Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports & Visas

Citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand need only a valid passport if visiting the Netherlands for less than 3 months -- in the case of visitors who reside in most other E.U. countries, a valid identity card is sufficient. Citizens of other countries should be sure to check travel regulations before leaving. You can get these in English from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague: www.minbuza.nl.

Passports -- The websites listed provide downloadable passport applications as well as the current fees for processing applications. For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go to the "International Travel" tab of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov.

For Residents of Australia -- You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Canada -- Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca). Note: Canadian children who travel must have their own passports. However, if you hold a valid Canadian passport issued before December 11, 2001, that bears the name of your child, the passport remains valid for you and your child until it expires.

For Residents of Ireland -- You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those 17 and under age and 66 and over must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 21/494-4700) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand -- You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from the website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom -- To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children 15 and under), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Medical Requirements

No health or vaccination certificates are required. You won't need travel shots either, but if you have a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. Pack important prescription medications in your carry-on baggage, and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise they won't make it through airport security. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case local pharmacists are unfamiliar with the brand name. Don't forget an extra pair of contact lenses or prescription eyeglasses. Also, you might want to visit www.tsa.com for up-to-date regulations on what is and isn't permissible to pack in carry-on baggage.

Customs

What You Can Bring into the Netherlands -- Visitors 17 years and older arriving from countries that are not members of the European Union (E.U.) may bring in duty-free 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco; 1 liter of liquor or 2 liters of sparkling wine or fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 2 liters of wine; 50 grams of perfume, and 0.25 liters of eau de toilette; 500 grams of coffee or 200 grams of coffee extracts or coffee essences; and 100 grams of tea or 40 grams of tea extracts or tea essences. Import of most other goods is unlimited, so long as import duty is paid on all dutiable goods above a combined value of 175€ ($280). Forbidden products include firearms, counterfeit goods, banned narcotic substances, protected animals and plants, and products made from these.

Duty-free shopping has been abolished in the E.U. Therefore, standard allowances do not apply to goods bought in another E.U. country and brought into the Netherlands. In essence, there is no limit on what travelers arriving from an E.U. country can take into the Netherlands, as long as the items are for personal use (this includes gifts), and you have already paid the necessary duty and tax. However, the law sets out guidance levels. If you bring in more than the following, you may be asked to prove that the goods are for your own use: 800 cigarettes, 400 cigars or cigarillos, and 1 kilogram of smoking tobacco; 10 liters of hard liquor (spirits), 90 liters of wine, 20 liters of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 110 liters of beer.

There are no limitations on the amount of foreign currency you can bring into the country.

For more information in English, visit the Netherlands Customs website: www.douane.nl.

What You Can Take Home from Amsterdam -- You'll likely get no more than a raised eyebrow back home for schlepping in a pair of brightly colored souvenir clogs, but bulbs, plants, and flowers might not be so welcome. Some countries require a phyto-sanitary certificate, which many Dutch suppliers provide.

Note that the rules from the information sources referred to below also apply to legal residents of the countries concerned, whether they are citizens or not.

U.S. Citizens: For specifics on what you can bring back and the corresponding fees, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel," and then click on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.") Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667) and request the pamphlet.

Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).