Netherlands Schengen Visa: Fees and Documents

How to Apply for a Visa-Travel Guides-Visa & Immigration

June 12, 2025

Updated on 17 October 2026

Whether you need a visa for the Netherlands depends on your passport. Citizens of the UK, the US, Canada and Australia can visit the Netherlands without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, while citizens of many other countries, including Nigeria and India, need a Schengen short-stay visa. This guide explains the visa route, the documents, the fee and the mistakes that lead to refusals, with the Nigerian application centres set out in detail.

Step 1: Pick the right visa

Visa	Use	Stay
Short stay (type C)	Tourism, family or friends, business, short courses	Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Long stay (MVV) and residence permit	Study, work, family reunification	Over 90 days; the Dutch immigration service handles the permit

Step 2: Find your application centre

In most countries, Dutch visa applications are lodged at an authorised visa application centre or an embassy, and the provider differs by country. Check the Netherlands Worldwide page for your country of residence before you book.

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If you apply in Nigeria, the Netherlands uses TLScontact, and your centre depends on where you live.

If you live in	Apply at
Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe or Zamfara	The Belgian application centre of TLScontact in Abuja
Any other state	The French application centre of TLScontact in Lagos

These arrangements are published by the Dutch foreign ministry and can change, so check the Netherlands Worldwide page for Nigeria before you book. Older articles that tell you to use VFS Global for the Netherlands are wrong.

Step 3: Collect your documents

Passport valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages.
Signed application form and recent photos.
Travel medical insurance of at least €30,000, valid in all Schengen countries.
Flight reservation and a day-by-day itinerary.
Accommodation proof: hotel booking, or an invitation from a host in the Netherlands.
Bank statements for the last 3 to 6 months and payslips, or a sponsor’s letter and sponsor statements.
Employer letter with approved leave, or business registration papers.

Step 4: Book, submit and pay

Book an appointment at your TLScontact centre.
Attend in person with your documents, and give fingerprints and a photo.
Pay the €90 visa fee for adults, €45 for children aged 6 to under 12, plus the centre’s service fee.
Wait for the decision, usually within 15 calendar days, then collect your passport.

You can apply up to 6 months ahead and at least 15 days before travel. Aim for 4 to 8 weeks.

Worked example: cost and timing (hypothetical)

This is an illustration, not a real case. A family of two adults and one 8-year-old plans a 10-day trip. The Schengen fees are €90 + €90 + €45 = €225, before the centre’s service fee and travel insurance. They plan to travel in July, so they book the appointment in March, submit in April, and treat any decision before 15 days as a bonus. They buy flights only after the passports return with the visa.

Traveller	Need a visa?	Main step
UK, US, Canadian or Australian citizen	No, for up to 90 days in any 180	Check passport validity and entry rules
Nigerian or Indian citizen	Yes, Schengen short-stay	Book at the correct application centre and submit a full file
Resident of the UK or US holding a visa-needing passport	Usually yes	Show your residence status and apply in your country of residence

Common reasons for refusal

A purpose of stay that is not clear or does not match your bookings.
Funds that do not match your declared income, or large unexplained deposits.
Insurance that is missing, under €30,000 or has the wrong dates.
Doubts that you will return to your home country.

Our guides on the Schengen refusal grounds and the application checklist explain how to avoid each one. Planning the trip itself? Read our Netherlands travel and culture tips. Combining the Netherlands with Belgium? See the Belgium guide.