Location: The Netherlands
Event: Update for U.S. citizens regarding COVID-19 in the Netherlands.
U.S. Consulate Operations: In response to the significant challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with Department of State policy worldwide, the U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam reduced staffing and suspended routine U.S. citizen and visa services. As local conditions improve and the Dutch government eases social distancing restrictions, we have begun to gradually resume a limited number of routine U.S. citizen services while remaining in compliance with social distancing policies. Please see below for details regarding the limited services available.
(Update) Passport Services: We received authorization to make a limited number of routine passport appointments available. At present, we are only able to make appointments available a few weeks in advance and will not, unfortunately, be able to immediately meet all the demand for passport services. Routine passport appointment slots are currently available. To schedule an appointment please visit our website at https://nl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/.
To help us provide passport services to as many people as possible, we ask you not to schedule more appointments than needed for your service and only book an appointment once you have all required documentation. If you arrive for your appointment unprepared and missing documents, you may be asked to reschedule. Please carefully review our website for the requirements.
Regular passport processing times are approximately 2-3 weeks. As passport printing centers are still operating with limited staff, there may be additional delays in receiving your new passport. If you visit the Consulate to renew your passport, your current passport will be cancelled. Therefore, if you have upcoming travel plans, and you still hold a passport with sufficient validity, please schedule the appointment after your travel. For travel within the Schengen zone, your passport must be valid for 3 months beyond the end of your stay.
For those with urgent travel needs, such as a life or death emergency, or travel within the next 7 calendar days, the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam can assist with an emergency passport. To request an emergency passport appointment in Amsterdam, please send an email to AmsterdamUSC@state.gov with “EMERGENCY PASSPORT RENEWAL” in the subject line and details regarding the urgent need to travel. Please include a confirmed travel itinerary for the applicant to demonstrate travel within the next 7 calendar days.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA): We are offering a limited number of CRBA appointments for those who have an urgent need to document a U.S. citizen child. If you have submitted the required paperwork and received a confirmation of receipt, we will reach out to schedule an appointment. We are only able to offer a limited number of appointments but will do our best to accommodate you as soon as possible. Should you have an emergency travel need please make us aware by e-mailing AmsterdamUSC@state.gov with “EMERGENCY CRBA” in the subject line, and include your confirmed travel itinerary with scheduled departure within the next 7 calendar days.
If you have not yet submitted your paperwork please consult our website for instructions https://nl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/birth/.
(New) Social Security Services: We will resume providing monthly Social Security services in July. The next Social Security services day is scheduled for July 23, 2020. Please save this date on your calendar. We will be announcing the instructions for scheduling an appointment for Social Security services very soon. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer walk-in services at the Consulate General due to social distancing requirements. Appointments will be limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional information regarding scheduling appointments is forthcoming.
Other Consular Services: Routine notarial services, Certificates of Loss of Nationality (CLNs), and visa services at the U.S. Consulate General remain suspended until further notice.
Check out our COVID-19 FAQs for U.S. citizens for answers to the most common COVID-19 related questions. For all emergency American Citizens Services, please visit our website for additional information or contact us via email at AmsterdamUSC@state.gov.
Face Coverings Required for Consulate General Visitors: Effective June 8, all visitors over the age of two will be required to bring a face covering to their appointment to receive services at the U.S. Consulate General. The Consulate will not provide face coverings and you may be denied entry if you do not bring a covering with you. Please plan ahead. For more information on face coverings including how to make, wear, and wash your face covering visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
Travel to the Netherlands from the U.S.: The Dutch government is strictly enforcing the EU travel restrictions banning all non-essential travel from outside the EU. The ban has been extended through July 1, 2020. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents (and other non-EU citizens and non-residents) are prohibited from entering the Netherlands except for those in certain categories of travelers. Immigration Officials at Schiphol Airport may deny entry to anyone without evidence of EU residency or citizenship and will place the traveler on the next return flight to their country of origin. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents are only being permitted to transit Schiphol airport to continue onward to the United States. Passengers will not be permitted to exit the transit area and should have a confirmed onward flight to the U.S. prior to commencing travel. Exemptions to entry restrictions only exist for a very small group of travelers, and most U.S. citizens who do not hold Dutch citizenship and/or residency will not be allowed to enter the Netherlands unless they are departing the European Union. Although there exists an exemption for “compelling reasons to visit family,” the Dutch are strictly interpreting this as cases involving life or death, such as visiting a terminally ill family member or attendance at a funeral. A fact sheet outlining the Netherlands’ enforcement of EU travel restrictions and applicable exemptions to the ban is available at: https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/travel-and-residence/visas-for-the-netherlands/qas-travel-restrictions-for-the-netherlands
The European Union has developed an interactive tool to provide information needed for planning travel to Europe. Visit https://reopen.europa.eu/en for information on EU and international border restrictions, transportation options, and medical/quarantine requirements.
Travel to the Netherlands from locations within the European Union (EU): As of June 15, the Netherlands will start accepting tourists from countries where the health risks are similar to or lower than in the Netherlands. Tourists must comply with all the measures and rules that apply to combat the spread of coronavirus. Tourists must also reserve their holiday accommodation before they travel to the Netherlands. For the latest information, visit the FAQ on holiday travel to the Netherlands: https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/documents/frequently-asked-questions/qa-holidays-to-the-netherlands.
Please note that only tourists resident within the EU will be permitted to transit the Netherlands on the way to another tourist destination in the Schengen zone. Though individual countries may decide to allow U.S. tourists ahead of the July 1 date, the Dutch will be strictly enforcing the European travel restrictions on non-essential travel from outside of the EU.
Travelers not resident in or physically present in the EU are subject to travel restrictions until July 1, 2020. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents have been denied entry at Schiphol airport when seeking to enter the European Union without evidence of legal residency in the EU. Before planning a visit to the Netherlands please review the Dutch government website on the travel restrictions: https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/travel-and-residence/visas-for-the-netherlands/qas-travel-restrictions-for-the-netherlands.
New Health Certificate Requirement for Departures at Schiphol Airport: Schiphol Airport is asking all departing passengers to complete a health certificate prior to arriving at the airport. More information regarding airport requirements and the link to the health certificate form are available at https://www.schiphol.nl/en/page/lets-fly/. Also, visit the Schiphol Airport Coronavirus webpage for updated travel information and check with your airline to ensure you will be permitted to travel to Schiphol for transit onwards to the U.S. or other destinations.
U.S. Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents Returning to the United States from Europe: U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents will be permitted to return to the U.S. from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the European Schengen area. The Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring all passengers who have been in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Schengen area to travel through select airports where the U.S. Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures. See the Department of State FAQs on the Presidential Proclamation on travel from Europe and DHS website for further details.
Actions to Take:
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive Alerts.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in the Netherlands.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Call a general practitioner or the Dutch Ministry of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) at 0800-1351 for guidance if you have flu-like symptoms.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
Assistance:
U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam
Museumplein 19
1071 DJ Amsterdam
+(31) (0) 70 310 2209
AmsterdamUSC@state.gov
https://nl.usembassy.gov/
Department of State – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
Netherlands Country Information
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
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