COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Netherlands (20 July Update)

Can a resident enter the country?

• Yes

• Citizens and residents are allowed to enter.

Can a foreigner enter the country?

• Yes, with exceptions

• A European entry ban is in effect for some travellers, barring them from travelling to the European Union or the Schengen area. However, travellers who have been fully vaccinated are exempted from the EU entry ban unless they are travelling from a country that has been designated as a very high-risk area due to the presence of a variant of concern. The complete list of EU entry ban exemption categories can be found here.

• Nationals and residents of a Schengen Country or an EU member state, travellers with a long-stay visa, are permitted to enter the Netherlands.

• Travellers from third countries outside the EU will be allowed entry to the Netherlands provided that they arrive from safe countries. This list is regularly updated.

• For travellers from other non-EU/Schengen countries, exemptions from the entry ban only apply to select groups of travellers, including cross-border workers, workers in the transport sector, and those seeking to enter for urgent family reasons. More details and exemptions from the entry ban can be found here.

• The entry restriction for business travellers is lifted if urgent and cannot be postponed or physical presence cannot be substituted. The conditions for business trips to the Netherlands can be viewed here.

Is transit allowed through the country?

• Yes, with exceptions

• Travellers from the EU and Schengen countries can transit through the Netherlands.

• Travellers may only transit through the Netherlands if:

• Travellers are arriving from a safe country/region where the risk of contracting COVID-19 is low.

• The purpose of the trip falls under one of the exemption categories: (a) Travellers who are travelling through the Netherlands to a non-EU country must prove that they have a connecting flight to a country outside the Schengen area, departing within 48 hours of their arrival in the Netherlands. They must not leave the airport’s international transit zone in this period. (b) Travellers who are travelling to an EU country/Schengen area country via the Netherlands -; travellers must be able to show they have permission to enter the EU country/Schengen country in question. They can do this with a note verbale from that country’s embassy, for example, or another type of document that proves they can travel there.

• More details on transit requirements can be found here.

Is a test required on arrival?

• No, with exceptions

• Travellers entering the Netherlands can choose to have a COVID-19 test at the Amsterdam Schiphol airport on arrival. This is not a mandatory requirement.

• Travellers can get tested for COVID-19 on the fifth day after arrival to shorten the quarantine period.

Test certificate accepted?

• Yes

• Test certificates issued outside of the Netherlands are accepted. The test must be a molecular NAAT test (PCR, RT PCR, LAMP, TMA, or mPOCT), and the test result should be in Dutch, English, German, French, or Spanish.

Test certificate required?

• Yes, with exceptions

• The list of colour-coded countries can be accessed at this official link.

• Arrivals from safe countries with a low COVID-19 risk are not required to present a negative test result when travelling to the Netherlands.

• Travellers within the EU who can show proof of vaccination or evidence of recovery (for example, the EU Digital COVID Certificate) are no longer required to show a negative NAAT or antigen test result. Similarly, travellers from outside the EU do not have to show a negative test result if they have proof of vaccination, unless arriving from a high-risk country or a very high-risk country. Evidence of recovery is not sufficient to exempt these travellers from the negative test result requirement. Proof of vaccination will not be valid for seeking exemption from the negative test result requirement until 14 days after full vaccination.

• Arrivals from high-risk countries (a high-risk country is a country that is not on the list of safe countries must present a valid negative COVID-19 negative NAAT-test (either MPOCT, NAAT, PCR, RT PCR, LAMP, or TMA) no older than 72 hours before arrival. This requirement also applies to vaccinated travellers.

• Travellers arriving from a very high-risk area with a virus variant of concern must have the following;

  • a negative NAAT (PCR) test result based on a sample collected no more than 24 hours before boarding abroad.

  • Or a negative NAAT (PCR) test result based on a sample collected no more than 72 hours before arrival in the Netherlands; AND a negative rapid test result based on a sample collected no more than 24 hours before boarding abroad.

• More details and exemptions can be found here.

• Travellers who continue to test positive for a long time after having had coronavirus and are no longer symptomatic can travel to the Netherlands subject to meeting specific testing requirements. The rules applicable to such travellers can be accessed at this official link.

Is quarantine required on arrival?

• Yes, with exceptions

• All travellers arriving from very high-risk countries must self-quarantine for ten days, irrespective of their vaccination status or negative result on a COVID-19 test. Travellers can self-quarantine at home or in temporary or holiday accommodation. Travellers can check their specific situation and requirements here. Travellers can get tested again on day five after their arrival and end quarantine in case of a negative result.

• The recommendation to self-quarantine on arrival for people travelling from a high-risk area (countries and regions that are not on the list of safe countries/regions or the lists of very high-risk areas are considered high-risk areas) no longer applies to people travelling within the EU who can show a negative test result, proof of vaccination or proof of recovery. This includes the Digital COVID Certificate. People arriving in the Netherlands from outside the EU do not have to self-quarantine if they can show a negative test result or proof of vaccination; proof of recovery is not sufficient to exempt these travellers from the urgent advice to self-quarantine.

• Travellers arriving from EU-designated Safe Countries are exempted from self-quarantine requirements.

• Travellers arriving from the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal must go into mandatory quarantine immediately on arrival in the Netherlands. Travellers who do not comply with the mandatory quarantine requirement can be fined.

• Business travellers must self-quarantine for ten days on arrival in the Netherlands. An exception is made only for activities that are necessary for carrying out the work for which they have travelled to the Netherlands (such as business appointments).

• Travellers who come to the Netherlands to attend a funeral and children aged 12 and under are exempted from entering quarantine. More details and exemptions can be found here.

• Based on the above restrictions, travellers will be either exempted from quarantine or required to enter quarantine for up to 10 days, depending on their origin of travel.

Vaccination required?

• No, with exceptions

• A vaccination for COVID-19 is not required for entry into the country. However, travellers who have been fully vaccinated are exempted from the entry ban, test certificate requirements, and quarantine requirement.

• For a person to be considered fully vaccinated when entering the Netherlands, it should be proved that the vaccination process has been completed with one of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and issued in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish. The Netherlands also recognises the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute India.

Insurance required?

• No

• Proof of insurance coverage for COVID-19 expenses is not required to enter the country.

Entry form required?

• Yes

• A completed Health Declaration Form is required for entry for all travellers. The form can be found at www.government.nl.

• Travellers arriving from very high-risk country are required to bring a completed quarantine declaration form.

Recommended Border App

• Yes

• The “Corona Melder” COVID-19 tracking app is available here.

Airline restrictions

• Minimal

• Domestic and international flights are operating.

Border restrictions

• Moderate

• Eligible travellers can enter via land, air, or sea borders.

Curfew restrictions

• Minimal

• There is no curfew in effect.

Social restrictions

• Moderate

• People are advised to stay home, work from home if possible, and refrain from travelling abroad.

• Travellers can generate a COVID-19 entry pass via the CoronaCheck app or coronacheck.nl if they have: negative test results no more than 24 hours old; proof of vaccination; or proof of recovery no more than six months old. COVID-19 entry passes are expected to be used mostly for festivals and other events. Dance venues, like nightclubs and discos, can also use a coronavirus entry pass system, in which case they can open without restrictions.

Internal travel restrictions

• Minimal

• In private vehicles and cars, wearing a non-medical face mask is advised if there are two or more people of different households in a vehicle.

• Shared transportation requires reservations to be made in advance, including taxis, passenger vans, and coaches.

• Public transportation should be used for essential purposes only. Tourism is not considered essential travel.

• Dutch Railways is operating normally.

Non-essential shops open?

• Yes

• All shops are open in accordance with their regular opening times, with capacity limitations and social distancing norms in place.

Accommodations open?

• Yes

• Accommodations are open.

Restaurants open?

• Yes

• Restaurants are open until midnight provided all visitors have assigned seats and social distancing protocols are enforced.

Bars and cafes open?

• Yes

• Bars and cafes are open until midnight provided all visitors have assigned seats and social distancing protocols are enforced.

• Discos and nightclubs are closed.

Beaches and tourism sites open?

• Yes

• Beaches and tourism sites are open. Visitors that are not members of the same household must stay 1.5 metres apart.

Museums and heritage sites open?

• Yes

• Museums and heritage sites are open. However mandatory reservations, health checks, and maximum capacity limits are museums.

Personal care services open?

• Yes

• Contact-based professions, such as hairdressers and masseurs, are open.

Events allowed?

• Yes

• Events are permitted with adherence to social distancing protocols and occupancy limits. For large-scale activities or activities where social distancing cannot be maintained, venues might ask visitors for a COVID-19 entry pass.

• Events may not last longer than 24 hours.

Masks required in public?

• No, with exceptions

• The requirement to wear a face mask no longer applies in most situations. It will continue to apply only in situations where staying 1.5 meters apart is impossible, for example, on public transport, on airplanes and other forms of passenger transport, at stations and airports, and in secondary schools.

Other Restrictions

• Zoos, indoor-outdoor sports facilities, gyms, libraries, amusement parks, and other outdoor public spaces are open, with restrictions.

• Secondary schools and institutions of secondary vocational education (MBO) are partially open.

• More details of the reopening plan can be found here.

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Airlines may have their own requirements for testing, masking, and distancing. It is recommended that travellers carry a supply of face masks since the requirement can vary by location. It is recommended that travellers practise social distancing, maintain a 6-foot distance from other individuals and avoid crowded areas. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country's embassy for information on your specific travel plans.