Dutch passports are issued to citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the purpose of international travel. As the Netherlands only distinguish one category of citizen, for all countries in the Kingdom, passports are the same for all four countries. The passport also serves as a means of identification as required by the Dutch law since 1 January 2005 for all persons over the age of fourteen. Dutch passports are valid for a period of ten years from issuing date. The passport complies with the rules for European Union passports. Since 26 August 2006 all passports are issued as a biometric passport with an embedded contactless smartcardRFID chip for storing biometric data. Every Dutch citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The nationality allows for free rights of movement and residence in any of the states of the European Union, European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Design
In line with other EU passports, Dutch passports are burgundy in colour, with the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands emblazoned on the front cover. The words "EUROPESE UNIE" and "KONINKRIJK DER NEDERLANDEN" are inscribed above the coat of arms as well as "PASPOORT", consistent with the design standards as set forth by the European Union. The Model 2011 biometric passport also features the ICAO biometric passport symbol at the bottom of the cover. The regular passport contains 34 pages, 28 of which may be used for visas. Each chip contains a digital record of the person's fingerprints.
Identity Information Page
The Dutch passport includes the following data on the identity information page:
The information page ends with the Machine Readable Zone starting with PLanguagesFor each item in the passport captions are provided in Dutch, English and French. These captions are numbered and translations into the twenty-three official languages of the European Union are given on the last two pages of the passport.
Passport Note
The Dutch passport contains on its inside cover in Dutch, English and French the words: In naam van Zijne Majesteit de Koning der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau, enz. enz. enz., verzoekt de Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken alle overheden van bevriende staten aan de houder van dit paspoort vrije en ongehinderde doorgang te verlenen alsmede alle hulp en bijstand te verschaffen The term etc. etc. etc. reflects the large number of other titles the King holds and which are not normally mentioned.
Validity
The regular and business passports are valid for a ten-year period from date of issue. A second passport is valid for a period of two years from date of issue. Emergency passports are valid for the duration of the journey, but no longer than a period of one year from date of issue. Foreigners passports are valid for the same period as the corresponding residence permit is valid.
Types of passports
Regular passport issued for holiday and business travels and for identification required by Dutch law. The passport contains 34 pages and is valid for a period of ten years from issuing date.
Second passport issued for business purposes only to those citizens travelling frequently and experiencing problems when entering countries because of visa present in the regular passport or because the regular passport is in process for obtaining other visa by a foreign embassy. The passport is valid for a period of two years from date of issue.
Business passport issued with additional pages that may be used for visa. The business passport contains 66 pages and is valid for a period of ten years from issuing date.
Service passport issued to people representing the Dutch government on official business, but without offering diplomatic immunity. The passport contains 66 pages.
Emergency passport issued either by the Royal Marechaussee or a Dutch representative abroad to Dutch citizens who are unable to obtain a proper passport in time for travel, strict rules apply.
Alien's passport issued for travelling purposes to non-Dutch residents of the Netherlands who are unable to obtain a passport from their own government.
Laissez-Passer emergency travel document with 8 pages containing handwritten information.
Visa free travel
Visa requirements for Dutch citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Netherlands. In 2018, Dutch citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 186 countries and territories, ranking the Dutch passport 4th in the world according to the Henley visa restrictions index. Although a passport is often used for travel, it is the nationality rather than the passport that visa-free travel is based on.
