🎉 Netherlands Schengen Visa Approved for Both Parents (First Time Travelers, Family Visit, 90 Days) - Complete Experience & Tips
Background:
Both my parents are first time international travelers with no prior travel history. They applied for a Netherlands Schengen visa to visit my sister and brother-in-law who live in the Netherlands. Both my sister and brother-in-law are HSM (Highly Skilled Migrant) visa holders with indefinite contracts. They wanted to visit to meet their new grandchild and spend quality time with family.
Both visas approved for full **90 days**! Sharing our complete experience hoping it helps others in similar situations.
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Applicant Profiles:
- Father: Retired/Unemployed, first time traveler, no travel history
- Mother: Permanent government employee, first time traveler, no travel history
- Purpose: Meeting new grandchild and family time
- Duration requested: 70 days
- Duration granted: 90 days ✅
- VFS Center: Hyderabad
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Documents Submitted:
Common documents (both applicants):
- Schengen visa application forms (signed)
- Passports + photocopies (we copied all pages but VFS only used first and last page — first and last page copy should be sufficient)
- Air tickets (confirmed return)
- Proof of Sponsorship & Accommodation: **Bewijs van Garantstelling** (legalized by Municipality in Netherlands) - this was our strongest document
- Parents' marriage certificate + birth certificate of the sister they are visiting (to establish relationship)
- Travel insurance (USD 2,50,000 each, well above €30,000 minimum, no sublimits for Schengen countries)
- Sister's and brother-in-law's passports, residence permits, employment documents, bank statements, house ownership documents
Father's individual documents:
- Fixed Deposit savings account statement
Mother's individual documents:
- ITR acknowledgments (last 2 years)
- Salary slips (last 3 months)
- Bank statements (last 3 months, bank signed & stamped)
- Employment contract
- Leave sanction letter from government (with mandatory return date)
- Employee ID card
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Document Order & Filing:
Keep documents in this order for each applicant:
- Cover letter
- Schengen visa application form
- Passport (original — hand separately to officer)
- Passport photocopy (we copied all pages but VFS only used first and last page, first and last page copy should be sufficient)
- Air tickets
- Proof of Sponsorship & Accommodation
- Parents' marriage certificate + sister's birth certificate
- Individual financial documents (FD for father / ITR, salary slips, bank statements for mother)
- Travel insurance
- Employment documents (mother only — contract, leave letter, ID)
- Sponsor documents — sister's passport, residence permit, employment, bank statements, house ownership
- Sponsor documents — brother-in-law's passport, residence permit, employment, bank statements, house ownership
Filing notes:
- All documents must be on A4 size and in colour — this is explicitly mentioned on the Netherlands consulate website, not just a recommendation
- Use 100 GSM white A4 paper for all photocopies do not use quick delivery print services like Blinkit, Swiggy or Zepto as they typically use 70 GSM paper and colour quality is often poor. Go to a proper print shop and specifically ask for colour photocopies on 100 GSM white A4
- We saw many people at VFS who had brought black and white copies and had to reprint everything at VFS, it costs around ₹50 per page there which adds up quickly. Save yourself the stress and expense by printing correctly beforehand
- Do NOT staple or bind anything, loose sheets only
- Use paper clips to group each section with a small sticky note labeling what it is (e.g. "Air Tickets", "Sponsor Documents - Sister"), VFS staff will remove clips themselves and reorganize as needed, no issue at all
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Cover Letter Structure (separate letter for each applicant):
Written from each applicant's own perspective. Here is the exact structure:
> Subject: Schengen Visa Application — [Applicant Full Name] (Passport No: XXXXXXXX)
>
> Para 1 — Introduction:
> I am [Name], residing at [Your address in India]. I am writing to apply for a Schengen Visa to visit my family in the Netherlands from [date] to [date].
>
> Para 2 — Purpose:
> My daughter [Name] and her husband [Name] are living at [their address in Netherlands]. They have kindly invited my wife/husband and I to visit. We are coming to meet our new grandchild and spend quality time with family, and look forward to exploring this beautiful country together.
> *(Keep the reason consistent with what is written in the Bewijs van Garantstelling, our invitation form said "inviting to share the joy of meeting new grandchild and show around this beautiful country" - we kept the cover letter in line with this.)*
>
> Para 3 — Sponsorship:
> My daughter and son-in-law are fully hosting us at their residence at [their full address]. All expenses including accommodation, meals and local travel are covered by them. Official Proof of Sponsorship form legalized by Municipality enclosed.
>
> Para 4 — Ties to India & Return:
> Father's letter: Mentioned FD savings in India, permanent home and family in India. Naturally mentioned wife is a government employee required to report back on [date] and will return together.
> Mother's letter: Mentioned being a permanent government employee with officially sanctioned leave, required to report back on [date]. Permanent home and family in India.
>
> Documents Enclosed list — numbered list in exact same order as submitted.
>
> Closing: I sincerely hope the Consulate will look favorably upon my application.
>
> Signature: ___________________________ [space for handwritten signature]
> Full Name | Passport No | Address in India
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At the VFS Counter — Real Experience:
- Officer was very friendly and helpful throughout
- They asked if we wanted premium services — we politely declined saying we hoped our documents were good enough — they smiled and proceeded
- **No passport size photos needed** - VFS takes your photo digitally at the counter during biometrics. We carried them but were told not required. May vary by center so confirm beforehand
- Biometrics (fingerprints + photo) taken at the counter
- Physical receipt given at the end — keep it safely
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Key Tips:
1. Bewijs van Garantstelling is your most important document
Do NOT just write a simple invitation letter. Get the official Dutch Bewijs van Garantstelling form filled by your host, signed and legalized at their local municipality (Gemeente). This is an officially government stamped document and carries far more weight than any personal invitation letter.
2. Sponsored applicants don't need extensive personal financials but show whatever you have
Father had only an FD statement - no ITR, no salary slips and it worked. The Bewijs van Garantstelling and the sponsor's strong financials are what matter most. That said include whatever you have every bit adds confidence.
3. Travel insurance — go for best coverage with no sublimits
The minimum requirement is €30,000 medical coverage. But if your parents are traveling especially for a longer duration, invest in a good comprehensive policy with high coverage and no sublimits for Schengen countries. Some cheaper policies have sublimits on hospital room, surgery, ICU etc. which can leave you underinsured in an emergency. We went with USD 2,50,000 coverage with no sublimits for Schengen countries, peace of mind is worth it.
4. Employees - leave sanction letter is gold
An official leave sanction letter with mandatory return date directly answers the "will you return?" concern. If your applicant is a employee get this letter. It is extremely powerful.
5. Keep cover letter reason consistent with sponsorship form
Whatever reason is written in the Bewijs van Garantstelling - keep the cover letter in line with it. Consistency across all documents is key.
6. Both sponsors on HSM visa with indefinite contracts strengthens significantly
Make sure their residence permit and employment documents clearly reflect HSM status and indefinite contract.
7. If sponsoring parents be patient
Take time to explain each document to your parents before the appointment, what it is and why it is there. VFS officers are understanding and will help where needed. Go in calmly and confidently.
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Timeline:
- VFS Appointment: Day 1
- Dispatched to Dutch Embassy: Day 4
- Visa Decision & Passport Dispatched: Day 11-12
- Total time from submission to delivery: 12 days ✅
Netherlands processed incredibly fast — we were expecting 15-30 working days but got it in 12 calendar days total!
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Worth Mentioning:
A friend's parents followed the exact same process and document order around the same time. Both their parents are unemployed with no individual financial documents at all fully sponsored. Their applications were also approved. So this process works even when the applicants have no personal financial documents as long as the sponsor is strong and the Bewijs van Garantstelling is properly legalized. (Again this will change case by case, so show what all you have)
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Final Thoughts:
These documents and approach worked for us and we hope it works for you too. If your intentions are genuine, your sponsor is well established and your documentation is clear and consistent everything falls into place. Don't overthink it just be honest and genuine.
Wishing everyone the best with their applications! 🙏
Happy to answer any questions!