VISA APPLICATION IN THAILAND

How to apply for a Schengen visa?

To apply for a Schengen visa in Bangkok, you need to make an appointment by using the on-line appointment calendar. The main destination of your visit must be The Netherlands but the visa issued will permit you to travel in all 25 Schengen countries (unless otherwise stated on the visa sticker): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Whether you need a Schengen visa depends on your nationality. Please consult the page visa requirements according to nationality. First time applicants have to come in person

How long does it take to get a visa? The legal processing time for a Schengen visa is 15 calendar days. This Embassy aims to process applications in 3 to 5 working days. You are advised to make an appointment at least 2 weeks prior to your departure date, however, not sooner than three (3) months prior to your departure to the Netherlands. In the period March, April, May you are advised to book at least 4 weeks prior to your departure to the Netherlands in view of peak season. Once a decision is made all applicants will be contacted by an automated e-mail alert that their passports are being couriered out by EMS (Thai Post). The passports should reach the applicants within 2 to 3 working days depending on the accessibility of your correspondence address. In your best interest please ensure that the email address you provide while scheduling an appointment is accurate. In the event you provide an incorrect email address you will not receive any automated email alert and neither The Netherlands Visa Call and Information Center nor The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangkok, Thailand will be liable for the notification failure. The Embassy will not entertain any phone calls or emails related to the status check on visa processing. You need to apply for the Schengen visa at the Embassy of the Schengen country of your main destination. If you plan to visit several Schengen countries and you do not have one main destination, you have to apply for a Schengen visa at the Embassy of the country where you will first enter the Schengen area. To avoid delay in the processing of your application or even a refusal of your visa application, you have to hand in a complete file.  This means the documents mentioned under 'necessary documents' must be handed in. If you do not have all the documents with you, you are advised to postpone your visit to our Embassy. If you are a family member of an EU/EEA or Swiss national, you may qualify for an accelerated free visa procedure as long as you meet the following criteria:  1. you are a first-degree family member (this includes a spouse, partner or child who is under 21) of an EU/EEA or Swiss national; AND 2. that EU/EEA national is travelling to or is residing in another member state than that of which he/she is a national; AND 3. you are accompanying the EU/EEA national or planning to join him/her If you think you qualify for visa facilitation you will need to show proof that you meet these criteria when you submit your visa application. Airport transit visa Nationals of certain countries also need an airport transit visa to change aircraft at an airport in a Schengen country. See the list of countries whose nationals need airport transit visa. Visa for longer than 90 days (MVV) If you want to visit the Netherlands for an uninterrupted period longer than 90 days, you must apply for an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV). An MVV is a national (D) visa, on which you can travel to the Netherlands and subsequently apply for a residence permit. To apply for an MVV visa or collect your MVV visa you can come to the Visa Section on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 14.00 and 15.00 hrs. Click on the link to download the MVV application form as a PDF file For more detailed information about the MVV procedure, visit the website of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service and click on Residence Wizard. Where can I apply for a Schengen visa? In Thailand: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Bangkok. In Cambodia: German Embassy Phnom Penh. In Laos: French Embassy Vientiane. In Burma: German Embassy Yangon. How do I apply for a visa? Visa applications can only be submitted if you have made an appointment. You are strongly advised to schedule the appointment for your visa application at least four weeks before your intended date of departure. In principle, the earliest you can be issued with a visa is 3 months before the date you will first need to use it. So, even if you make an appointment well in advance, if you are planning to travel, for example, on 1 August, you will not be issued with the visa before 1 May. Click on the link at the top right of the page to download the Schengen visa application form as a PDF file. As from 15th August 2011 the Embassy has introduced a new system for Schengen visa appointments. Travel Insurance A medical travel insurance is compulsory for visitors to the Netherlands and other Schengen countries. You may provide either a policy from an insurance company based in Europe or in Thailand. Please note that only certain insurance companies in Thailand are accepted. The insurance must cover at least 30.000 Euro or 1.500.000 THB and include costs for medical treatment, hospitalization and repatriation due to injury or medical reasons. The insurance must be valid in all Schengen countries and cover the total length of the visit. The insurance certificate must be shown when the application is sumbitted. Please note that you have to bring your travel insurance with you when  travelling due to inspections of relevant documents at the border control when you enter the Schengen area. The embassy reserves at all times the right to request additional documents and/or information, or to forward the application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands for further processing. In case the applicant fails to submit the requested additional documents and/or information within15 calendar days after applying, the visa application will be rejected. Will I get a stamp in my passport? Yes, the mission at which you apply for the visa will stamp your passport on the first empty page available. As a rule, the visa sticker covers the stamp when it is affixed in the passport. Validity of your visa When you pick up your visa, please read it carefully and inform the counter officer if you find an error. Correction of any errors discovered after leaving the building, will require new visa registration and payment of new handling fee. The validity of your visa indicates the dates between which you should enter AND leave the Schengen. The length of your stay in the Schengen area is limited to the number of days indicated on your visa, even if your visa-sticker has a longer validity. If you overstay, you risk a two year visa sanction for all Schengen countries. If you have a multiple entry visa with a validity of one or more years, the maximum number of days indicated on the visa sticker, will always be 90 days. This only means that, if you travel frequently, you may never exceed 90 days within a six month period.

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'Fast Track' business visa:

More information: Orange Carpet service. A visa is refused if the applicant:  presents a false travel document; gives no justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay; provides no proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the duration of the stay nor for the return to his/her country of origin/residence; has already exhausted the three months of the current six-month period; has been issued an alert in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for the purpose of refusing entry; is considered to be a threat to the public policy, internal security or public health of one of the Member States; provides no proof of travel medical insurance, if applicable; presents supporting documents or statements whose authenticity or reliability is doubtful or false. How much does a Schengen visa cost? Euro 60 (at all Schengen Embassies) to be paid in cash in THB at the current exchange rate. The rate is published outside the visasection on the publication board. If your application is refused, the fee will not be refunded. Validity of the visa: Visa are in general issued for the duration of stay you specify on the visa application form, Always with a maximum of 90 days per 180 days. The ‘duration of stay’ box on the sticker shows how long you are allowed to stay in the Schengen Area. In the ‘from’ box, you will find the date on which your visa becomes valid. You may enter the Schengen Area on that date or afterwards. In the ‘to’ box, you will find the date on which your visa expires. After that date, the visa will no longer be valid. The number of days mentioned in the box ‘duration of stay’ will start counting on the day you enter the Schengen Area. Take into account possible delays during your journey, and do not travel on the very last day that the visa is valid. There is also the possibility to issue a multiple entry visa. This will be mentioned on the sticker. In that case you can enter and leave the Schengen area several times with a maximum of 90 days per six (6) months. The total duration of stay should not exceed the number of days mentioned in the ‘duration of stay’ box. Each half year the duration of stay should not exceed 90 days. Each year the total stay should not exceed 180 days . For a stay longer than three months  (90 days) you need to apply for a Provisional Residence Permit (MVV) at the Dutch Immigration Service (IND). Traveling with a Schengen visa When you travel to the Schengen area, make sure you take along copies of all the documents you submitted at the time of applying for your visa. A Schengen visa does not give you automatically the right of access to enter the Schengen area. At border checks you may still be asked to provide information or produce documents related to your financial resources and the duration and purpose of your visit. Do I have to report to the Aliens Police when I arrive in the Netherlands? Yes. Within 72 hours upon arrival in the Netherlands, you must report to the local police authorities (Alien Registration) in the municipality where you are staying, unless you are staying in a hotel or on a campsite. In that case, the hotel or campsite personnel will pass your details on to the Alien Police. Where can I get information about visas? The Netherlands Visa Call and Information Center in Thailand operated by VFS provides all necessary information. In case your question is not dealt with on the extensive website the site of the IND or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague, you can contact the call centre at +66 22639103 or email at info.nlth@vfshelpline.com

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Visas for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

As of 10 October 2010 it is possible to visit more than one Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands using a single visa. The visa is valid for all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean for a visit as a tourist or for a short stay in the countries Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten and for the Dutch Caribbean islands Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba.There is only one type of visa for the Caribbean countries and the Dutch public bodies: the short stay Caribbean visa. The standard visa is a multiple entry visa. Each continuous period of stay in any one country may not exceed 30 days. The standard Caribbean visa is valid for six months. During this time you can enter the Caribbean country/countries or islands in question several times. This does not mean that you can stay in any one or all of the countries or islands for six consecutive months. To apply for a visa, you must submit a completed and signed application form to the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the country in which you are residing legally. What are the application requirements for a visa for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands? Your application form must be completed in full and signed, and must at least be accompanied by: a recent passport photograph, in colour, that satisfies prevailing international standards on size and composition; proof of reservation for the journey (return ticket); proof of a hotel reservation, if you are staying in a hotel or apartment; a valid travel document (e.g. passport) valid at least three months beyond the validity of the visa; a copy of the travel document’s personal details page; a guarantor’s declaration if your purpose of travel is a family visit or if you are travelling to the country concerned at the invitation of a resident, organisation or other body. proof of sufficient means of support; visa fee; if you are not a national of the country in which you are resident, a copy of your valid residence permit; valid health insurance or travel insurance (including medical coverage) providing cover of at least 15,000 US dollars. There may be extra requirements depending on your purpose of travel. For more information, contact the Dutch embassy in your country of residence. To check which nationals do not require a visa for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the countries Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten and the Dutch public bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba)

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Work in the Netherlands

Foreigners who wish to visit the Netherlands for incidental work, need to show a Work Permit with their business visa application. There is, however, an exception in the Dutch Law for employment of foreigners for INCIDENTAL WORK, corresponding to the following description: 1. Repairing or installing machinery, equipment or hardware, that was supplied by the applicant's foreign employer; or 2. Installing and adapting software that was supplied by the applicant's foreign employer; or 3. Giving instructions about the use of software, that was supplied by the applicant's foreign employer These activities may be executed without a work permit during a maximum period of 12 successive weeks within a period of 36 weeks. Furthermore 4. Business discussions or signing contracts on behalf of the applicant's foreign employer. This activity may be executed without a work permit during a maximum period of 4 weeks within a period of 13 weeks. For the abovementioned activities, exceeding the indicated maximum period, a work permit is needed. For the following activities a work permit is always needed:

Temporary out posting of personnel from a foreign company to a company in the Netherlands (no minimum period). Practical training "on the job" in a company in the Netherlands (for a maximum period of 24 weeks in total). Any training of persons in the Netherlands by a foreigner (no minimum period!). All the information can be found on this website: www.werk.nl