Applying for an entry visa for the Netherlands in Kenya
If you are in Kenya and your Dutch residence permit has been lost or stolen, or has expired, follow the steps below to apply for an entry visa.
Step 1: Check whether you need a visa
In some cases, you may not need a visa to return to the Netherlands. Select the situation that applies to you.
My residence permit has expired. Check whether you need a visa
My residence permit has been lost or stolen. Check whether you need a visa
Step 2: Gather the documents that you need
The checklist tells you which documents you need for your entry visa application.
Step 3: Make an appointment
Once you have all the documents you need for your entry visa application, make an appointment with VFS Global in Nairobi.
Make an appointment online at VFS Global in Nairobi
- Making an appointment is free of charge. Do not make an appointment with an intermediary because they will charge you money.
- If you are applying for visas for multiple people, make a separate appointment for each person.
You must appear in person at your appointment to submit your application, even if you’re under 18.
Exception
You don’t need to appear in person to submit your application if:
- you have applied in person for a Schengen visa within the past 5 years (59 months), and:
- you submitted a photo with that application, and:
- your fingerprints were taken for that application (only applies if you are 12 or older).
If you meet all 3 conditions, you can have someone else submit your application for you. The appointment must be under the name of the person submitting your application.
If you are not certain whether VFS Global has your fingerprints on record, you should submit your application in person. VFS Global cannot check this for you.
To change or cancel your appointment, contact VFS Global in Kenya.
Step 4: Go to your appointment
Go to your appointment at VFS Global, and bring all the documents on your checklist from step 2 with you, plus the checklist itself.
At your appointment you should:
- submit the documents that are on your checklist together with your passport;
- have your fingerprints taken (only if you are 12 or older);
- answer questions about your trip;
- pay the visa fee;
- say whether you want to collect your passport (with visa affixed) or have it sent to you; and
- receive a reference number to track your application.
The overview of consular fees in Kenya tells you what your visa will cost. You will also need to pay a service fee to VFS Global.
Usually, you will receive an email in response to your application within 15 days. This may take longer in some situations. In that case, you will receive a response within 45 days.
When you submit your application you will receive a reference number from VFS Global. You can use the number to track the status of your visa application online.
Step 5: Collect your passport or have it sent to you
You will receive an email once your application has been processed. The email won’t say whether your application was successful. You can collect your passport or have it sent to you. If your application was approved, the visa will be affixed to a page in your passport.
If you want to have your passport sent to you, you can ask during your appointment how to arrange this.
If you want to collect your passport in person, you will be given a collection date during your appointment. You can also have someone else collect your passport for you.
If you collect your passport yourself, you must bring:
- a valid identity document; and
- the payment receipt provided by VFS Global.
If someone else collects your passport for you, they must bring:
- a valid identity document;
- a signed letter from you authorising them to collect your passport; and
- the payment receipt provided by VFS Global
Check that all the information on your visa is correct, including your name and the validity period.
Find out more about the information on a visa
If any of the information is incorrect, or if you cannot use the visa, for example because the validity period does not match the dates of the airline tickets in your application, contact the Netherlands embassy in Nairobi.
Step 6: Prepare for your return trip
Return to the Netherlands within 7 days of the date shown on your visa.
Your entry visa is valid for 7 days after the date shown on the visa. You must return to the Netherlands within that period.
You are only allowed to travel to the Netherlands via another country in the Schengen area if this is stated on your visa. The visa states the countries you are allowed to travel through on your way to the Netherlands. The entry visa does not give you the right to stay in any country other than the Netherlands.
When you arrive in the Netherlands or another Schengen area country, the visa in your passport will show border control that you are allowed to stay in the Netherlands.
Apply to the IND for a new residence permit once you have returned to the Netherlands.
Contact
Do you have a question about making an appointment at VFS Global or about the status of your application?
Do you have a question about something else?