Coming to the Netherlands for a business visit
If you plan to come to the Netherlands for a business visit, you may need a short-stay visa and an invitation letter from your Dutch business partner. Find out what applies to your situation.
A business visit means you come to the Netherlands on business: for example, to visit a supplier, an agent, a prospective client, or a trade show. Whether or not you need a visa to visit the Netherlands depends on your nationality. Read the information that applies to you.
I am from the EEA or Switzerland
You do not need a visa to travel to the Netherlands. All nationals from the EEA and Switzerland can travel between member states freely. The EEA consists of the EU plus a number of other European countries. For a full list, see the Netherlands Worldwide website.
I am from a country outside the EEA or Switzerland
Short-stay visa
If you come to the Netherlands for 90 days or less, you will usually need a short-stay visa, also called a Schengen visa. There is an online tool on the IND website where you can fill in your nationality to find out whether you need a short-stay visa, and if so, how to go about getting one.
The short-stay visa is valid in the Schengen area for 90 days within a 180-day period. So, if you have stayed in the Netherlands for 90 days in a row, you cannot return for the next 90 days. This is also true if you have stayed in several Schengen countries for 90 days in a row. Only after the 180-day period is over can you get a new short stay visa.
Invitation letter or form
You will usually also need a letter of invitation from the Dutch company you will visit. This can be an actual letter or a so-called Proof of sponsorship form. There must be information in this letter about why you are coming, and how long you will be staying.
I am from a country outside the EEA or Switzerland, and I have a valid residence permit for an EEA country or Switzerland
You also will need a short-stay visa. You can apply for this at the Dutch embassy or consulate in the country where you live.
Stopover in a Dutch airport
Are you flying to the Netherlands, but only for a stopover on your way to and from a non-Schengen country? In that case, you may need an airport transit visa.