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The Netherlands flag — visa destinationSchengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Facilitated under EU Directive 2004/38/EC Verified 2026-04-24

Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen (Facilitated Schengen Visa)

Facilitated Schengen visa for family members of EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens travelling to or joining them in the Netherlands. Visa fee is WAIVED under EU Directive 2004/38/EC. Includes Chavez-Vilchez route for parents of Dutch minor children.

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Processing time
Up to 45 days
after you submit

No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the The Netherlands visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.

Processing

Average 15 calendar days

Stay Duration

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period

Starting Fee

FREE

Apply At

12 VFS centres

Done-for-you · End-to-end filing

Your whole The Netherlands EU Family Member Visa, handled for one honest price.

A strong The Netherlands file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.

All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges

₹12,999all-in · GST incl.

File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents

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Everything below — included, nothing extra

  • Document checklist
  • Application form guidance
  • Document review
  • Cover letter
  • Purpose of travel structure
  • Financial proof review
  • Sponsor document guidance
  • Submission & appointment support
  • Post-submission guidance
Licensed consultant files it Govt/VFS fees paid direct — never marked up

Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.

Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.

Your fee, in one glance

What the ₹12,999 fee covers for a The Netherlands file

  • We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
  • We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
  • We read your documents against each other, not against a list
  • Financial proof review
  • Purpose of travel structuring
  • Cover letter / explanation support
  • Return ties review
  • Sponsor / invitation guidance
  • Application form guidance
  • Submission & appointment support
  • Biometrics guidance
  • Post-submission support

Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.

Good to know before you apply

Rules that apply to every The Netherlands visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.

  • 1Your travel document (passport) must NOT be more than 10 years old, have at least 2 blank visa pages, be valid for at least 3 months after your intended departure from the Schengen area, and carry your signature.
  • 2Not all travel documents are recognised by the Netherlands — non-recognised documents will result in an INADMISSIBLE application. Check the European Union website if you are uncertain.
  • 3Diplomatic and Official passport holders can use the walk-in facility at all Netherlands VFS centres between 09:00 and 10:00 on working days — no prior appointment needed.
  • 4In most cases you must submit your application in person. This applies to babies and children too.
  • 5Pilots and flight attendants do NOT need to hand over their passport during processing — all other applicants must submit it for the duration of processing.
  • 6At the appointment you will sign a declaration acknowledging (a) you understand that all documents must be submitted for the application to be processed, and (b) an incomplete application may be rejected with no refund of visa fees.
  • 7If you overstay a Schengen visa, you risk a two-year visa sanction across all Schengen countries.
  • 8If you notice a mistake on your visa when collecting it at VFS, notify the agent immediately. If you notice it later or received the visa by courier, contact the Dutch embassy without delay.

Who Can Apply

  • Spouse, registered partner, or common-law spouse of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen
  • Direct descendants (children) under the age of 21, OR children who are financially dependent, of the EU citizen or their spouse/partner
  • Dependent direct relatives in the ascending line (parents) of the EU citizen or their spouse/partner
  • Parents of a Dutch minor child under 18 living in the Netherlands (Chavez-Vilchez route) — separate checklist applies
  • In some cases: durable-relationship partners, caregivers, or financial dependants of the EU citizen (case-by-case assessment)

Not eligible under this visa:

  • Family members of Dutch nationals living in the Netherlands who have never exercised EU free movement — apply for family reunification MVV instead
  • Partners/family of EU long-term residents who are not EU/EEA/Swiss citizens themselves
  • Stays longer than 90 days — requires a separate residence procedure

What it costs

Government & VFS fees

Paid directly to The Netherlands / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.

ItemAmount
Schengen visa feeFREE
VFS service charge (per application)₹1,855

The visa fee is fully waived for qualifying applicants under EU Directive 2004/38/EC. Only the VFS service charge (₹1,855) applies. You must prove that you qualify under the directive — unqualified applications will be processed under standard Schengen rules with the full €90 fee.

Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary

What The Netherlands actually requires — and what it does not.

The Netherlands applies the Schengen rules, so travel insurance is not a nice-to-have — it is a legal condition of the visa.

2 of 4 are compulsory for The Netherlands

Expected

Flight reservation

The The Netherlands consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing.

Where people slip: Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together.

How to hold a flight without paying
Required

Hotel booking

Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code.

Where people slip: Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend.

Refundable hotel booking, explained
Required

Travel insurance

Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference.

Where people slip: Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four.

What the cover must actually say
Expected

Travel itinerary

A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. The Netherlands must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate.

Where people slip: Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in The Netherlands. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed.

The letter your itinerary attaches to

We arrange all four for your The Netherlands file.

We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.

What to gather

Documents required

Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.

Personal documents (simplified under EU Directive)

4 items
  • Completed Schengen visa application form — sections 19, 20, 31, 32, 33 can be left blank; fields 34 and 35 must be completedRequired

    The accelerated procedure requires fewer fields. Fill the form ONLINE to receive the unique code.

  • Valid passport + signature, 2 blank pages, valid 3+ months after Schengen departureRequired
  • Biometric photograph (3.5cm × 4.5cm, white/light background, ≤6 months old)Required
  • Proof of legal residence in India (original + colour copy)Required

Documents relating to your EU/EEA/Swiss family member

4 items
  • Proof of family tiesRequired

    Birth certificate, marriage certificate, certificate of registered partnership, or other official document stating your name and that of the EU/EEA/Swiss citizen. Original + colour copy.

  • Colour copy of the EU/EEA/Swiss citizen's valid travel documentRequired
  • Proof of right of free movementRequired

    If the EU citizen resides in a country other than their own for 3+ months: residence permit OR registration in that EU state. If visiting: travel itinerary/flight booking showing their travel. A letter explaining any gaps helps.

  • If relationship is not "immediate": evidence of durable relationship

    Proof of cohabitation, joint finances, serious health-grounds care need, or financial dependency. Assessed case-by-case.

Chavez-Vilchez route — parent of Dutch child under 18 (separate checklist)

5 items
  • Proof of child's Dutch nationality

    Dutch travel document or other official proof. Required only for Chavez-Vilchez applications.

  • Dutch travel document of the child's other parent (or death certificate)
  • Proof that you are the child's parent

    Birth certificate, acknowledgement of parentage, adoption papers, foster-parent proof, or DNA test from an RVA/ILAC-accredited lab.

  • Proof of parental responsibility

    Extract from parental responsibility register (gezagsregister) or foreign equivalent.

  • Proof of your role in the child's care + proof the child is dependent on you

Travel documents

1 item
  • Travel reservation in your name (not a paid ticket)Required

    If travelling with the EU citizen, also show a reservation in their name or a document showing their travel plans.

Documents relating to minors (if applicable)

3 items
  • Recent birth certificate extract + consent form signed by non-travelling parent(s)/guardian(s)Required
  • Valid travel document + Schengen visa of parent (if applicable)
  • Death certificate / guardianship proof / court permission (if applicable)

Required · optional / if applicable

The journey.

7 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.

  1. 01

    Confirm eligibility under EU Directive 2004/38/EC

    You must (1) be a family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss national, (2) be accompanying or joining them, and (3) the family member is travelling to or residing in an EU country OTHER than their own. Family of Dutch nationals in NL usually do NOT qualify.

  2. 02

    Gather proof of family ties + EU free movement

    Birth/marriage certificate, EU passport copy, their residence permit in another EU state OR travel itinerary showing free movement.

  3. 03

    Complete the simplified Schengen application form

    Fill ONLINE. Under EU Directive you can leave sections 19, 20, 31, 32, 33 blank; complete fields 34 and 35.

  4. 04

    Book a VFS appointment

    Note: the visa fee is WAIVED, but the ₹1,855 VFS service charge still applies.

  5. 05

    Submit at VFS + biometrics

    Submit all documents in person. Processing is typically expedited.

  6. 06

    For Chavez-Vilchez applicants

    If you are a parent of a Dutch minor living in the Netherlands (Chavez-Vilchez), use the dedicated checklist — proof of child's Dutch nationality, parental responsibility, and dependency is required.

  7. 07

    Track + collect

    15 days average, often faster. 45 days maximum.

What works

12 levers that flip a borderline case.

  • Complete the Schengen visa application form ONLINE only — forms without a unique code can cause processing issues. Handwritten forms are rejected.
  • Travel medical insurance covering minimum €30,000 is MANDATORY and must be valid across all Schengen states for the entire duration of your trip, including arrival and departure dates.
  • Personal bank statements must be from the last 3 months, stamped and signed by your bank. Plain print-outs without a bank stamp are not accepted.
  • Photo must be colour, no more than 6 months old, 3.5cm × 4.5cm, with a white or light-coloured background. If applying through VFS, a digital photo may be taken at your appointment instead.

What kills cases

Top 3 refusal triggers we see.

  • 1EU citizen has not exercised free movement (e.g. Dutch national in the Netherlands)
  • 2Family tie cannot be objectively proven
  • 3EU citizen's travel or residence plans not evidenced

VFS application centres

VFS Global AhmedabadVFS Global BangaloreVFS Global ChandigarhVFS Global ChennaiVFS Global CochinVFS Global HyderabadVFS Global JalandharVFS Global KolkataVFS Global LucknowVFS Global MumbaiVFS Global New DelhiVFS Global Pune

Quiz not yet available for this visa type

We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen (Facilitated Schengen Visa) is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.

Frequently asked

Questions, answered straight

Yes. The Schengen visa fee is fully waived under EU Directive 2004/38/EC for qualifying family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens exercising free movement. You still pay the ₹1,855 VFS service charge.

Generally no — Dutch nationals in their own country are not exercising EU free movement. Exceptions exist (for example, under Chavez-Vilchez for parents of Dutch minor children, or when the Dutch national has recently worked/lived in another EU country).

No. The facilitation applies only if your family member holds EU/EEA/Swiss citizenship. Long-term residents who are third-country nationals don't trigger Directive 2004/38/EC.

No. You can travel to join them. The key is that they are in (or travelling to) a member state of which they are not a national.

Joint address records, shared finances, shared lease, family photos over time, long-term correspondence, cohabitation history. Dutch authorities assess this holistically.

Fee is waived, fewer application-form sections need filling, documentation is lighter, and processing is typically faster.

Yes. Under the Chavez-Vilchez ruling, parents of Dutch minor children may live in the Netherlands. A separate, dedicated checklist applies — proof of the child's Dutch nationality, your parental responsibility, and the child's dependency on you.

Reviewed by Sherbir Singh Grewal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.

How we get it done

Your The Netherlands Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen, from your first message to your passport back.

7 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.

Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.

+My relative in The Netherlands is inviting and sponsoring me. What do they need to send?

An invitation naming you and the relationship, proof of their own status in The Netherlands (residence permit, passport or citizenship), proof of address, and — if they are paying — their income evidence and a formal undertaking. Several countries have a specific sponsorship form; using a plain letter where a prescribed form exists gets the file bounced. Send us their documents together with yours: the two sides have to agree with each other, and mismatched addresses or dates between sponsor and applicant are one of the quietest refusal causes.

+Does having close family settled abroad make my visa harder?

It is the question officers probe hardest on a family visit, because a visitor visa turns on whether you will come back. It is not a bar — thousands of these are approved every month — but it has to be answered rather than ignored. The answer is your own life here: your job or business, your dependants, your property, your bookings. A file that names the relative and then says nothing about your ties invites the officer to assume the obvious.

+How long can I actually stay on a The Netherlands Schengen visa?

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period (Schengen area-wide). The window rolls: on any given day the authorities count backwards 180 days and add up the days you were inside. It is not 90 days per country and it does not reset when you leave and come back. Entries are single or multiple entry, as granted by the embassy. Getting this arithmetic wrong is how people end up overstaying without realising, which follows you into every future application.

+Should I apply to The Netherlands or to another Schengen country?

You apply to the country you will spend the most nights in. If the nights are equal across several, you apply to the one you enter first. Applying to the "easier" consulate when your itinerary says otherwise is a well-known refusal ground and, if the mismatch looks deliberate, it reads as misrepresentation rather than a mistake. Send us your itinerary and we will tell you which mission is the correct one for your trip — sometimes that is not The Netherlands.

+How long does a The Netherlands Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen take, start to finish?

Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. The Netherlands currently states Average 15 calendar days from submission; maximum 45 calendar days. Apply up to 6 months before travel. Processing cannot be expedited by contacting NetherlandsWorldwide or the embassy. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.

+How much of what I pay for the The Netherlands visa is actually your fee?

Most of it is not ours. The The Netherlands government fee (currently FREE) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.

+How does SureshotVisa handle my The Netherlands Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen, from first message to passport back?

You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (The Netherlands currently states Average 15 calendar days from submission; maximum 45 calendar days. Apply up to 6 months before travel. Processing cannot be expedited by contacting NetherlandsWorldwide or the embassy.). Government and visa-centre fees (FREE for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.

Before you file

A The Netherlands Netherlands — Family Member of EU/EEA/Swiss Citizen goes one of two ways.

Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same The Netherlands rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.

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Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Cultural / Sports / Religious / Film

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Schengen Short-Stay (Type C) — Orange Carpet Business

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Source & Disclaimer

Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global The Netherlands website and Embassy of The Netherlands. Last verified 2026-04-24. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.

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