Quick answer
Indians need a Schengen visa for the Netherlands, filed online and lodged at one of 12 VFS Global centres in India; the Dutch Embassy in New Delhi decides. The fee is EUR 90 (about ₹9,200) plus VFS charges. Apply to the Netherlands when it is your longest stay, and apply early for the mid-March to mid-May tulip season.
At a glance
- Visa type
- Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) issued by the Netherlands
- Stay allowed
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Fee
- EUR 90 (about ₹9,200) per adult, EUR 45 (about ₹4,600) for children aged 6–11, plus a VFS Global service charge of roughly ₹1,500–3,000
- Processing
- About 15 calendar days; apply in January–February for April tulip trips
- Validity
- As issued: trip dates on a first visa, 2-year or 5-year multiple-entry under the India cascade
- Apply at
- Official portal
Documents checklist
- Online Schengen application form with its unique code, printed and signed (your own form, not a copy)
- The Dutch checklist for your purpose of travel, printed and brought to the appointment
- Passport issued within 10 years, valid 3 months beyond return, plus old passports
- Two 35 x 45 mm photographs on a white background
- Bank statements for the last 3–6 months, stamped
- ITR acknowledgements for the last 2–3 years
- Leave letter and last 3 salary slips, or GST and business records
- Day-by-day itinerary, hotel bookings for every night and a refundable flight reservation
- Family visits: the Dutch sponsorship and accommodation form signed by your host, with their income proof
- Travel insurance with at least EUR 30,000 medical cover for all Schengen states
- If someone submits for you: signed authorisation letter plus their passport and a copy
Common mistakes that get Indians refused
- Using a form printed from someone else's application. Each form carries a unique code and borrowed forms cause processing problems.
- Booking one VFS appointment for a whole family; each traveller, including children, needs a separate slot.
- Not checking the visa sticker. If validity ends before your return flight, contact the Embassy before you travel.
- Forged or altered documents. The Embassy reports them to Indian authorities and keeps them.
When is the Netherlands the right country?
Apply to the Netherlands when it is your longest stay: Amsterdam with day trips to Keukenhof, Zaanse Schans, Giethoorn or The Hague. On a Benelux trip, count nights. Four in Amsterdam and three in Brussels and Bruges makes it a Dutch application. The shared rules are on our Schengen visa guide.
Where do you apply in India?
The Dutch Embassy in New Delhi decides applications, which are collected by VFS Global at 12 centres: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi. You complete the application form online, which gives it a unique code. Use your own form, not one someone else printed.
Each traveller needs a separate VFS appointment, including children.
A shortcut for repeat travellers
The Netherlands lets someone else submit your file if you are 12 or older and your fingerprints were taken for a Schengen visa in the past 59 months. They bring a letter of authorisation signed by both of you, their own passport and a copy, and your full document set. It suits busy professionals, but if the Ministry cannot copy your stored fingerprints you will be called in anyway.
Tulip season and timing
Keukenhof opens from roughly mid-March to mid-May, and that window overlaps with Indian summer-holiday planning. Applications can be lodged up to six months before travel and no later than 15 days before. For an April tulip trip, apply in January or February. Processing is usually about 15 calendar days once lodged.
Netherlands-specific points
- Check the sticker. The Embassy asks you to check the name, validity and dates on the visa straight away. If the validity ends before your return flight, email the Embassy in New Delhi before travelling, or the airline may refuse boarding.
- Refusals. You receive a letter with reasons and can file an objection. A fresh, corrected application is often faster when a holiday date is fixed.
- Fraud warning. The Embassy reports forged documents to Indian authorities and never asks for fees to be deposited into a bank account.
Documents that decide the outcome
Follow the checklist for your purpose of travel (tourism, business, family visit) and bring it with you. The core: three to six months of bank statements, ITRs for two to three years, a leave letter and salary slips, a day-by-day itinerary, hotel bookings, a refundable flight reservation and insurance of at least EUR 30,000 for all Schengen states.
For family visits, your Dutch host's signed sponsorship and accommodation form, with proof of their income, carries more weight than a simple invitation letter.
Our visa assistance team prepares Dutch files, and we arrange compliant travel insurance. See the Netherlands trip cost and best time to visit the Netherlands before you book.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I apply for a Netherlands visa in India?
Can someone else submit my Netherlands visa application?
When should I apply for a Keukenhof tulip trip?
What if the dates on my Dutch visa are wrong?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
