Emergency Schengen visa to the Netherlands: everything you need to know to travel quickly
Sometimes you need to travel to the Netherlands urgently, for example when a family member is seriously ill or has passed away. Do you have a nationality that requires a visa? Then you may be able to apply for an emergency visa. In this blog, I explain how to apply for an emergency visa and what to pay attention to.
The standard procedure for a short-stay visa
If you travel to the Netherlands for up to 90 days, for example for a holiday or to visit family, you normally apply for a short-stay visa. The procedure takes about 15 calendar days. In some cases, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) may extend the decision period to up to 45 days, for example if additional information is needed or further checks are required.
What is an emergency visa and when can you apply?
An emergency visa is intended for situations where you need to come to the Netherlands quickly, for example in the event of the death or a life-threatening illness of a family member. The main difference from a regular visa is the speed: instead of the usual decision period of 15 to 45 days, a decision on an emergency visa can be made within a few hours to a few working days.
How fast it goes depends on how urgent the situation is. For example, if it concerns attending a funeral in two weeks, the urgency is different than when someone is terminally ill and is expected to pass away within 48 hours.
You can only apply for an emergency visa if it concerns a first-degree or second-degree family member. The following people count as first-degree or second-degree relatives:
- Your grandparent, parent, child, brother, or sister
- Your father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, or brother-in-law
- Your stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, or stepsister
What are the conditions for an emergency visa?
To apply for an emergency visa, you must meet the following conditions:
- You can prove that you need to travel to the Netherlands urgently
- You have a valid passport or other travel document.
- You are not a threat to public order or national security.
- You do not have an alert/signal in the Schengen Information System.
- You can show that you will return to your country of origin in time.
- You have sufficient funds for your stay in the Netherlands and for onward travel or return travel. You need at least €55 per person per day for the duration of your stay, or someone in the Netherlands can act as a guarantor. This can be the sponsor (reference person) or someone else. The guarantor meets the applicable income requirements.
How do you apply for an emergency visa?
Follow these steps to apply for an emergency visa:
- First, have a family member in the Netherlands contact the IND by phone. This family member can explain the situation and indicate that it concerns an emergency visa application.
- The IND assesses whether the case qualifies as an emergency procedure. If it does, the IND informs the Dutch representation abroad that the application can be handled urgently.
- Then you go yourself to the Dutch representation in the country where you live and submit the emergency visa application. Make sure you bring all required documents to show you meet the conditions.
Please note: you need to book an appointment to submit the application, and waiting times can apply depending on availability.
The importance of submitting quickly
Applying for an emergency visa can be emotionally heavy and stressful. The faster you act, the sooner you can travel to the Netherlands. That is why it is important to act quickly and be well prepared.
Do you have questions? Feel free to contact me. I am happy to help you.