This page contains important information about obtaining a visa for WaterMicro2025. Please check whether you need a visa, how to apply, and how the conference organizers can assist you.

Important Note: The visa process can take some time. Please start your application as early as possible.

DO I NEED A VISA TO ENTER THE NETHERLANDS?

All conference delegates traveling to the Netherlands must present a passport (or approved identity card for EU citizens) and many countries require a visa to enter the country (you can check at Do I need a visa for the Netherlands? | NetherlandsWorldwide if you need a visa). Delegates are encouraged to apply for visas as early as possible, and to ensure all requested documentation is submitted with the application for a short stay Schengen Visa. Applications must be submitted in person at the representation of the Netherlands in the respective countries, at VSF global or at a Schengen partner representation, if the Netherlands does not have representation in that country. Delegates are urged to contact their nearest Netherlands’ embassy or consulate as early as possible to determine where your application should be made and how long this process will take.

WHERE CAN I GET INFORMATION?

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of the Netherlands:
https://www.government.nl/topics/embassies-consulates-and-other-representations
Search for the Netherlands’ Embassy or Consulate in your country and contact them. You most likely need to apply for a Short Stay Schengen Visa. The application form is available under https://consular.mfaservices.nl/schengen-visa/short-stay. This visa is valid for a period not exceeding 90 days and generally allows access to all Schengen countries. This visa is not a work permit.

CAN WATERMICRO2025 ORGANIZERS ISSUE A CONFERENCE INVITATION LETTER?

(also referred to as Visa Application Support Letter)

  1. One of the documents that you may need is a conference Invitation Letter, which the organizers also refer to as Visa Application Support Letter. This invitation letter can help as it underlines the purpose of the participants travel to the Netherlands to WaterMicro2025. The Visa Application Support Letter does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. The letters will only state the conference title, dates, location, your acceptance as presenter and payment confirmation of registration fees.
    If you need a Visa Application Support Letter, please send to the organizers your First Name, Family name, Address, Date of Birth, Nationality, Number of passport, Date of passport issue, and Passport expiry date. This information will be included in the Visa Application Support Letter.
  2. If you need a Visa Application Support Letter, the conference organizers can provide this letter once
    (a) you have submitted an abstract through the WaterMicro2025 abstract submission system and received confirmation of acceptance of your abstract for presentation
    (b) you have registered for the conference and the payment of your registration fee has been received.
    Once you meet these two requirements, please e-mail the conference organizers with your full name, proof of abstract acceptance, registration and payment (the confirmation emails you received), the title of your abstract and the address of the concerning embassy (consulate) where you are going to apply for visa. Your request will be processed as soon as possible, and the conference invitation letter (scan) for your visa application will be e-mailed to you. We regret that no mailing services (postal or courier, etc.) for Visa Application Support Letters can be made. 

What if my visa application is denied?
In case the visa application is, for whatever reason, denied by the Netherlands’ Embassy, the visa applicant usually receives an official statement that his/her application is denied (without indication of the reason). If you want to be sure that you receive such statement, please require (e.g. already when applying for visa) that – in case your visa is denied – you indeed get such official statement. You need this official statement as prerequisite for the refund of your registration fee! If your visa application is denied please send an e-mail to the conference organizers immediately. Please inform us at which consulate (country, city) you have applied for visa and attach to the e-mail a high quality scan or photo in color of the official statement that your application is denied, together with the scan of the passport data sheet, i.e. the passport page with your personal information (name, photo, passport issued at, issued by, issued when, expiry date). Please make sure that also the passport number is clearly visible. Provided the these are emailed to the conference organizers the latest 2 weeks before the start of the conference, the registration fee will be fully refunded. However the organizers reserve the right to retain the registration fee in case inadequate or incorrect information is provided.