Netherlands Short-Stay Schengen Visa (Type C) — Applying from Japan

Who this guide is for (applying from Japan)

This page is for people who live in Japan and need a Netherlands short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) for stays of up to 90 days. It focuses on the submission process in Japan: where to apply, how to book, what to bring, biometrics, and timing. Photo size, background, and quality rules are summarised here and covered in full on the global Netherlands visa photo requirements page.

Japanese nationals with a valid ordinary passport do not need a visa for tourism or business trips of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This guide is for other residents of Japan who legally reside in Japan and need a visa because of their nationality. Long-stay stays, work, or MVV residence permits use a different procedure on NetherlandsWorldwide and are out of scope here. Only residents of Japan may apply through VFS Global Tokyo; if you live outside Japan, confirm where to apply.

Where to apply in Japan: VFS Global Tokyo

The submission window for a Netherlands short-stay Schengen visa from Japan is the VFS Global Netherlands Visa Application Centre in Tokyo. VFS Global is the external service provider appointed by NetherlandsWorldwide (the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Japan is not split into multiple jurisdictions — VFS Global Tokyo is the single window, unlike the two-way embassy and consulate split used by some other Schengen countries.

The Embassy of the Netherlands in Tokyo (3-6-3 Shiba Park, Minato-ku; consular line +81 3 57 76 54 00; opening hours generally Monday to Friday 9:00 to 12:00) is the contact point for visa corrections and general questions, not the place where you submit an application. For the live address, hours, and contact details, check the NetherlandsWorldwide contact page before you go.

Application steps

1) Complete the Netherlands online application form. This is the Netherlands' own system, separate from France-Visas or VIDEX. When finished, print the form with its unique code. 2) Open the purpose-specific checklist on NetherlandsWorldwide (tourism, business, family visit, etc.) and gather the supporting documents it lists. 3) Book an appointment online with VFS Global for the Tokyo centre. 4) Attend in person on the day: submit your passport, the printed application form, and the supporting documents, and pay the service fee. From age 12, fingerprints and a digital photo are captured at the same appointment. 5) Receive your passport back, either by collection or by post according to the VFS Global options offered.

Applications can be filed from 6 months before your travel date and at the latest 45 days before departure. If the Netherlands is the main destination of a multi-country Schengen trip (the country where you spend the most days, or the first Schengen country you enter if the stay is split evenly), apply to the Netherlands. If another Schengen country is the main destination, apply there instead.

Before booking, re-check the live NetherlandsWorldwide apply-from-Japan page and the purpose-specific checklist. Document lists and procedures can change, and this guide does not track the consular fee amount; see the NetherlandsWorldwide overview of consular fees in Japan for the current figures.

Biometrics at your appointment

At the VFS Global appointment, your fingerprints and a digital photo are captured if you are 12 or older. Personal appearance is required for every applicant, including those under 18. Children under 12 do not give fingerprints, but they must still attend in person.

If you have given Schengen biometrics within the last 59 months, they may be reused and you may not need to give them again. The 59-month figure follows the common Schengen standard (European Commission); the Netherlands-specific pages (NetherlandsWorldwide apply-from-Japan and the checklist) do not state a month count. If you are unsure whether your previous biometrics are still on file, assume you will attend and give them again.

Children's biometrics and appearance

Children must attend in person, even if they are under 18. Under 12, fingerprints are not taken, but the child still appears at the appointment and a digital photo is captured. Bring one compliant print of the child for the file as well.

If a young child needs physical support during the photo, the supporting hands must not appear in the frame (hide them under clothing). Additional documents for minors (birth certificate, consent letter from an absent parent, etc.) are listed on the purpose-specific checklist. For the child photo size and age-based face ranges (under 11 has a wider face range; under 6 is exempt from the head position, expression, and shoulder rules), see the global Netherlands visa photo requirements page.

What to bring: photo, documents, and passport return

Bring one recent 35 × 45 mm photo that meets Dutch requirements. The NetherlandsWorldwide checklist wording is singular: one print. However, the checklist also notes that if you apply through an external service provider, a digital photo may be taken at the appointment instead and you may not need to submit a photo. This note plausibly applies to VFS Global, but it is not confirmed on the VFS Global Tokyo page; the safe choice is to bring one compliant print regardless. Full size, background, and quality rules are on the global photo requirements page.

Bring your passport, the printed application form with its unique code, the supporting documents from the purpose-specific checklist, and the means to pay the consular and service fees. For passport return, VFS Global offers collection and postal options; confirm the current options and any return-envelope requirements on the VFS Global Tokyo page when you book.