Which Netherlands Visa Should Indians Apply For?

Getting the category right matters on the day. VFS Global says that if you book under the wrong visa category, you cannot submit your application and you lose the VFS service fee. This guide maps common Indian travel purposes to the correct Dutch visa or permit, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Fees and full checklists for each category are in our Netherlands visa guide for Indians.

Is your stay longer than 90 days?

Answer this first, because it decides everything else. A Schengen visa allows a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. The "Duration of stay" field on the sticker shows how many days you may spend, and the "From" and "Until" fields show its validity. NetherlandsWorldwide warns that overstaying risks a two-year Schengen visa sanction.

Anything longer, such as a degree, a job or joining a partner, needs an MVV (provisional residence permit) plus a residence permit from the IND, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service. You do not lodge these at VFS like a Schengen visa. Your sponsor in the Netherlands usually applies to the IND. After approval, you collect the MVV sticker by appointment at the Embassy in New Delhi or the consulate-general in Bengaluru or Mumbai.

Which Schengen category matches a short trip?

The Netherlands lists separate Schengen categories in India, each with its own checklist. Choose by the main purpose of the trip.

The consular fee is EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11 and free for children under 6. Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens pay no consular fee, but the VFS service fee still applies. Every Netherlands VFS centre charges INR 1,890 per application.

Do you need a visa only to change planes in the Netherlands?

Not if you stay airside. Indian nationals are not on the EU common airport transit visa list (Annex 7A) or on the Netherlands' national list (Annex 7B marks India only for Czechia and Romania). So an Indian passport holder changing flights inside the international transit area of a Dutch airport does not need an airport transit visa. Leaving the transit area means entering the Netherlands, and that needs a Schengen visa.

Which long-stay permit fits study, work or family?

For long stays, the route depends on who brings you to the Netherlands. The figures below are the IND's 2026 fees and income requirements.

Salary figures exclude holiday allowance. Family members aged 18 to pensionable age who need an MVV must first pass the civic integration basic exam abroad at a Dutch embassy or consulate, unless exempt.

Which visa do you need for the Dutch Caribbean?

The Dutch Caribbean has its own visa category, separate from the Schengen list. The short-stay Caribbean visa costs EUR 80.00 for adults and EUR 40.00 for children aged 6 to 11, with no fee under 6. For a long-stay Caribbean visa, apply only after your residence permit application is approved; for Curaçao, provisional approval is enough. Applicants under the Caribbean Carpet Programme first check eligibility and apply for the programme, then lodge visas at the VFS centre after the approval email.

How do waiting times differ between these choices?

• Schengen visas: NetherlandsWorldwide gives an average of 18 to 21 calendar days, rising to 45 in some cases; the VFS India page still states 25. Apply up to 6 months before travel (seafarers 9 months) and at least 15 days before.
• Highly skilled migrant: legal decision period of 90 days; with a recognised sponsor and a complete file the IND aims for 2 weeks.
• EU Blue Card: 30 days if filed by a recognised sponsor, 90 days otherwise.
• Student permit: legal period of 60 days; target of 2 weeks when the institution files a complete application.
• MVV sticker: book within 3 months of the IND's positive decision; the passport is ready in up to 10 working days, and you then travel within 90 days.

Which mistakes lead to the wrong application?

• Booking the tourist category for a business meeting, training or medical visit. Each purpose has its own checklist.
• Starting short work on a tourist visa. For work of up to 90 days, the employer usually applies to UWV for a work permit (TWV) and you travel on a Schengen visa.
• Booking through an intermediary. VFS asks you to book your own appointment, and every person, including babies and children, needs a separate one.
• Applying from India while living elsewhere. Schengen visas are applied for where you legally live; the India centres accept residents of India, Afghanistan and Bhutan.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for Schengen visa files, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for the reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter together. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa fully online?

No. You fill in the Schengen application form online at consular.mfaservices.nl, print and sign it, and then submit it in person with fingerprints at a VFS Global centre after booking an appointment. There is no Netherlands eVisa.

Which Dutch consulate covers my state?

The Consulate-General in Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa. The Consulate-General in Bengaluru covers Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. For Schengen visas, residents of India may apply at any of the 12 VFS centres.

Can I get a multiple-entry Netherlands visa as an Indian?

Under the EU decision of 18 April 2024, Indian nationals living in India who have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years are issued a two-year multiple-entry visa. Its validity ends 3 months before passport expiry. Stays remain limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Is a Dutch language test needed for the highly skilled migrant permit?

The IND's listed requirements for the highly skilled migrant permit do not include a Dutch-language test. The employer must be an IND-recognised sponsor and pay at least the 2026 salary threshold that applies to you.