# Netherlands Visa for Indians 2026: Types, Fees and How to Apply

> Visa types, the EUR 90 fee and INR 1,890 VFS charge, the tourist checklist, processing times and long-stay MVV steps for Indians applying to the Netherlands.

_Published: 2026-10-21 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1284_

## TL;DR

Indians apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa online, then submit in person with biometrics at one of 12 VFS centres in India. The visa fee is EUR 90 and the VFS charge INR 1,890; NetherlandsWorldwide currently quotes 18 to 21 calendar days on average. Long stays of more than 90 days go through the IND, with the MVV sticker collected in New Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore.

## Key takeaways

- Short stays (up to 90 days in any 180) need a Schengen visa; longer stays need an MVV applied for through the IND.
- Fees: EUR 90 adult visa, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, free under 6, plus INR 1,890 VFS charge.
- Each person, including babies, needs a separate VFS appointment; apply at least 15 days and up to 6 months before travel.
- NetherlandsWorldwide quotes 18 to 21 calendar days on average, up to 45; processing cannot be sped up.
- European Commission data show a 20.7% refusal rate at Dutch consulates in India in 2025.

**Indian citizens apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa by filling the online form at consular.mfaservices.nl, booking an individual VFS Global appointment and submitting in person with biometrics at one of 12 centres in India. According to NetherlandsWorldwide, the visa fee is EUR 90 and VFS adds INR 1,890 per application.**

## Article

This guide covers the visa types open to Indians, the 2026 fees, the application steps, the tourist checklist, timelines and the long-stay MVV route. All figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For centre addresses and the full country page, see our Netherlands visa guide for Indian citizens.

### Which Netherlands visa do Indians need?
VisaUse it forWhere you applySchengen short-stay visaTourism, business or official visits, visiting family or friends, medical treatment, cultural, sports or study events, seafarers; up to 90 days in any 180-day periodOnline form, then a VFS centre in IndiaOrange CarpetEmployees of companies registered with the Netherlands Embassy for the programmeVFS centres, with morning walk-in windowsDutch Caribbean visaShort or long stays in the Dutch CaribbeanVFS centre (long stay only after residence approval)Long-stay visa (MVV)Study, highly skilled work, EU Blue Card, paid employment or family reunification, for more than 90 daysIND application, usually by your sponsor; sticker collected at the Embassy or a consulate-generalAirport transit visaNot needed by Indians who stay in the international transit area of a Dutch airportNot applicable
### How much does a Netherlands visa cost in 2026?
ChargeAmountSchengen visa, adultEUR 90.00Schengen visa, child aged 6 to 11EUR 45.00Schengen visa, child under 6Free of chargeFamily member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizenFree of charge (VFS charge still applies)Dutch Caribbean visaEUR 80.00 (child aged 6 to 11: EUR 40.00)VFS service charge, submission with biometricsINR 1,890 including GSTIND student residence permit including MVVEUR 254.00IND highly skilled migrant, EU Blue Card or single permitEUR 423.00Consular fees are published in euros only; you pay by card, UPI or cash in rupees at the centre, and all fees are non-refundable. The consular fee list is on NetherlandsWorldwide's India fees page.

### How do you apply for a Schengen visa from India, step by step?
- Open the right checklist for your purpose on NetherlandsWorldwide and collect the documents in that order.
- Fill the online Schengen application form, then print and sign it. Handwritten forms are not accepted.
- Book your own appointment online with VFS Global, not through an intermediary. Each person, including babies and children, needs a separate appointment. If you book the wrong category, you cannot submit on the day and you lose the VFS service fee.
- Attend in person. Fingerprints and a digital photo are taken at the appointment, so you do not need to bring a photo. Pay the visa fee and the VFS charge there.
- Track the application on the VFS website with the reference number on your receipt; it starts with the city letters and "NL", for example DENL for New Delhi. NetherlandsWorldwide and the Embassy cannot give status updates.
- Collect the passport with the original VFS receipt and a copy of a valid government photo ID of the applicant and the receiver, or choose courier return when you submit.
Apply up to 6 months before travel (9 months for seafarers) and at least 15 days before. Schengen applicants living in India, Afghanistan or Bhutan may use any of the 12 centres: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.

### What documents does the tourist checklist ask for?
- Passport not more than 10 years old, with at least 2 blank visa pages, valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, and signed
- Colour copies of the bio-data page, the last page of the passport and previous Schengen stamps
- A cover letter giving the reason, duration, fellow travellers, transport and accommodation
- Proof of accommodation for the entire trip, for each Schengen country you visit
- Financial means: 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
- Ties to India: for employees, the employment contract, a leave approval letter and the last 3 months' payslips; for the self-employed, company registration with GST number, business bank statements and an ITR with verified barcode
- A travel reservation to and from the Schengen area; a paid ticket is not required
- Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen countries for the whole trip, with at least EUR 30,000 cover
Minors travelling alone or with one parent also need a recent birth-certificate extract and notarised consent from the non-travelling parent. The full list is in the tourism checklist for India.

### How long does it take, and how many applications are refused?
NetherlandsWorldwide currently gives an average of 18 to 21 calendar days from the day its Consular Services Organisation receives the documents and passport, rising to 45 days in busy periods or when more checks are needed. The VFS India page still states an average of 25 calendar days. It is not possible to speed up processing; contact VFS if you have heard nothing after 45 days.

The European Commission's statistics show a refusal rate of 20.7% for Schengen visa applications lodged at Dutch consulates in India in 2025 (20,156 not issued out of 97,650), against 16.1% in 2024. If you are refused, the decision letter gives the reasons, and you can object in writing to the IND within four weeks or submit a new application, paying the fees again.

Regular travellers benefit from the EU's April 2024 decision for Indians residing in India: if you have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years, a two-year multiple-entry visa is issued.

### How does the long-stay MVV route work?
For stays of more than 90 days, your sponsor (a recognised university, an employer or a family member in the Netherlands) applies to the IND for the MVV and residence permit together, ideally at least 3 months before the intended stay. Two 2026 benchmarks: students at a university or hbo must have EUR 1,130.77 a month, and highly skilled migrants aged 30 or over must earn at least EUR 5,942 a month (EUR 4,357 under 30).

After a positive decision, book an MVV sticker appointment at the Embassy in New Delhi or the consulate-general in Bangalore or Mumbai; you may use any of the three. Collect it within 3 months of the decision with a passport valid for at least 6 more months and 2 empty pages. The passport with the MVV is ready in up to 10 working days, and you then travel within 90 days.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares the flight reservation, hotel bookings, itinerary and cover letter that a Dutch Schengen file asks for. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four documents. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Do Indians need a transit visa to change planes at Amsterdam Schiphol?
No, as long as you stay in the international transit area. India is not on the EU common airport-transit-visa list (Annex 7A) or the Netherlands' own list (Annex 7B). Leaving the transit area requires a Schengen visa.

#### Can I apply at any Netherlands VFS centre in India?
Yes for Schengen visas. Applicants living in India, Afghanistan or Bhutan may apply at any of the 12 centres, and no state-based restriction is published.

#### What happens if I overstay a Netherlands Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa allows a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. NetherlandsWorldwide warns that overstaying risks a two-year Schengen visa sanction.

#### Do I need a paid flight ticket for a Netherlands visa?
No. The checklist asks for a travel reservation to and from the Schengen area and states that a paid ticket is not required.

## FAQ

### Do Indians need a transit visa to change planes at Amsterdam Schiphol?

No, as long as you stay in the international transit area. India is not on the EU common airport-transit-visa list (Annex 7A) or the Netherlands' own list (Annex 7B). Leaving the transit area requires a Schengen visa.

### Can I apply at any Netherlands VFS centre in India?

Yes for Schengen visas. Applicants living in India, Afghanistan or Bhutan may apply at any of the 12 centres, and no state-based restriction is published.

### What happens if I overstay a Netherlands Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa allows a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. NetherlandsWorldwide warns that overstaying risks a two-year Schengen visa sanction.

### Do I need a paid flight ticket for a Netherlands visa?

No. The checklist asks for a travel reservation to and from the Schengen area and states that a paid ticket is not required.

## Sources

1. [Applying for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands in India (steps, appointment, collection)](https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/visa-the-netherlands/schengen-visa/apply-india) — NetherlandsWorldwide, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
2. [Consular fees in India 2026](https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/india/living-and-working/consular-fees) — NetherlandsWorldwide, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
3. [Checklist: Schengen visa in India for tourism](https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/visa-the-netherlands/checklist-schengen-visa-tourism/india) — NetherlandsWorldwide, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
4. [European Commission - Schengen visa statistics by consulate (2025)](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/56816949-e59f-442b-9091-5d03360bf860_en) — European Commission