Schengen Family Visit Visa to the Netherlands 2025: Complete Guide for Russian Citizens

Why Getting a Schengen Short-Term Visa Has Become More Difficult for Russian Citizens

Since late 2025, the European Commission has enforced significantly stricter rules for Russian applicants. Multiple-entry Schengen visas are now almost never issued, and each trip typically requires a brand new short-stay visa application. Consulates have also increased scrutiny and now perform deeper security and background checks.

In practice, this means:

Stricter document requirements
Enhanced assessment of financial stability and applicants' ties to Russia
Stricter checks on any inconsistency in supporting documents

Despite the new restrictions, obtaining a short-stay family visit visa (category C) for the Netherlands is still possible if you qualify and prepare the documentation accurately.

Who Can Apply for a Family Visit Visa?

The Netherlands accepts applications from individuals visiting first- and second-degree relatives, including:

First-Degree Relatives

Spouse/ married partner, registered partner, partner (boy- or girlfriend), parents (including adoptive parents and stepparents), parents-in-law, children (including adopted children or stepchildren), son-in-law, daughter-in-law.

Second-Degree Relatives

Siblings (including half-siblings), grandparents, grandchildren, siblings-in-law.

Russian citizens may also apply together with their "nuclear family", meaning the spouse and children under 18.

Check Your Eligibility

Identify your role:
- Inviting party (resident in the Netherlands), or
- Visiting relative (Russian citizens residing outside the Schengen Area)
Check which documents each side must prepare
Ensure all documents align in dates and information
Only then book an appointment at VFS
Submit the application

Detailed Document Checklist for the Inviting Party (Netherlands)

These documents are prepared by the person legally residing with a residence permit (verblijfsvergunning) in the Netherlands.

1. The Original Invitation Letter (Sponsor Form)

Bewijs van garantstelling en/of particuliere logiesverstrekking. This is a document confirming that you invite the applicant, provide accommodation, and, if applicable, take financial responsibility.

How to Obtain the Invitation

Option A: Fully Online (via DigiD)

Access the website of any Dutch municipality (gemeente)
Fill out the online form using DigiD authentication
Pay the municipal fee
The original invitation will be delivered by regular post to your registered Dutch address within one week

This version does not require additional legalisation of signature of the inviting party.

Option B: Offline (Paper Form)

Download the form from the IND (formulier 1310) or your municipality's website
Fill it out and print it
Book an appointment at the gemeente for signature legalisation (legalisatie handtekening)
Bring your passport and residence permit/ID

Key Details

Validity: 6 months from the date of issue. It must be valid on the day of the visa application
Original required: You must send the physical copy to Russia
If you act as a financial guarantor, both partners must sign
If you only provide accommodation, the applicant must show sufficient personal funds (typically around €55 per day per person)

Common Mistakes

Invitation older than 6 months
Missing legalised signature (offline version)
Conflicting travel dates across documents
Incorrect address or outdated personal information

2. Passport and Residence Permit Copies

A colour copy of the passport (ID page)
A colour copy of both sides of the residence permit or Dutch ID (e.g. driving license)
If both partners sign the invitation, copies from both are required

3. Documents Proving Family Relationship

Examples:

Birth certificates
Marriage certificates
Name-change certificates (if applicable)
Adoption or guardianship documents (if applicable)

Translations and apostilles are not required for family-visit Schengen visa applications.

Often a chain of documents is needed to prove multi-generational relations (e.g., grandparent - parent – grandchild relationship).

4. Financial Documents (If You Act as Guarantor)

If you cover the visitor's expenses:

For Employed Individuals:

Salary slips (loonstroken) of last three months
Optionally, an employment contract or employer's statement

For Entrepreneurs or Freelancers:

Tax documents
Business activity confirmation
Bank statements showing consistent income

Tip: Consulates value financial transparency and stability.

Detailed Document Checklist for the Visiting Relative (Russia)

1. International Passport

Valid at least six months when submitting the application
Issued within the last 10 years
At least 2 blank pages

Provide:

Original passport
Copy of the ID page
Copies of previous visas (including from old passports, if applicable)

2. Internal Russian Passport (внутренний паспорт РФ)

Submit copies of:

ID page
Registration page
All pages containing marks or stamps

3. Documents Confirming the Family Relationship

Same types as for the inviting party:

Birth certificates
Marriage certificates
Name-change documents (if applicable)

If surnames differ, ensure the full chain of documents is present to clearly demonstrate the relationship.

4. Medical Insurance for Schengen

Minimum coverage €30,000
Valid in all Schengen states (or "worldwide")
Fully covers the period of travel + a few extra days
Includes emergency medical care, hospitalization, and repatriation

According to current practice, Russian domestic insurance policies are commonly not accepted. Visitors should obtain international health insurance from a foreign provider.

Each insurer may have specific rules (waiting periods, cancellation terms, age limits).

5. Flight Reservation

A reservation (not a fully purchased ticket) is typically sufficient
Must clearly show round-trip travel or full travel itinerary
Dates must match those in the invitation letter and insurance

Options:

Paid reservation through specialized services
Using refundable booking options from airlines
Printed pre-booking page (accepted case-by-case)

6. Visa Application Form

Since August 2025, the Schengen application form for the Netherlands must be completed online only. The following are the major steps:

Create an account on the Dutch consular website
Fill out the form in English
Generate the PDF and print it

Notes:

One account may contain multiple applications (common for family submissions)
Some fields auto-populate with technical placeholders — this is normal
Premium VFS services may help fill out certain fields, but you still need the online form

7. Visa Photo

Coloured photos, 35×45 mm
Light background
Taken within the last 6 months
No head coverings (unless for religious reasons)

VFS centres usually provide on-site photography, but bringing your own is recommended.

8. Financial Documents and "Ties to Russia"

This is critical for Russian applicants in 2025.

8.1 Bank Statements

Cashflow of last 3 months
Must show regular income, not just a large balance

8.2 Employment and Income Documents

If you are an employed person:

Employer letter confirming position and salary
Salary history
2-НДФЛ (2-NDFL) form (Russian income statement)

If you are self-employed / entrepreneur / freelancer:

Relevant tax declarations
Proof of registered activities
Corporate bank statements

If you are unemployed:

Property ownership documents
Proof of strong ties to Russian properties or business (real estate, financial obligations showing that if you fail to return to Russia you could lose the entitlements to such properties)

If you are a pensioner:

Pension certificate or confirmation of social payments

If you are a student:

Enrollment certificate of the education institute
студенческий билет (student card)

8.3 Social Insurance and Work History

Useful additional document:

Official employment activity extract from Госуслуги (Gosuslugi) showing historical employment data

9. Documents for Minors

If a child travels without both parents:

Notarized consent from the non-accompanying parent(s)
Copies of parents' passports
If traveling with a third person, their passport and their visa

If visiting a parent in the Netherlands, the parent's invitation may replace the consent.

Submission and Processing Times

Applications are submitted in person at VFS centres in Russia
Payments are made directly at the VFS centre (any pre-payment requests should be treated as suspicious)
Typical processing time: 3 to 5 weeks, officially up to 45 days + passport delivery time
Most visas issued to Russian applicants in 2025 are single-entry, valid strictly for the travel period

Additional Resource: Extended Technical Guide

A community-maintained guide with highly detailed document examples and updated practical notes:

https://nightflash.github.io/nederland/ru/documents/visa.html

Common Question: Can I Apply for Schengen Visa in Another EU Country and Then Visit the Netherlands?

In short, this is possible but not recommended.

Some Russian citizens consider applying for a Schengen visa through another EU country because the Netherlands has stricter requirements. However, visa shopping is risky and strongly discouraged.

1. Not All Visas Allow Travels Everywhere

Certain countries, such as Hungary, may issue LTV (Limited Territorial Validity) visas, which allow entry only into Hungary and not the whole Schengen Area. If you receive such a visa, you cannot legally enter the Netherlands at all.

2. You Must Spend Most of Your Trip in the Issuing Country

EU rules require you to apply for the visa from the country where you will spend the most time. If you apply through Spain but stay mostly in the Netherlands, Dutch border officers can question you about the misuse of the visa, and therefore deny your entry.

3. Consequences of Misusing a Schengen Visa

Misrepresentation or using a visa issued by another country to enter the Netherlands can result in the entry refusal, visa cancellation, negative record in the Schengen Visa Information System (VIS), stricter checks or refusals for future applications, and even the Schengen wide entry ban.

It could also create problems for the Dutch family member who invited you.

4. Other Important Risks

Your itinerary, accommodation, and travel purpose must match the issuing country, or the application may be refused. If authorities think the real purpose of the travel is to visit or stay in the Netherlands, your visa will likely be rejected.

Note: Inconsistencies damage credibility for all future applications.

How Can Pathway Partners Assist?

Given the increased complexity of Schengen visa processing for Russian citizens, Pathway Partners provides:

Full document preparation and verification
Assistance with invitation documents and financial guarantees
Alignment of all dates and supporting evidence
Drafting of supporting explanations and cover letters
Strategic planning for applicants with complex backgrounds (e.g., employment at sanctioned companies)
Support throughout the entire application process
Communications with the Dutch and Russian authorities

Pathway Partners ensures that each document in your file is accurate, consistent, and professionally prepared — significantly improving the chances of a successful outcome.