Amsterdam Airport: Transit Visa Requirements And Exemptions

If you're transiting through Amsterdam Airport, you may need a visa depending on your nationality and destination country. Nationals of certain countries require an airport transit visa to change aircraft at a Dutch airport, even if they do not enter Dutch territory. This is also known as an A-visa. An airport transit visa does not allow the holder to enter the Netherlands or any other Schengen country, meaning they must remain in the airport's international transit zone. If your connecting flight is to another Schengen country, you will need a regular short-stay Schengen visa for the Netherlands instead of an airport transit visa.

Transit visa exemptions

If you are transiting through a Dutch airport, you may need a visa depending on your nationality and destination. This is known as an airport transit visa (ATV) or an A-visa. This type of visa allows the holder to change planes at a Dutch airport before travelling to a country outside the Schengen area. It is important to note that an ATV does not permit entry into the Netherlands or any other Schengen area country, meaning you must remain within the airport.

There are several exemptions to the ATV requirement. You do not need an ATV if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You are a holder of a visa or residence permit for a country in the EU, the EEA, or the Schengen Area.
• You hold a visa for Japan, Canada, or the United States.
• You hold a diplomatic passport.
• You are a family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen, and you can provide a birth certificate or marriage certificate as proof. This includes spouses, registered partners, parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren. Additionally, you must be travelling with or to this family member, and you must have a valid visa or residence permit as a family member of an EU citizen issued by an EU, EEA, or Switzerland member state.
• You have a residence permit that grants you unlimited return to Canada, Japan, the US, Andorra, and San Marino.
• You are part of an on-duty aircrew and a citizen of a member country of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Required documents

The required documents for a Netherlands transit visa depend on your nationality and destination. If you are a national of the following countries, you will need a Netherlands airport transit visa to pass through a Dutch airport:

• Afghanistan
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• Colombia
• DR Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea Bissau
• Iran
• Iraq
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sierra Leone
• Sudan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Syria

However, exemptions apply if:

• You are a holder of a visa or residence permit for a country in the EU, the EEA, or the Schengen Area
• You hold a visa for Japan, Canada, or the United States
• You hold a diplomatic passport
• You are a family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen
• You have a residence permit that grants you unlimited return for Canada, Japan, the US, Andorra, and San Marino
• You are part of an on-duty aircrew and a citizen of a member country of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

If you are a family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss national, you may not need an airport transit visa. To meet the requirements, you must:

• Prove your relationship with a birth or marriage certificate
• Be travelling to or with this family member
• Have a valid visa or residence permit as a family member of an EU citizen, issued by an EU or EEA member state, or Switzerland
• Have a valid visa or residence permit for your final destination

If you are transiting at a Dutch airport, you are considered to be in transit if:

• You change planes on the way to your next destination without leaving the international transit zone, meaning you do not go through passport control
• Your plane makes a brief stop and you stay on the plane or wait in the international transit zone until your plane leaves for your next destination

If you are not in transit, for example, if you need to collect your luggage and check it in for your next flight, you may need a Schengen visa.

When applying for an airport transit visa to the Netherlands, you will need the following documents:

• Standard required documents for a Dutch Schengen Visa
• Proof of booked flight tickets
• Proof of further travel, such as a valid visa, residence permit, or passport for the next country after the Netherlands
• In some cases, a court statement saying which parent has custody of the minor and/or a declaration from the minor's school consenting to the minor's absence

To apply for a Dutch transit visa, gather the required documents and submit them in person at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country. If your country does not have a Dutch embassy or consulate, submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the Schengen Area country responsible for visa submissions.

Visa application process

Whether or not you need a transit visa to pass through Amsterdam Airport depends on your nationality and your destination. If you are a citizen of the following countries, you will need a Netherlands Airport Transit Visa (also known as an A-visa) to pass through a Dutch airport:

• Afghanistan
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• Colombia
• DR Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea Bissau
• Iran
• Iraq
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sierra Leone
• Sudan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Syria
• Nationals of Guinea do not need an airport transit visa for Belgium provided they are in possession of a valid visa for one of the EER countries, Andorra, Canada, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, the United States of America or Switzerland.

As of 1 May 2008, nationals of Ghana and Nigeria do not need an airport transit visa for Benelux, Germany, Italy and Spain provided they are in possession of a valid visa for the United States, Canada, Japan, EER countries and Switzerland.

If you are a citizen of one of the above countries and do need a transit visa, you will need to submit the following documents:

• A passport or other travel document issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages and valid for at least three months after the date of your transit through the Netherlands.
• A completed and signed Schengen visa application form, with 'airport transit' indicated as the main purpose of your journey.
• A photo that meets Dutch requirements for passport photos.
• Proof of booked flight tickets.
• Proof of further travel, such as a valid visa, residence permit or passport for the next country after the Netherlands.
• In some cases, you may also need to provide a court statement saying which of the parents has custody of the minor and/or a declaration from the minor's school stating they consent to the minor's absence.

You will need to submit your application in person at the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country. If there is no Dutch embassy or consulate in your country, you will need to submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the Schengen Area country that handles visa submissions for your country.

The visa fee is EUR 60, although it is waived for certain applicants, such as children under 6 years old and students. The earliest you can apply is six months before you intend to travel, and you should apply no later than 15 working days in advance. In most cases, you will be informed within 15 calendar days whether your application has been successful.

Visa fees

Whether or not you need a transit visa to pass through Amsterdam Airport depends on your nationality and your destination. If you are travelling to another Schengen area country, you will not need a Dutch transit visa, but a regular short-stay Schengen visa.

If you do require a Netherlands transit visa, you will need to pay a fee when you submit your application. If your application is refused, this fee will not be refunded. The Schengen countries have harmonised visa fees. The standard fee for a visa is EUR 60. However, visa applicants with the nationality of a country with which the European Union has entered or will enter into a visa facilitation agreement (Albania, Bosnia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Ukraine, Russia, and Serbia) will pay EUR 35.

As a rule, you must pay the fee in the local currency. In exceptional cases, such as if the local currency is not convertible, you must pay in another currency. You may also have to pay other costs incurred in processing your application, such as the cost of sending faxes.

Visa validity

The visa validity for the Netherlands depends on the type of visa and the nationality of the traveller. Visas are typically issued for the duration specified, with a maximum of three months (90 days) per six months.

The Netherlands Airport Transit Visa, also known as an A-visa, allows the holder to change planes at a Dutch airport before travelling to a country outside the Schengen area. This visa does not permit the holder to enter the Netherlands or any other Schengen area country. The visa is valid for the duration of the stopover at the airport.

The Netherlands Seafarer Schengen Visa allows seamen to disembark at a Dutch seaport and stay in the country for up to five days before boarding another vessel towards a non-Schengen country. This visa is valid for up to five days.

The Netherlands also offers a transit visa valid for up to five days, a single-entry visa valid for up to 90 days, a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 90 days or one year, and a multiple-entry visa valid for up to five years. The validity of these visas depends on the purpose of the visit, the traveller's ability to pay for their expenses, and the potential risk to public order, national security, or international relations.

The cost of a visa application is typically EUR 60, although applicants from certain countries may pay a reduced fee of EUR 35. If the application is refused, this fee is retained to cover processing costs.

Frequently asked questions