If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter Netherlands visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). Netherlands may ask you to show €55 per day. Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for Netherlands, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in Netherlands can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in Netherlands can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: €55 per day. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to Netherlands
Main international airports in Netherlands: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), Eindhoven (EIN), Rotterdam The Hague (RTM).
If Netherlands is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Helsinki, Madrid…), the check happens there and your flight to Netherlands is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
All of Netherlands's land borders are with other Schengen countries, so there are no routine passport checks when you cross them by car, bus or train. Countries can reintroduce temporary checks, so always carry your passport.
The EES at airports and borders in Netherlands
In Netherlands, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; Netherlands no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
Netherlands in depth: Schiphol transfers and the Caribbean islands
Amsterdam Schiphol is one of Europe's main transfer airports. If you connect there to a non-Schengen destination and never leave the international transfer area, you do not enter Schengen and need no ETIAS. If you connect to another Schengen city, your passport check and EES registration happen at Schiphol.
Border checks in the Netherlands are carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, a military police force, not by the regular police.
Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba belong to the Kingdom of the Netherlands but are outside Schengen. They have their own entry rules, and days spent there do not count towards your Schengen 90 days.
Good to know about Netherlands
- Layover at Schiphol: if you stay in the transit area, you don't need ETIAS.
- Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba aren't in Schengen: they have their own rules.
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in Netherlands add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in Netherlands after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do Aruba or Curaçao require ETIAS?
No. They aren't part of the Schengen Area or the 30 countries that will require ETIAS.
Do US citizens need a visa for Netherlands?
No. US citizens can visit Netherlands visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Today a valid passport is enough; once ETIAS launches, you will also need an approved ETIAS (€20) before you travel.
Do UK citizens need ETIAS for Netherlands?
Not yet, because ETIAS has not started. Once it launches, British passport holders will need ETIAS to visit Netherlands, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement as residents of an EU country.
How much money do I need to enter Netherlands?
€55 per day. Border officers may ask you to show it with cards, bank statements or cash.
Keep reading
Sources
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.