Protocol and Host Country Affairs Department

DPG-Min-BuZa.2020.6025-52

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to all diplomatic

missions and International Organisations in the Netherlands and has the
honour to inform them as follows.

Negative Covid-19 test result

As of 15 December 2020 at 18.00 hrs, certain travellers must demonstrate a
negative Covid-19 test result before travelling to the Netherlands. The
paragraphs below outline the requirements of the Covid-19 test and specify
which groups are obliged to demonstrate a negative test result.

If these travellers fail or refuse to demonstrate a negative Covid-19 test result

upon boarding an aircraft/ship headed to the Netherlands and upon arrival in
the Netherlands, they will be denied entry into the Netherlands or the
aircraft/ship headed there.

In addition to the negative test result, these travellers must also demonstrate
a completed and signed Negative Test Declaration, available on
www.government.nl. Both documents must be provided in hardcopy.

Requirements Covid-19 test

• The test conducted must be a molecular PCR-test for Sars-Cov-2/COVID-
19;
• The test result must be documented in English, German, French, Spanish
or Dutch and should include the details of the institute/laboratory that
conducted the test;
• The name on the test result must match the traveller’s passport details;
• The test must be conducted a maximum of 72 hrs before arrival in the
Netherlands;
• The test must be conducted before departure from the country of origin.

Scope
The obligation to demonstrate a negative test result only applies to individuals
(aged 13 years and older) travelling to the Netherlands from countries which
are not included on the ‘EU’s List of Epidemiologically Safe Countries Amid
COVID-19’ (Safe Country List).

Furthermore, nationals and citizens of the Netherlands, as well as those of

other EU- and Schengen-countries (and certain family members*) are, as of
yet, exempted from this obligation.
*Please consult www.government.nl for additional information regarding which
family members are included in this exemption.
 Exemption categories
Next to the abovementioned categories of persons to whom the requirement
to demonstrate a negative test result do not apply, there are additional
categories of persons who are exempted from this requirement. A full list
including every exemption category is published on
www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19 > travelling to the
Netherlands from abroad.

For the purposes of the current Note Verbale, the Ministry wishes to
highlight two exemption categories that might be of special relevance
to diplomatic missions and International Organisations in the
Netherlands:
1. Individuals registered with the Protocol and Host Country Affairs
Department to whom a valid diplomatic ID card has been issued by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2. Holders of a valid diplomatic passport

Individuals that belong to one of these two categories are not obliged to
demonstrate a negative Covid-19 test result, including when they are
travelling from a country that is not included on the EU’s Safe Country List.
They must demonstrate their MFA-issued diplomatic ID card or their
diplomatic passport upon boarding and when passing through immigration in
the Netherlands in order to be declared exempt from the negative Covid-19
test requirement.

Further information
Questions regarding the negative Covid-19 test requirement can be addressed
to covidenreizen@minvws.nl. Questions on Covid-19 that specifically deal with
diplomatic missions, International Organisations and their clients can be
addressed to DPG-COVID-19@minbuza.nl.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to all
diplomatic missions and International Organisations in the Netherlands the
assurances of its highest consideration.

The Hague, 8 December 2020

SdJ

To all diplomatic missions and International Organisations in the Netherlands