Learning Center

1. Visas for Holland

2. Types of visas

1. Visas for Holland

A visa is an official signature or endorsement on a passport. It is derived from the Latin phrase charta visa, meaning paper that has been seen.

A visa is used by countries to inquire and decide in advance about the legality of an intended stay. A visa for Holland is also used in this manner.

When a person applies for a visa for Holland, the Dutch authorities take a decision about the legality of the intended stay.

A visa for Holland is not the same as a residence permit for Holland. In general, a Dutch visa gives a foreigner the right to enter and stay in the Netherlands for a short period of time (a maximum of 90 days within a period of 180 days). For a longer stay the foreigner is obliged to apply for a Dutch residence permit.


2. Types of visas

Holland has basically four types of visas:


2.1 Short stay visa/ tourist visa/ Schengen visa

A short stay visa for a country gives the holder the right to enter and stay for a short period of time in a country. A short stay visa is usually referred to as a tourist visa.

The short stay visa for Holland is governed by the Schengen Convention Rules. This visa is therefore also referred to as a Schengen visa.

The Schengen Convention comprises of the area of twenty-five countries. At present time, twenty-two European Union Member States and three non European Union Member States (Switzerland, Norway and Iceland) enforce integrally the Schengen Convention.

The UK, Ireland, Bulgaria and Romania do not apply the Schengen Convention Rules. Bulgaria and Romania will join the Schengen Convention in principle from the month of June in the year 2011. It is uncertain if or when the UK and Ireland will join the Schengen Convention.

The Schengen visa allows the holder to enter and stay in any of the Schengen countries for the maximum duration of 90 days within a period of 180 days. The authority that issues the visa has the right to adjust the 90 days and the 180 days periods mentioned above. They can for example issue a visa that is valid for 30 days within a period of 90 days. The Schengen visa can be issued for single or multiple entries into the Schengen area.

Sometimes it is required to extend the visa. This is in certain situations possible. The Dutch authorities can also issue a visa that is restricted to the territory of Holland or a so-called Benelux visa that is restricted to the territories of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

2.2 MVV visa (Machtiging Voorlopig Verblijf)

The MVV visa gives the holder the right to enter and stay in the Netherlands for more than three months. The MVV visa is not a residence permit. It is however linked to the residence permit. A person who wants to apply for a Dutch residence permit must in principle apply for a MVV visa first. When applying for a MVV visa a person must state the purpose of his stay in the Netherlands. The MVV visa is granted when a person meets the requirements of the Dutch residence permit that corresponds with the stated purpose of stay. After traveling to Holland the person must apply for the residence permit.

A person who would like to travel to and stay in the Netherlands for a period of time that exceeds three months must in principle be in the possession of a MVV visa.

Since April 2010 the MVV visa also allows the holder to enter and stay in any of the Schengen countries for the maximum duration of 90 days within a period of 180 days.

A MVV visa is not required for a person who has the nationality of : Australia, Canada, Iceland Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, United States of America, Vatican city and countries within the European Union.

2.3 Transit visa

Transit visa gives the holder the right to pass through the country that has issued the transit visa. The transit visas for Holland are governed by the Schengen Convention Rules. A transit visa can be provided for one or two transits. Only in exceptional circumstances it can be provided for more than two transits. The total duration of the transit period may not exceed five days.

2.4 Return visa

A return visa allows its to travel in and out of the Netherlands. You can apply for a return visa in the Netherlands.

A return visa can be useful during the time that the application for a residence permit or the extension of a residence permit is being reviewed by the Dutch immigration authorities. If a person travels out of the Netherlands during the time that his application is under review, he is not allowed to return to the Netherlands until a positive decision has been taken on his application for (the extension of) a residence permit.

back to top