Netherlands Visa from Dubai: VFS, Fees, Documents and Waiting Times

The short answer: Emiratis don't need a visa for the Netherlands: they can stay up to 90 days in any 180. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals living in the UAE need a Schengen visa. You apply at VFS Global in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides. The visa fee is EUR 90 for adults, plus the VFS service charge. The Dutch government's own page puts the average decision time at 25 days, up to 45, so apply early. The checklist for UAE applicants asks for six months of bank statements.

Amsterdam's canals, the spring tulip fields at Keukenhof, and Rotterdam and The Hague are the usual reasons UAE residents go. The Netherlands issues Schengen visas, so a Dutch visa covers the other Schengen countries too, as long as the Netherlands is your main destination.

Netherlands visa for UAE residents at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Emirati passport	No visa, up to 90 days in any 180
India, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka	Schengen visa before travel
Where to apply	VFS Global, Dubai or Abu Dhabi
Visa fee	EUR 90 adults, EUR 45 children aged 6 to 11, free under 6, plus the VFS service charge
Processing	25 days on average, up to 45
Apply	Up to 6 months before you travel, and at least 15 days before
Bank statements	Last 6 months
Residence visa and Emirates ID	Valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area

Who needs a visa for the Netherlands

Whether you need a visa depends on your passport. The Dutch government confirms that Emirati passport holders don't need a visa to visit the Netherlands. They will need the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts; it hasn't yet, and the EU says it will announce the date several months ahead.

Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan nationals need a Schengen visa. EU rules say you apply in the country where you legally live, so UAE residents apply in the UAE, not at home.

Apply to the Netherlands if it is your main destination, where you spend the most nights. Four nights in Amsterdam and two in Brussels is a Dutch application; the reverse is a Belgian one. See our Schengen visa guide for how the rule works.

How to apply from Dubai or Abu Dhabi

1. Fill in the Schengen application form online, print it and sign it.
2. Book an appointment on VFS Global's Netherlands site for the UAE. Each applicant needs their own appointment, and everyone attends in person, children included. The Dutch government advises booking it yourself to avoid unnecessary costs.
3. Attend your appointment at the VFS centre in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. You hand in your documents, give fingerprints if you are 12 or older, and pay the fees.
4. Wait for the decision. You don't have your passport while the application is processed, so don't plan other trips in the meantime.

The Dutch Consulate-General in Dubai doesn't take Schengen visa applications: it handles long-stay visas, passports and legalisations. Short-stay visas go through VFS only.

Documents

The Dutch checklist for a tourism or private visit from the UAE asks for:

• Passport valid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, issued within the last ten years, with at least two blank pages, and a copy of every page
• UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, each valid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area
• One recent photo to Dutch passport photo standards, taken within the last six months
• The signed application form
• Return flight reservation. The checklist suggests a booking you can cancel in case you are refused.
• Bank statements for the last six months, or other proof that you can pay for the trip
• An original letter from your employer stating your position, contract length and salary, or your original trade licence if you are self-employed
• Proof of accommodation for the whole stay: a hotel booking, a rental contract or proof that you own property
• Travel medical insurance in your own name, with at least EUR 30,000 of cover for the whole Schengen area and your whole stay, including repatriation

Bring each document as an original and one copy, in Dutch, English, French or Spanish. Only your passport is returned; everything else stays with the application.

Visiting family or friends

Your host in the Netherlands fills in the official invitation form, IND Form 1310, "Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation". It replaces the hotel booking, and your host can use it to guarantee your costs if you can't show enough money yourself.

Children

A child travelling without both parents needs an original authorisation signed by the parent or parents in front of a visa officer, with copies of their passports.

How much money you need to show

The UAE checklist doesn't set a daily amount. A figure of about EUR 55 a day often quoted online comes from Dutch rules for hosts who sponsor a visitor, not from the visa checklist. What the checklist does ask for is six months of statements, so your account history matters more than one month's balance.

Fees and processing time

• Visa fee: EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, from the Dutch government's 2026 fee list. Children under 6 pay nothing.
• How to pay: cash in dirhams at the exchange rate on the day, or by card in euros. Apple Pay isn't accepted.
• VFS service charge: paid on top of the visa fee. The Dutch government doesn't publish the amount; VFS shows it when you book.
• Processing: 25 days on average, according to the Dutch government's waiting-time page, and up to 45 days when more checks or documents are needed. Many VFS pages elsewhere quote 15 days; plan on the longer figure.

Fees aren't refunded if you are refused, and an incomplete application can be refused. You can apply up to six months before you travel and no later than 15 days before. For April tulip season or summer trips, apply as soon as your dates are firm.

VFS releases appointments free on its own website. Don't pay anyone who offers to sell you a slot or a guaranteed approval.

At the border

Since April 2026, every Schengen country registers non-EU visitors in the EU's Entry/Exit System. On your first trip since it started, you give fingerprints and a photo at passport control at Schiphol instead of getting a stamp.

Flights from the UAE

• Emirates flies non-stop from Dubai to Amsterdam in about seven hours.
• Etihad flies non-stop from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam.
• KLM hasn't flown to Dubai since 1 March 2026. Its suspension runs through 24 October 2026, and it has said it hopes to restart with its winter schedule.

Flights between the UAE and Europe were disrupted for much of 2026, so check your flight with the airline before you book, and make sure the reservation you submit matches your application dates.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I apply for a Netherlands visa in Dubai?

At VFS Global's Netherlands visa centre in Dubai, or the one in Abu Dhabi. The Dutch Consulate-General in Dubai doesn't take Schengen visa applications.

How long does a Netherlands visa take from Dubai?

The Dutch government says 25 days on average and up to 45. Apply as early as you can, up to six months before you travel and at least 15 days before.

How much is the Netherlands visa fee in Dubai?

EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, paid in dirhams or by card. Children under 6 pay nothing. The VFS service charge is extra.

How many months of bank statements do I need for a Netherlands visa?

Six months, according to the Dutch checklist for UAE applicants. It doesn't set a minimum balance.

Do I need an invitation letter to visit family in the Netherlands?

Yes. Your host fills in IND Form 1310, which covers private accommodation and, if needed, sponsorship of your costs.

Do Emiratis need a visa for the Netherlands?

No. UAE citizens can visit the Netherlands without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. They will need an ETIAS travel authorisation once the EU starts it.

Planning a trip to the Netherlands

Four or five days covers Amsterdam with day trips to Zaanse Schans, Haarlem or The Hague. Keukenhof opens only from late March to mid-May, so apply in January or February for a tulip trip. Brussels is under two hours away by train. See our Schengen visa services for help preparing your Netherlands application, browse holiday packages, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Schengen visa for UAE residents
• Germany visa from Dubai
• France visa from Dubai
• UK visa from Dubai

Last checked 9 October 2026 against the Dutch government's Schengen visa, appointment, fee and waiting-time pages for the UAE, the Dutch tourism and business visa checklists for UAE applicants, the IND's Form 1310, the EU Visa Code, the European Commission's ETIAS page, eu-LISA on the Entry/Exit System, KLM's statements and airline schedules. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with VFS Global or the Netherlands government before you apply.