Tourist Visa

Tourist visa

A tourist visa allows you to stay in The Netherlands for up to 3 months, with the possibility to extend this period for another 3 months under exceptional circumstances.

The tourist visa also permits you to travel within various countries of West Europe, also known as the Schengen countries.

Some nationalisties do not need a tourist visa, click here for a list.
Although the visa is normally valid for three months, some embassies tend to issue a visa period for a shorter period than these three months, usually until the date of your return flight ticket. Very annoying, when you change your mind after you have the visa.

Let's say you have a visa for 18 days, because the embassy relates the period of stay in the Netherlands to you return flight. During your stay, you decide to stay a bit longer in the Netherlands as spending christmas with your family would be a great idea. What to do?

First of all, although this might be a disappointing remark is call the IND at 0900-1234561 and then option English (of Dutch) and then the option 4 for a request of prolongation of the Tourist visa at the office of the IND near Amsterdam.

Now, the officer of the IND will certainly state that you will not be granted a prolongation, as only very serious circumstances will allow you to stay longer. This is certainly not true. Please click here for the official documents to show to the officer of the IND to motivate your claim or e-mail us to explain this to you. You are in most cases allowed to stay the maximum of three months.

Travelling around in Europe is allowed for the listed countries here: The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece

The requirments to get a tourist visa are fairly easy: have proof of sufficient financial means or have a garantor. Further you will need a valid passport and some portrait foto's.