Extend Schengen visa or visa-exempt term

Last update: 3 October 2024

You want to extend your Schengen visa or visa-exempt term. Find out what the requirements are and how you can apply for extension.

Maximum extension period

Sometimes you can extend your Schengen visa or visa-exempt term. The length of the extension depends on your situation.

You have a Schengen visa for less than 90 days

A Schengen visa allows you to stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Do you have a Schengen visa for less than 90 days and due to a special and unexpected situation you are not able to leave in time? For example, because your planned flight has been changed or canceled and you are not able to leave in a different way? Then you can request an extension for the maximum stay of 90 days.

You have a Schengen visa for 90 days

Do you have a Schengen visa for 90 days? And due to a special and unexpected situation you are not able to leave in time? You can request for an extension of a maximum of 90 days. You can only request for extension beyond 90 days in exceptional situations. You may not stay in the Schengen area for more than 180 days in total. After extension, your Schengen visa or visa-exempt term is only valid for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Visa extension beyond 90 days for Surinamese people

Do you have the Surinamese nationality and are you aged 60 or older? Then, 1 time per stay, you can extend your Schengen visa beyond 90 days. You do not need a special reason. You can extend your Schengen visa with a maximum of 90 days. After extension, your visa is only valid for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

You have a visa-exempt term of 90 days

In your visa-exempt term you can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Are you not able to leave in time due to a special and unexpected situation? You can request for extension of your visa-exempt term with a maximum of 90 days. You can only request for extension in exceptional situations. You may not stay in the Schengen area for more than 180 days in total. After extension, your visa-exempt term is only valid for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Requirements

These requirements apply when you want to extend your Schengen visa or visa-exempt term.

There is a special and unexpected situation. It is not possible for you to leave the Netherlands because of serious illness, circumstances beyond your control or an important personal reason. You must explain why you want to stay longer. Has your flight been cancelled by the airline, but is it still possible for you to travel back to your country of origin? For example, with another airline or via another airport? Then you will not be able to extend your Schengen visa or visa-exempt term.
Your current Schengen visa or visa-exempt term is still valid.
You have enough money to stay in the Netherlands and return. You have at least €55 per person per day for the duration of the stay. Or someone in the Netherlands is sponsoring you. In that case, that person is responsible for paying your costs.
You have (medical) travel insurance. It must also cover the extra period you will be staying in the Schengen area. Will you have medical treatment here? Then you must show that the insurance will pay the costs of the treatment. Or that you will pay the costs in another way.
Your passport will be valid for at least another 3 months by the newly planned departure date.
There are no signs that you have other reasons to extend your Schengen visa or visa-exempt period. For example that you actually want to live in the Netherlands illegally.
You are not working in a way that is not allowed under the Aliens Employment Act (in Dutch: Wet Arbeid Vreemdelingen).
You are no risk to public order and national security.

Process and costs

These are the steps in the application process for extension.

Show details Hide details

1. Check requirements open minus

Make sure you meet the requirements.
2. Collect documents open minus
You need these documents for the application:
- Your valid passport.
- Documents that prove an unusual or unexpected situation. For example, a statement by a medical specialist or a death notice.
- Documents that prove that you have enough money to stay in the Netherlands, and to return to your home country.
- (Medical) travel insurance for the extended period that you plan to stay here.
3. Apply open minus

You must apply for extension of your Schengen visa or visa-exempt period at the IND desk.

Call the IND to make an appointment. Do this from 3 weeks before the end date of your visa. Technically it is not possible to plan the appointment before that. Bring all documents to the appointment.
4. Pay for application open minus

Extension of the visa-exempt period is free.

The costs for extension of the Schengen visa are € 30,00. You must pay the costs during the appointment at the IND desk. Do you need to extend your visa for circumstances beyond your control or humanitarian reasons? Then you do not have to pay.

Find out the amounts on the page Fees: application costs.
5. Decision on application open minus
The IND will assess your application immediately during your appointment. The decision will be positive or negative.
- Positive decision: You will get a sticker in your passport as proof of extension.
- Negative decision: You will not get an extension of your Schengen visa or visa-exempt period. Do you disagree with this decision? Then ask the IND staff member to write down the rejection in a letter (decision). You will receive this letter within 2 weeks. You can object with this letter.