China → Netherlands
Mainland China ordinary passport holders need a short-stay Schengen visa before travel to the Netherlands; permitted stay depends on the visa sticker and border decision.
For short tourist/business visits. Passport and trip must still meet Schengen entry conditions; holding a US visa, US green card, UK visa, Japan visa, or APEC Business Travel Card alone is not a Schengen visa waiver for the Netherlands.
Based on passport-specific data. · as of 2026-06-18
Official source ↗Documents that change the outcome
- Visa-free· schengen_visa · 90 days
A valid uniform short-stay Schengen visa can be used to enter the Netherlands according to its validity dates, number of entries, duration of stay, and territorial validity; a limited-territorial-validity visa that does not include the Netherlands is not sufficient. Total stay is normally limited by the 90 days in any 180-day Schengen rule.
source ↗
Documents & how to apply
- Schengen visa application form — Complete online, print and sign; the form should have a unique code.
- Valid travel document/passport — No more than 10 years old, at least 2 empty visa pages, valid at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen area, and signed.
- Photo — Colour photo, no more than 6 months old, 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm, white or light-coloured background; if applying through an external service provider, a digital photo is taken at the appointment.
- Proof of legal residence in the country where you live — For example, copies of all used pages of the Hukou, or a foreigner permanent residence permit valid at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen area; if not applying in your country of residence, explain why.
- Proof of financial means — Submit bank statements from the last 3 months; statements from a deposit account are not accepted.
- Proof of social or economic ties to the country where you live — Submit documents according to status, such as employer business licence and employment/leave letter, proof of pension or regular income, business permit or tax return, study enrolment proof, or proof of property/caregiving/children in school.
- Proof of stay/accommodation — For tourism, provide proof of accommodation for the whole intended stay; other travel programme documents such as transport bookings and itinerary may also be provided.
- Travel reservation — For tourism, show a round-trip reservation in your name to and from the Schengen area, or another document showing travel plans; a paid ticket is not required.
- Invitation letter for business trip or official visit — For business or official visits, provide an invitation from the Dutch company or event on official paper with stamp and signature, stating contacts, signatory, purpose and duration, detailed programme, payer of costs, whether return to China is guaranteed; where applicable include Dutch Chamber of Commerce extract or work permit.
- Trade fair or congress documents · optional — If attending a trade fair or congress without an invitation, provide documents showing trade or employment relations, such as contracts, paid invoices, orders, annual accounts/report or commercial register extract, and an admission ticket.
- Travel medical insurance — Must be in the applicant's name, cover all Schengen countries for the entire stay, cover at least EUR 30,000 in medical expenses including hospital stay, treatment, emergency care, prescription medication and repatriation; diplomatic passport holders are exempt.
⏱ Average processing time for a short-stay Schengen visa is 25 calendar days; in some situations it may increase to 45 calendar days. 💳 90 EUR (government fee) 📍 Apply by appointment at a TLScontact visa application centre in China; centres include Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Wuhan or Xi'an, and applications there are for applicants living in China.
You can apply up to 6 months before travel and should apply no later than 45 days before travel; appointments are made at TLScontact visa application centres in China and you generally must attend in person.
Requirements vary by consulate — verify with the official source. official ↗
Regional stay rules
Short stays are generally limited to up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the Schengen Area as a shared area.
Common questions
No. The current EU list places China in the visa-required annex for crossing Schengen external borders; a US visa is not a Netherlands/Schengen short-stay visa waiver document. A valid Schengen visa is required unless another Schengen-law exemption applies.
No. A Chinese passport is on the Schengen visa-required list, and a US permanent resident card is not listed in Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as a short-stay Schengen visa waiver.
Yes, if the visa is valid on the travel dates, has an available entry, the permitted duration has not been exhausted, and its territorial validity includes the Netherlands.
No. The ABTC facilitates short-term business travel within APEC economies, and the Netherlands is not an APEC economy. APEC also states that the United States and Canada are transitional members that provide fast-track processing but not reciprocal entry arrangements.
Verify with official sources
Visa policy changes without notice and this page is reference information that may contain errors. Before travel, verify via the official sources below or contact the destination country's embassy / consulate / immigration authority directly; final admission is at the destination government's discretion.