Transit at a Dutch airport

Transfer and border control

Whether you pass through border control depends on your travel route:

• Entering Schengen: if you arrive from a non-Schengen country and transfer to a Schengen destination, you must pass through passport control to enter the Netherlands.
• Leaving Schengen: if you arrive from a Schengen country and transfer to a non-Schengen destination, you must pass through passport control to leave the Netherlands.
• Non-Schengen to Non-Schengen: if you stay in the international transit zone for your entire transfer, you do not pass through passport control.

Entry/Exit System (EES)

For travellers from outside the EU, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee now registers your entry and exit digitally. If your transfer involves entering or leaving the Schengen area, we will record your passport details, a facial image, and fingerprints during your first passage. At Schiphol Airport, you can use self-service kiosks in the transfer areas to pre-register your data, which saves time at the desks. Once you are in the system, future transfers will be more efficient.

Visa requirements

Whether you need a visa for your transfer depends on your nationality and whether you stay in the international transit zone or pass through border control. 

• Airport Transit Visa: required for some nationalities even if you do not leave the transit zone. 
• Schengen Visa: required if you pass through border control to catch a connecting flight to a Schengen country.

Check our dedicated Visa page for specific requirements.

Self-service (eGates)

If you are 14 or older and hold an eligible e-passport, you can use automated eGates in the transfer areas for a quicker check.

Travelling with children

The Marechaussee performs strict checks to prevent international child abduction. If you are travelling with a minor (under 18) and you are not the only person with parental responsibility, you must be able to show a signed consent form.