days. You fill in the form online and apply in person at VFS Global, which has centres in Chandigarh, Jalandhar and New Delhi.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides. NetherlandsWorldwide gives an average of 18 to 21 calendar days, VFS India quotes 25, and it can take up to 45. Apply up to 6 months and at least 15 days before travel; with fixed dates, aim for 6 to 8 weeks ahead.
Do Indians need a visa for the Netherlands, and which one?
Yes. For a holiday in the Netherlands, an Indian passport holder needs a Schengen short-stay visa, type C. There is no e-visa. You complete the application form online, print it, and hand in the file in person at a VFS Global centre.
The visa allows at most 90 days in any 180-day period, shared across the Schengen area. NetherlandsWorldwide, the Dutch government's site for people abroad, points out that the visa you get may be valid for a shorter period than 90 days. Read the "From", "Until" and "Duration of stay" fields on the sticker before you book anything.
Who decides? Not VFS. The Consular Services Organisation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs processes the application, and the ministry decides when, for how long and for how many entries your visa is valid. You cannot ask for a multiple-entry visa yourself; it follows from your travel plans and travel history. For Indians, the EU's cascade rules help repeat travellers: after two Schengen visas obtained and lawfully used within the previous three years, a two-year multiple-entry visa can be issued, normally followed by a five-year one.
Netherlands tourist visa at a glance
- VisaOnline form, then in person at VFS
- Schengen short-stay visa, type C
- Longest stayThe sticker may allow fewer days
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Decided byIts Consular Services Organisation
- Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Punjab centresPlus New Delhi and other cities
- Chandigarh and Jalandhar
- Visa feeFree under 6
- €90 adult, €45 child aged 6 to 11
- Decision timeVFS India quotes an average of 25
- 18 to 21 days on average, up to 45
NetherlandsWorldwide and VFS Global Netherlands India, checked 14 Oct 2026
Take overstaying seriously. VFS's Netherlands page warns that if you overstay, you risk a two-year visa sanction for all Schengen countries.
Where do applicants from Punjab apply?
At VFS Global, the Netherlands' service provider in India. The centres are in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune, all open Monday to Friday. For Patiala, Mohali or Ambala, Chandigarh is closest; for Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Kapurthala or Amritsar, the Jalandhar centre saves the trip.
Everyone in the family goes. NetherlandsWorldwide says you must appear in person to submit your application, even if you are under 18, and that this applies to babies and children too. Children under 12 give no fingerprints, but they must still be present.
What happens at the counter:
- You hand over the documents on your checklist, with your passport, and the checklist itself.
- You give fingerprints, unless they were taken for a Schengen visa or an entry visa in the past 59 months.
- You answer questions about your trip and pay the fees.
- You choose to collect the passport or have it sent, and receive a reference number for tracking.
- You sign a declaration that you understand an incomplete application may be rejected without a refund of the fee.
No printed photo is needed at VFS; a digital photo is taken at the appointment. The form is different. Fill in your own form online so it carries a unique code; VFS says handwritten forms are not accepted, and NetherlandsWorldwide warns against using someone else's form. To see how dates are opening, check our Netherlands appointment availability page.
A fraud warning from the Dutch side: the embassy never asks anyone to deposit an application or visa fee in a bank account.
Which documents depend on your situation?
The standard checklist is printed further down. The Dutch checklist for tourism in India then asks you to prove "social or economic ties" to India, and what counts depends on who you are:
Employee
- What the Dutch checklist asks for
- Employment contract, a recent letter from your employer approving your leave, and payslips for the past 3 months
Self-employed or company owner
- What the Dutch checklist asks for
- Company registration certificate with the GST number, bank statements from the business account, and your income tax return with a verified barcode
Retired
- What the Dutch checklist asks for
- Pension statements for the past 3 months, plus papers showing money or property such as a business, a house or land
Student
- What the Dutch checklist asks for
- A statement from your school, college or university
None of these, for example a homemaker
- What the Dutch checklist asks for
- Proof that you are a caregiver, that you own a house or other real estate, or that your children attend school in India
Money is a separate test. The Dutch reference figure is €55 for each day of the visit. NetherlandsWorldwide lists personal bank statements for the past 3 months, stamped and signed by the bank, or Indian income tax returns for the last 2 tax years. The EU's harmonised list for India asks for both, so put both in. If someone else is paying, say so in writing.
Some Dutch details that are easy to miss:
- Copies of three passport pages. A colour copy of the page with your personal data, the last page of the passport (a rule for Indian nationals), and any Schengen entry and exit stamps from older passports.
- The passport itself must be under 10 years old, have at least 2 blank visa pages, stay valid for 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, and carry your signature.
- Accommodation. A reservation for the entire trip, and proof of accommodation for each Schengen country if you are touring. Staying with friends or relatives instead? Then the host has a legalised Dutch form to arrange; see our Netherlands family visit visa guide.
- Organised tours. If you are joining a group tour, bring the booking.
How much is the Netherlands visa fee for Indians?
The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 pay nothing. You pay it in rupees at the VFS centre, in cash, by card or by UPI. VFS also charges a service fee of ₹1,890 per application, GST included, as shown on its fee tab on 14 October 2026. All fees are non-refundable, including when the visa is refused. Our filing fee is shown at the top of this page.
How long does it take, and when should you apply?
The two official figures differ. NetherlandsWorldwide gives an average of 18 to 21 calendar days for a Schengen visa, and up to 45 when volumes are high, further checks are needed or you are asked for more documents. VFS's India pages give an average of 25 calendar days and a maximum of 45. Plan on 25 days at least.
The clock starts only when the Ministry's Consular Services Organisation receives your documents and passport, not on the day you visit VFS. NetherlandsWorldwide is also currently showing a high-season warning that processing may take longer than usual. When the file is done you get an email, but it does not say whether the visa was granted; you find out when you open the passport.
When to apply:
- Earliest: 6 months before travel.
- Latest: at least 15 days before travel. Treat that as an absolute floor, not a plan.
- In practice: if your dates are fixed, apply 6 to 8 weeks ahead so a 45-day case still fits.
If you have heard nothing after 45 days, VFS asks you to contact the application centre. Its page adds that it is not possible to speed up processing, so chasing the embassy does not help.
Why do Netherlands visas get refused for Indian applicants?
Dutch refusals use the EU's standard form with numbered reasons. These are the patterns that most often sink holiday files from India.
Applying to the wrong country
NetherlandsWorldwide is blunt about it: if you visit several Schengen countries, apply only to the country of your main purpose of travel, or your application will be rejected. Landing at Schiphol does not make the Netherlands your main destination. Count the nights.
An incomplete file
At the counter you sign a statement that an incomplete application may be rejected and the fee will not be refunded. A missing leave letter, a hotel booking that stops halfway, or no proof for one Schengen country is enough to cause trouble.
Money that does not cover the trip (reason 3)
The Dutch yardstick is €55 for each day of the visit. A balance that appeared a week before filing does not prove much; show three stamped months of statements, salary or business income coming in, and two years of ITRs.
Weak ties to India (reason 13)
The officer must be satisfied you will leave before the visa expires. Use the checklist's own categories: a contract and leave letter, GST registration and business statements, pension statements, property papers, or children in school here.
Insurance that misses one condition (reason 16)
The policy schedule must name you, cover every Schengen country for the entire stay, and cover at least €30,000 for hospital treatment, emergency care, prescription medicine and repatriation, including in the event of death.
Every numbered reason is explained on our Schengen refusal reasons page.
Tips for a stronger file
- Cover letter with four things. The Dutch checklist names them: the reason for your visit, how long you will stay, the names of anyone travelling with you, and your transport and accommodation details.
- Flights. A reservation in your name to and from the Schengen area is enough. You do not need a paid ticket, but you do need to show your travel plans.
- Other visas first. If the same trip includes the UK, the US or another non-Schengen country, the Dutch visa guidance is to get that visa before you apply for the Schengen one.
- Bank statements. Stamped and signed, with salary credits marked. Explain any large credit with a document.
- Business owners. Bring the ITR with its verified barcode, as the checklist puts it, plus the GST registration and the business account statements.
- Insurance for every trip. On a multiple-entry visa you must show valid insurance for each later stay as well, not just the first.
- Check the sticker. Read your name, dates and validity before you leave VFS. If there is a mistake, tell the VFS staff at once; the airline may not let you board with a wrong visa.
Use our visa fee calculator if several family members are applying together.
Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Netherlands visa?
Yes, within the 90 days. The rule on where to apply is the important part. When the purpose is the same in every country, such as a holiday, you apply to the country where you will stay longest; if the stays are equal, to the one you visit first. If your purposes differ, choose the country of your main purpose.
So ten days in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Giethoorn with two in Brussels is a Dutch file. A week in Paris with a weekend in Amsterdam is a French one. NetherlandsWorldwide adds that there is no point booking an appointment with another country's embassy just because its dates are sooner; that application will be rejected. The Netherlands country page covers the other visa types.
The Netherlands also uses the EU's Entry/Exit System, which records your entries and exits electronically with fingerprints and a face image and is gradually replacing passport stamps.
What can you do if the Netherlands refuses your visa?
You have two routes. You can lodge an objection with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) within four weeks of the date printed at the bottom of the decision, in writing, yourself or through someone you authorise. Or you can submit a new application and pay the fee again.
For a trip in the near future, NetherlandsWorldwide itself says a new application is your best option. Read the decision first: it explains why you were refused, and the new file must fix that point. The visa fee and the VFS service fee are not refunded either way. Check your four-week deadline with our refusal deadline tool.
Official sources
- Applying for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands in India, NetherlandsWorldwide
- Checklist: Applying for a Schengen visa in India for tourism, NetherlandsWorldwide
- How long does it take to get a visa for the Netherlands?, NetherlandsWorldwide
- What kind of insurance do I need?, NetherlandsWorldwide
- Visiting two or more Schengen countries, NetherlandsWorldwide
- I have not been granted a visa. What should I do?, NetherlandsWorldwide
- Can I apply for a multiple-entry visa?, NetherlandsWorldwide
- Consular fees in India, NetherlandsWorldwide
- VFS Global Netherlands India: tourist visa
- VFS Global Netherlands India: visa application centres
- European Union adopts more favourable Schengen visa rules for Indians, EU Delegation to India
- What is the EES?, Travel to Europe
