Before starting the story about all the nuances of registration, it should be noted that there is no such thing as a visa to Amsterdam. This is known to every person. To get to this city, you have to apply for a visa to the Netherlands. Its production takes an average of 6-10 days. Therefore, it is only necessary to collect all the necessary documents, submit them to the embassy / consulate and wait.
What you should know
Before you start applying for a visa to Amsterdam, you must submit biometric data. That is, to pass fingerprinting. And also take a digital photo. Recently, this has been a necessity. I am glad that biometric data have a validity period of 59 months. Only children under 12 years of age, people with disabilities, as well as heads of state and their spouses are exempted from the obligation to undergo these procedures.
Where to do fingerprinting? Either in the territorial departments of the interior, or immediately at the consulate.
By the way, before applying for a visa to Amsterdam, you will need to go through an appointment. In the list, a person indicates his full name, and if he goes on a trip not one, then you will need to specify the data of all the others (including children). It is also worth knowing that at the discretion of the visa officer any applicant may be invited to conduct a conversation.
List of main documents
So, in order to get a visa to Amsterdam, you will need to provide the consulate:
- The application form of the applicant.
- Two color photographs (besides digital).
- International passport. It must remain valid for another three months after returning from the Netherlands.
- Document with an expired Schengen visa (if any).
- Photocopies of a civil passport.
This is the main package of documents, the collection of which is not difficult. But, in addition to the above, you will need to present something else. But this is worth telling in more detail.
Confirmation of visit
A visa to Amsterdam for Russians is issued not just at will, but on a specific basis. If a person intends to go there for tourism purposes, then he will still need to add the following to the package of documents noted above:
- Confirmation of a hotel room reservation. You must also specify all the hotel information (address, phone).
- Confirmation of your financial security. A bank account statement is suitable. It should have the amount calculated taking into account the fact that on the day of stay in the Netherlands, one person must have at least 70 euros. That is, if he goes to Amsterdam for 10 days, he will need to deposit 700 at the expense. e. Better - more.
- Roundtrip tickets. If you plan to travel on your own transport, you need to present a green card (insurance) and a travel route.
- Certificate of employment. It should contain data on the enterprise where the applicant works, his position, date of appointment to it, as well as salary. Students must present a certificate from the dean’s office.
As you can see, this list does not include any documents that could not be obtained.
Photo Requirements
They should be noted with special attention. Since often the issuance of a visa to Amsterdam for Russians is refused because their photos do not meet the requirements.
So, a picture must be taken no earlier than six months before submitting the questionnaire. Its standard format for photographs on documents is 3.5 by 4.5 cm. The face size should be 3.2 by 3.6 cm.
The head is level, the slightest turns and inclinations are unacceptable. The applicant looks strictly at the camera, not smiling and not showing any other emotions.
The photo should be color. Black and white images are not accepted. Image quality should be high, the same goes for paper. You also need to remember that photos with folds, spots and other “injuries” are not accepted.
What about the background? It should be either light gray or blue. Other colors will not work, even white.
And, of course, the applicant should be without a hat. Glasses in large frames, with sun glasses or colored glasses, are also prohibited. It’s better to take them off altogether. Owners of outlandish hairstyles or foreheads need to remove their hair so as to open their faces completely.
Features to be aware of
Well, as has already been clarified, a visa is needed in Amsterdam, and nothing extraordinary is needed to apply for it. Moreover, there are some nuances that can "simplify the life" of the applicant.
If, for example, a person does not have a sufficient amount of money, then he can simply provide a sponsorship letter from someone. The wording in it is usually this: “I, full name, sponsor the trip of my wife, full name, ____________ year of birth, from _______ to _______. I take all the expenses associated with the trip in full. ” The sponsor’s contact phone number, address and a copy of his passport are also indicated.
In addition, you should know: in order to apply for a visa to Amsterdam on your own, it is not necessary to contact the Embassy of the Netherlands. It is allowed to apply to another consulate. The main thing is to get permission to enter the Schengen area. Ana the territory of which country - it is not so important.
Issue price
So, whether a visa to Amsterdam is needed is extremely clear. Now we can talk about its cost.
The consular fee for many years remains unchanged - 35 euros. It is paid immediately and in case of refusal is not returned. It happens that a person needs an express visa. The maximum term for its execution is three days. But for urgency you have to pay, so the price is from 35 y. e. grows to 70 euros.
The following persons are exempted from payment of the fee:
- Children under six years old.
- Students and students.
- Citizens traveling to relatives living in Amsterdam.
- Scientists who go there to engage in scientific activities.
Everyone else needs to pay.
Information not for tourists
There are people who are not planning to travel to Amsterdam. What visa do they need then? There are two options. The first is a “D” visa, also called a national visa. It is issued to people who intend to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days on good grounds (for example, in connection with work or for the purpose of reuniting with their family). A national visa can be single-entry (single entry within six months) and multiple-entry (equivalent to a residence permit).
Naturally, a lot more documents are needed to complete such a document. Anyone who goes to Amsterdam to work needs an official invitation from the employer. Previously, it must be found and persuaded to take a foreigner into place. However, this is a completely different topic.
In addition, there is a visa “A” - transit. It is easiest to get, as it is issued to people who fly through Dutch airports to countries that are not in the Schengen area. However, even such a visa is not needed if a person does not plan to leave the so-called transit zone - the airport territory during the flight.