2.1 Transit without formalities

Transit passengers waiting for their through passage by the earliest opportunity and who will not leave the airport, do not need to be in the possession of transit visa. However, nationals of the following countries or foreigners travelling on documents issued by those countries must be in the possession of an airport visa even if they do not leave the aircraft.

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey.

The obligation to have an airport visa does not apply to those foreigners who lawfully reside in one of the EU countries, Canada, Norway, Switzerland or the United States of America.

Passengers for whom a visa is required upon entering the Benelux and who arrive from a Schengen state must be in possession of a visa or transit visa. They cannot transit without a visa.

2.2 Permission to leave the airport in extraordinary circumstances

Passengers not able to proceed on their voyage, by circumstances over which they have no control (e.g. the lack of a direct connection, unfavourable weather, technical failures etc.) may, awaiting their through passage by the earliest opportunity, obtain permission to leave the airport without a visa. However, they must be in possession of tickets and passports, being the ground for establishing their through passage and admission in the country of destination and they must leave from the same or one of the following airports in the Benelux:

• AMSTERDAM/Schiphol
• ROTTERDAM/Rotterdam
• BRUSSELS/National
• OOSTENDE/Oostende
• LUXEMBURG/Luxemburg

In addition these passengers must have sufficient means of support and they should not pose a threat to public order or national security.

Permission to leave the airport will be refused if there is a suspicion that aliens will take advantage of this facility to enter the Schengen area without having complied with the documentary requirements.

2.3 Permission to stay outside the airport for a maximum of 72 hours

Passengers that meet the requirements under paragraph 2.2 may obtain permission for a maximum 72 hours stay the Benelux, even if they are not in possession of the required visa. These passengers must leave from one of the airports mentioned under paragraph 2.2.

The border control office is responsible for granting permission to leave the airport for the mentioned period. Permission will not be granted if the stay is 6 hours or less.

This facility does not apply to nationals of the following countries and to passengers travelling on documents issued by the authorities of: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, The People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lybia, Morocco, Nigeria, North-Korea, Outer-Mongolia, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunesia, Turkey, Vietnam.

In addition this facility does not apply to:

• holders of travel documents for aliens and refugees.
• holders of travel documents issued by government not acknowledged by the Netherlands.
• aliens with travel documents endorsed by a foreign authority from which appears that the document is not valid for one or more Benelux states, but exclusively for entry and stay in the country or countries for which the travel document was declared invalid.
• holders of a Hong Kong Certificate of Identity.

Aliens for whom a visa is not required and who wish to enter the Schengen area for a stay of a maximum of three months, must be in possession of a valid national passport. Besides valid passports the following documents are also recognised for border-crossing:

• Certificate of Identity, issued by the government of Cyprus to nationals of Cyprus.
• National Identity Card issued by the authorities of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, The Republic of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland.
• a national passport expired maximum five years issues by the authorities of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, France, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Monaco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland.
• a refugee passport (Titre de Voyage). If the document is issued by the authorities of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, The Republic of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland no visa are required.
• Seaman’s Book (provided it is used for travelling on duty) issued by the authorities of Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brasil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chili, The People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Guinee-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hongaria, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Libya, Lithunia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukrain, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa.
• the authorities of the following countries can also issue Seaman’s Books to other than their own nationals: Australia, Canada, Israel, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Singapore, United States of America.
• Seaman’s Books issued by the authorities of the following countries are also valid as a general travel document (only for their own nationals): Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden.
• documents issued by some international organisations (for example Laissez Passer of the European Parliament).

Upon arrival in the Schengen area aliens for which a visa is required must be in possession of a valid national passport and a valid Schengen-visa (sticker) issued by the diplomatic or consular representatives in the country of destination. If the country concerned does not have diplomatic or consular representation in the country of origin, the visa may also be issued by a diplomatic or consular representative of another Schengen-state.

Aliens who wish to enter the Netherlands for a stay of over three months, in principle must be in possession of a valid national passport provided with an authorization for a temporary stay, issued by a diplomatic or consular representative/agency of the Netherlands abroad. The requirement concerning the possession of an authorization for a temporary stay is not applicable to nationals of: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein), The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America.

2.4 Crew members of aircraft from airlines of countries being part of the Chicago Convention of December 7th, 1944

1. Holders of Flight Crew Member’s Licence or a Crew Member Certificate issued on behalf of the Chicago Convention, may leave the airport after landing, provided that they leave from the same or another airport in the Benelux. The mentioned documents are no general travel documents, they can only be used when travelling on duty.
2. The relevant crew members may enter the Benelux with these documents, in order to start their service at an airport or their company base of operations.

2.5 Crew members of aircraft from airlines of countries not being a party to the Chicago Convention

For these crew members, the general regulations for entry of aliens will apply.