This is what happens when you arrive in the Netherlands via a port or airport

Last updated: 10/11/2024, 13:11

Once you have left Ukraine, you can travel to the Netherlands without a visa for the first 90 days. Do you arrive via an airport or port and have a Ukrainian passport or a permanent Ukrainian residence permit? If so, you may not be placed in a closed reception centre at Schiphol Airport. Here you can read what you can do if you end up in a closed reception centre.

You can travel to the Netherlands without a visa

For the first 90 days after you leave Ukraine, you can travel to the Netherlands without a visa. This can be by land by train, car or bus. But also by boat to a port or by plane to an airport, for example Schiphol in Amsterdam.

On arrival, the police will check if you are staying in the Netherlands for more than 90 days

Upon arrival at Schiphol Airport or through the port, the

Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar)

checks whether you plan to stay in the Netherlands longer than 90 days. This applies, for example, if you want to apply for temporary protection or asylum in the Netherlands. If you have a Ukrainian passport or a permanent Ukrainian residence permit and indicate that you want to apply for temporary protection in the Netherlands, the KMar may not detain you. The KMar determines within 24 hours whether you meet the conditions. If you meet the conditions and there are no reasons to deny you the right to temporary protection, you will be granted entry to the Netherlands. You can then report to a municipality.

The police can put you in the closed reception centre at Schiphol Airport if you do not have Ukrainian nationality

If, according to the KMar, you do not meet the conditions for temporary protection, the KMar will refuse you entry to the Netherlands. The KMar will take you to the closed reception centre at Schiphol. The

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

will then assess, while you are in this closed reception centre, whether you fall under the

Temporary Protection Directive (TPD)

. Only when this has been determined will you be granted entry to the Netherlands. You can then report to a municipality.

Arriving by land is different from arriving by water or air. If you arrive by land, you follow other steps to get temporary protection. You will not be placed in a closed reception centre and you can immediately apply for a place in a reception centre in a Dutch municipality. Or you can stay with family immediately.

This is what you need to do when arriving in the Netherlands

On this page you can read more about reception after your arrival in the Netherlands. Here you can find out where you can apply for reception.

More information

You have the right to a lawyer

If you are in a reception centre, you have the right to a lawyer and an interpreter. The lawyer can help you if you disagree with border detention. At Schiphol, you can also get support from

VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN)

Contact with VluchtelingenWerk Nederland

On this page you will find contact options with RefugeeWerk Nederland (VWN). Do you have a question that is not answered on RefugeeHelp? VWN staff will be happy to help you.