Basic Travel Requirements for Malians visiting
Netherlands
Travelers are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to
apply for a Dutch Visa.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- You must present an original Malian passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of exit from Mali.
- Your passport must have 2 blank visa pages and must have been issued more than 10 years ago.
- Two recent 35x45mm passport-sized photographs that meet the visa photo requirement.
- For minors traveling alone, the application form must be signed by the parents/legal guardians accompanied by a signed authorization letter.
- The birth certificate is required for minors as well as a valid means of identification of the parents.
- For Non-Malians, a valid residence permit to prove residence in Mali is required.
- Travel insurance with a minimum cover of at least €30,000 covering all kinds of medical emergencies.
- Travel itinerary showing entry and exit dates from Mali.
- Proof of financial sustenance which could be an affirmation of sponsorship signed by your host in Mali to take care of your expenses during your stay.
- Documentation proving status in Mali either as an employee, student or business owner.
- Letter of invitation from a host in the Netherlands if the purpose is to visit a friend or relative or hotel reservations spanning the duration of your stay in Mali.
- A cover letter detailing the purpose, duration and any other necessary information about the trip.
- For every document, you must provide the original and one photocopy.
- All documents must be drawn up in or translated into Dutch and English.
Netherlands Visa for Malians
Facts about Netherlands
The Netherlands is renowned for its landscapes of canals, extensive cycling routes, impressive windmills. tourists can find pleasure in exploring the waterways, museums. One notable spot not to be missed is the Keukenhof known as the Garden of Europe which has over 700 varieties of tulips, and the largest public garden in the world.
The Netherlands translates to ‘lower countries’ as a reference to its low and flat topography. the country is the second-largest exporter of food in the world owing to its rich soil and mild climate.
Tourism in The Netherlands has been steadily on the rise compared to other European countries with the number of foreign tourists growing at a rate of 5.5 percent yearly.
Types of Netherlands Visa
| Types of Visa | Processing Time | Duration of Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa | 15 days | Duration of study |
| Tourist visa | 15 days | 90 days |
| Business visa | 15 days | 90 days |
General Requirements for Netherlands Visa
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- You must present an original Malian passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of exit from Mali.
- Your passport must have 2 blank visa pages and must have been issued more than 10 years ago.
- Two recent 35x45mm passport-sized photographs that meet the visa photo requirement.
- For minors traveling alone, the application form must be signed by the parents/legal guardians accompanied by a signed authorization letter.
- The birth certificate is required for minors as well as a valid means of identification of the parents.
- For Non-Malians, a valid residence permit to prove residence in Mali is required.
- Travel insurance with a minimum cover of at least €30,000 covering all kinds of medical emergencies.
- Travel itinerary showing entry and exit dates from Mali.
- Proof of financial sustenance which could be an affirmation of sponsorship signed by your host in Mali to take care of your expenses during your stay.
- Documentation proving status in Mali either as an employee, student or business owner.
- Letter of invitation from a host in the Netherlands if the purpose is to visit a friend or relative or hotel reservations spanning the duration of your stay in Mali.
- A cover letter detailing the purpose, duration and any other necessary information about the trip.
- For every document, you must provide the original and one photocopy.
- All documents must be drawn up in or translated into Dutch and English.
Netherlands Tourist Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- The tourist visa is a short stay visa that allows its holders to visit the Netherlands for vacation, sightseeing, and other leisure activities.
- The tourist visa also permits you to visit friends and relatives residing in the Netherlands, and attend social events while in the country.
- If you are visiting a friend or relatives in the Netherlands, you will need to obtain a letter of invitation from them showing their home address and telephone number.
- If you are staying in a hotel, you will need to present a valid hotel reservation that covers the period of your stay.
- You will also need to submit a cover letter stating the purpose of your visit, places you intend to visit while in the Netherlands and how long you intend to stay in the country.
- As proof that you intend to return to Mali or to a third country, you must provide a roundtrip flight ticket showing entry and exit dates to/from the Netherlands as well as the flight numbers.
- If you are employed, you must provide proof of your employment by submitting your employment contract signed by both you and your employer.
- You must also provide a letter of no objection from your employer excusing you from work for the entire duration you intend to stay in the Netherlands.
- You must prove that you can spend at least €34 daily while in the country by showing copies of your bank account statements from the last six months. If you are being sponsored, you can also submit a sponsorship letter if someone else intends to sponsor your trip.
- The tourist visa does not permit its holder to work in the Netherlands or to receive payment for any services rendered.
- If you overstay your visa, you will not be allowed entry into the Netherlands again.
- Applications for a Netherlands visa can take some time but on average, it is usually processed in 15 days. Applicants are advised to apply well in advance, at least 3 weeks before the intended departure date.
- This visa costs €60 for applicants 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6 years.
- It allows a stay of 90 days in a 180 day period.
Netherlands Business Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- With the business visa, Malians can conduct business in the Netherlands for the duration of their stay.
- You can also attend business-related events while in the country.
- It is also a short stay visa that allows a stay of no longer than 90 days within a 180-day period.
- Applicants must present a letter of invitation from the partner company/organization in the Netherlands. This letter must state the purpose of your visit and whoever will take care of your expenses while in the Netherlands.
- A letter from your company in Mali is also required, this letter should introduce you as an employee of the company, your position, details of the trip and any financial responsibility the company shall be shouldering.
- Both letters should be on the company’s letterhead.
- If there are previous existing relationships with the inviting company, you should provide relevant documents that attest to that. This could be bills of lading, customs clearance, receipts of payment or any similar documents.
- Please note that as a business traveler, you are not allowed to seek public funds while in the country nor can you receive payment for any services rendered while you are there.
- You should submit your visa application in person as your biometric data will be collected at the point of submission.
- You are required to provide proof of a hotel reservation for the entire duration of your stay in the Netherlands.
- A copy of your return flight ticket to Mali or an onward ticket to a non-Schengen country as proof that you intend to leave the Netherlands once your visa expires is necessary.
- This visa costs €60 for applicants 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6.
Netherlands Student Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- Traveling from Mali to the Netherlands for studying will require a long-stay student visa.
- This visa is a long-stay visa and it is for applicants who have been offered admission into a learning institution
- You must have received an offer of admission from an educational institution in the Netherlands before you can apply for the student visa.
- You can apply for the student visa at the Netherlands embassy in Mali or the Dutch institution you’ve been admitted into can apply on your behalf through the Dutch immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
- You must also apply for a residence permit which will allow you to live in the Netherlands for the duration of your studies in the country. This permit is of two types:
- Provisional Residence Permit (MVV) – this is also known as ‘Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblifj’ in Dutch. It is an entry visa that allows you to enter the Netherlands at any point within the following six months. This is to show that you are not a tourist in the country. Students are advised to apply for the MVV at least 3 months before their intended arrival date in the Netherlands.
- Residence Permit – if you have been accepted into a Dutch institution and offered an MVV, your school is obliged to apply for a residence permit on your behalf. This will be done within 5 days of your arrival.
- For recipients of scholarships, student aid or similar grants, you are required to provide documents supporting this, showing your name, the monthly amount you are entitled to and the period during which you will receive the fund.
- You are also required to provide your academic transcripts and previous results to prove that you satisfy the conditions for access to higher education in the Netherlands.
- As proof that you can cater to your financial needs in the Netherlands and spend around 850 euros per month, you are required to submit your bank statements for the last 3 months.
- You should note that your student visa can be withdrawn if you do not maintain sufficient progress in regards to your academic performance.
- The student visa costs €250.
Netherlands Visa Fees
Student visa
250.00 (EUR)
Tourist visa
60.00 (EUR)
Business visa
60.00 (EUR)
Netherlands Visa Application Centres & Embassies in
Mali
Bamako
Rue 250, porte 31 Hamdallaye ACI 2000, Bamako, Mali.
bam@minbuza.nl
(+223) 2215611