All passports, unless stipulated above, must be valid for at least three months after intended stay, except for
EU nationals who require a passport valid only for the period of stay. Return or onward tickets, all necessary documents for next destination and sufficient funds are required by most nationalities, although nationals of
Canada,
Japan,
New Zealand and
USA are only required to hold proof of sufficient funds. The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries:
Austria,
Belgium,
Czech Republic,
Denmark,
Estonia,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Greece,
Hungary,
Iceland,
Italy,
Latvia,
Lithuania,
Luxembourg,
Malta,
The Netherlands,
Norway,
Poland,
Portugal,
Slovakia,
Slovenia,
Spain and
Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that has a multiple entry option that allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all.
Americans: United States citizens require a valid passport. No visa is needed for travel to the Netherlands.
UK nationals: British passport holders endorsed British Citizen, British Subject, British Overseas Territories Citizen, or European Community do not require a visa for travel to the Netherlands. Passports endorsed British National (Overseas) do not require a visa for a stay of 90 days. In all other cases a visa is required.
Canadians: Canadians must have a valid passport. No visa is required.
Australians: Australians must have a valid passport. No visa is required.
South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport and Schengen visa for entry into the Netherlands.
Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a passport valid for at least the period of intended stay. A visa is not required.
New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens must have a valid passport. No visa is required.
Health
There are no health risks associated with travel to the Netherlands and no inoculations are required. It is safe to drink tap water. The standard of health care in the Netherlands is very high, but the necessary health insurance provisions must be made before traveling. A reciprocal agreement exists with other EU countries, which entitles nationals to low-cost emergency medical treatment. A
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is necessary for this purpose.
Safety
Travel in Holland is fairly safe. Travelers should however always exercise caution in empty streets at night and be aware of pickpockets, particularly in central
Amsterdam and at Central Station. There have been several incidents on trains from
Schiphol Airport where heavily laden passengers have been targeted by thieves. There is a risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks and visitors should be vigilant in public places and tourist sites, particularly since extra security measures have been set up around the country in response to concerns about a possible terrorist attack. Police in Amsterdam are warning travelers of a new scam whereby tourists will be approached by 'plain clothes policemen' who claim to be investigating credit card fraud and counterfeit currency. Tourists are shown fake identification in the form of badges (Dutch police do not carry badges and plain clothes police will rarely conduct such an 'investigation'), and asked to hand over credit cards and money. This will be returned but with some money/cards missing. If approached, travelers are advised to ask for proper identification or to accompany them to the nearest police station. There is also an increase in the number of spiked drinks occurring in
Europe.
