VR Team | Feb 2, 2020 | 0 comments

How to Apply for Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia in 5 Easy Steps – A Complete Guide

The Netherlands is a Schengen country full of interesting places to visit. Try Amsterdam for its pretty canals and infamous nightlife or for something a little more relaxed there’s Rotterdam where you’ll find international food and markets to enjoy. In this article, learn more about how to apply for a Netherlands visa at the consulate of the Netherlands in Sydney, Australia, Netherlands visa appointment booking, processing time at the Netherlands visa application centre, flight itinerary for a Netherlands visa, hotel bookings for a Netherlands visa, Schengen travel insurance for a Netherlands visa application, and Netherlands visa application process at the consulate in Sydney.

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia

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Netherlands Schengen Visas

In 2018, 682,382 Netherlands Schengen visa applications were received by Dutch embassies and consulates around the world. They rejected 86,123 applications. The Consulate General of the Netherlands in Sydney received 1,143 applications and rejected 117.

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Stats

Applying for a Schengen Visa from Australia

Depending on where you are from, you may or may not need to apply for a visa for the Netherlands. Generally, if you are an Australian citizen, you do not need a visa as long as your trip does not exceed 90 days. If you are not an Australian citizen, you do need a visa for the Netherlands. You can apply from Australia as long as you are living in the country legally. You can prove this by providing proof of residence.

If you are applying from Australia, you can submit your application to the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Sydney.

With effect from December 2019, you may also submit your application to VFS Global in Sydney (as of 5 December), Melbourne (as of 10 December) or Perth (as of 18 December).

Your application will be assessed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands in Canberra.

You can find more information on the Embassy of the Netherlands’ website.

Types of Schengen visas offered at VFS Global in Australia

Depending on why you are going to the Netherlands and the duration of your trip, you can apply for 1 of 4 types of visa:

Schengen visa (short-stay) – for tourism, business, visiting family or friends for up to 90 days
Caribbean Visa (short-stay) – if you are travelling to Aruba, Curaçao or the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for 90 days or less
Airport Transit visa is required when you are connecting through a Schengen country airport and not leaving the airport
National visa (long-stay) – for business, conference, study or employment etc., for over 90 days

How Can I Apply for a Schengen Visa from Australia?

You may apply for a Schengen visa up to 3 months before you intend to travel. 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. However, it may take up to 30 or 60 days if more time is needed to process your application or if more documents are required.

Here are 5 easy steps to follow to help you apply for your visa:

Step 1: How to complete your application?

Go to VFS Globals website, scroll down to “Online Application Form” and click on the link:

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Application Form

Click on the link:

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Application Form1

Read the instructions and click on: “Start Visa Application Form”:

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Application Form2

Key in your country of residence – in this case: “Australia” and click on: “Next”:

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Application Form3

Continue through the screens until you get to the end:

Netherlands Schengen Visa from Australia Application Form4

When you have finished, an official form with the information you entered is generated for you to download. You need to bring a printed and signed copy to your appointment.

Step 2: How to make an appointment?

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
Receive appointment confirmation in email

Book Visa Appointment For Any Country

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:

At VFS Global:

Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an Appointment”
Click on the link
Register as a new user
Log in to make a convenient appointment
Receive an appointment booking confirmation email with the appointment letter
Print this off and take to the application centre on the appointment day

At the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Sydney:

Go to Netherlands and You’s website and click on: “Applying for a short-stay Schengen visa”
Select your country of residence
Click on: “Applications via the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Sydney”
Click on the link to make an online appointment to apply for your visa in Sydney
Choose “Schedule Appointment”
Select the number of applicants and the application category (this will be the type of visa you wish to apply for and the reason for going to the Netherlands)
You will then be able to choose a day and time for your appointment

Step 3: Prepare your documents

If you go to VFS Global’s or the embassy’s websites, there are checklists for the different types of visa. Get to know what the requirements are to save time later and to make sure you have everything that you need when you submit your application.

You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!

Documents include:

A passport or official travel document issued within the last 10 years valid for at least three months. Please make sure your passport has at least 2 free pages
Copy of all pages of your passport
Visa application form
Proof of legal residence in the country you are applying from, e.g. a passport, visa or residence permit and a copy of a work permit (if applicable). Residence permit should be valid for at least 3 months after departure from Schengen Area
Proof of visa status – VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online)
Passport photograph
Proof of travel insurance – covering the cost of repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment. The insurance must be valid throughout the Schengen Member States and should cover the entire period of the person’s stay. The minimum coverage is €30,000
Reservation of return flight tickets including confirmation of the booking of an organised trip including a detailed itinerary or a certificate of a reserved and prepaid journey
Proof of financial means in the country of residence (including recent bank statements showing movement of means over a certain period (minimum last three months)
A visa, residence permit or passport which gives entry to your final destination after your visit to the Schengen area
Proof of sponsorship or an invitation letter from the host in the Netherlands
If married or in a partnership, provide a marriage certificate or registered partnership agreement
A document from the establishment providing the accommodation such as a hotel reservation

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
Submit the travel details and make the payment online
Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: A guide to your visa appointment

On the day of your visa appointment, VFS Global request that you should not arrive earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment time. This is so they can control crowd flow in the application centre. Don’t waste the time of the visa office or yourself by forgetting any of the documents you need for your application – if you do, you may have to reschedule. Also, don’t turn up in shorts and a t-shirt – it’s always best to look smart in these situations.

When the visa officer is examining your application, wait patiently and be ready for any questions they may ask. They may want more information about your circumstances or they may want to clarify something that you have stated in your application. All you need to do is answer honestly and to the point.

Typical questions include:

Are you planning on working in the Netherlands?
How many times have you been to the Schengen Area?
What are you going to do when you return to Australia?
Have you applied for a Schengen visa before?
Who are you meeting in the Netherlands?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

Type of visa	Fee
Schengen visa – up to 90 days	97 AUD/€60
National visa – over 90 days	Varies. See the visa office’s websites
Child between 6-12 years of age	56 AUD/€35
Children under the age of six	Free

You can pay by credit or debit card at VFS Global and credit or debit card or EFTPOS at the consulate in Sydney. VFS Global also charge 35 AUD for their service. These fees are non-refundable even if your visa application is refused.

If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will have to provide biometric data which is a photograph and a scan of your fingerprints.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress. If you have submitted your application to VFS Global you can track your visa application by using the following options

SMS
Online tracking
Telephone the call centre

If you have submitted your application to the consulate in Sydney, go to the embassy’s website where you can check the status of your application.

When a decision has been reached, you can collect your passport from either VFS Global or the consulate in Sydney. If you are collecting your passport from VFS Global, you will need your receipt to collect your passport. Your passport can also be returned via registered post from the consulate in Sydney. You should provide an A4-size pre-paid, self-addressed envelope when you submit your application.

The decision will be either:

Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision

Common rejection reasons include:

No proof of visa status in Australia – you must provide proof of your visa status online (VEVO). Make sure you do this before you submit your application
No invitation letter – if you are being invited to the Netherlands by a person or a company, you need an invitation letter or a sponsorship letter, whichever one applies to your circumstances
Invalid passport – if your passport is not valid in any way – issued within the last 10 years, 2 free pages and valid for 3 months after your trip, you must get a new one before applying for your visa
Proof of funds not received – you must provide proof that you can afford your trip such as bank statements

Reasons For Schengen Visa Rejections

Ways to contact VFS Global in Australia

Email: info.jvac-au@vfshelpline.com

Contact Centre: +61282784527

Contact Centre Hours of Operation: 9:00 to 17:00 AEST

Application Centres:

MELBOURNE

Address: Suite 3, Level 13, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria – 3000

PERTH

Address: Suite 330, 267 St Georges Terrace, Level 3, Perth WA 6000

SYDNEY

Address: Suite 9.03, Level 9, 139 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

Ways to contact the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Sydney

Address: Westfield Tower 2, Level 23, 101 Grafton Street corner of Grosvenor Street Bondi Junction, NSW 2022 Sydney

Phone: +61 2 8305 6800; 24 hours, 7 days a week

Fax: +61293 87 39 62

Email: syd@minbuza.nl

Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 9.00 – 12.00 hrs and Tuesday to Thursday: 8.00 – 13.00 hrs

Conclusion

To apply for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands in Australia, follow these simple steps:

Complete your application
Make an appointment
Prepare your documents
Attend your appointment
Receive your visa

Now, turn your attention to the fact that it won’t be long until you touch down in the Netherlands!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.