From 16 November 2026, new requirements apply if someone else submits a Netherlands visa application on your behalf at the Visa Application Centre (VAC). As a general rule, every applicant, including babies and children, still has to submit the application in person. Submission by someone else is possible only in the cases below.
Who can authorise someone else to submit
You can authorise another person to submit your application only if you meet all three of these conditions:
- You are 12 years or older.
- You applied in person for a Schengen, airport transit or entry visa within the past 59 months.
- Your fingerprints were taken during that application.
The 59 months are counted back from the date your new application is submitted.
What the person submitting must bring
- A letter of authorisation, signed by you and by them (free format).
- Their own travel document (for example, a passport) and a copy of it.
- All the documents needed for your application.
Fingerprints and the 59-month rule
If your fingerprints were taken in the past 59 months, you do not have to give them again. Fingerprints stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) can be copied by the Dutch Ministry. The external service provider cannot access the VIS to check them, so the centre cannot confirm that your fingerprints are on file.
If the Ministry cannot copy your fingerprints, you will be asked to come back to the application location to provide them. To avoid this, you can have your fingerprints taken again during your application, even if you already gave them in the past 59 months.
Other biometric rules to remember
- Without biometric information, your visa application will not be processed.
- Children under 12 do not give fingerprints but must still be present at the appointment.
- You are also exempt if you are physically unable to give fingerprints and have a medical document to show this, or if you travel on an official visit as a head of state, government leader, member of a national government or official delegation, or royal family member, invited by the Dutch government or an international organisation.
- Your photograph can be taken at the centre: no sunglasses, tinted glasses or head covering (unless worn for religious or medical reasons), and your full face must be visible. You may also bring your own photo that meets the Dutch photo requirements.
Visa Application Centre basics
- Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. If you miss it, you can book a new appointment only 24 hours after the original appointment time.
- Bring a printed copy of your visa application and a valid passport or travel document with at least 2 pages that are blank on both sides.
- Bring a complete set of supporting documents: an original and a copy of each. A photo is not needed for a short-stay Schengen visa, as it is taken at the centre.
- If you have not paid your visa fee online, you can pay at the centre.
- Only applicants, caregivers and people accompanying children under 18 may enter the centre. Random bag searches may be carried out for safety and security.
Official source
VFS Global, Netherlands visa application centre: What happens at the Visa Application Centre (notice dated 26 October 2026).
Planning a Netherlands trip? See our Netherlands visa page.
Disclaimer: Visa rules, fees and procedures can change. Confirm the current requirements with the issuing authority or our team before you apply or travel.