Applied Schengen Visa from Netherlands and after 50 days, it's still not processed! There's no transparency and whatsoever about what's happening to my application. I have several Schengen and uk visa and as a gc holder. Ironically, ppl who applied much later than me got their passport much faster! So there's no fairness as well. Avoid Netherlands if you can't spare 60 days for the application, otherwise expect anxiety! Apply from other countries. read more

Archie was my Superhero today. She made almost an impossible situation brought on by none other than myself, into solution. I cannot thank her enough for carving out the extra time needed to solve my passport dilemma. Thank you for your kind, caring, and proactive support, I hope to cross paths with more like-minded humans someday. read more

No appointments can be made other than online. Options were 3 days close to current day, we needed more time to get our flight schedules together. Impossible. Other than the ones listed, no other Dutch representations in the US can handle passports. It's a government monopolistic attitude, no service capabilities. read more

We(me and my husband) were at the VFS center for Schengen Visa(Netherlands).Slots were easily available. Staff was supportive and friendly. As soon as we entered, we were directed to a room and were asked to arrange the documents in a particular order( Attached the photo that specifies documents and order) . Document is not clear about dependent documents , as it does not mention marriage certificate And requires each person to fill them separately. My hotel booking only mentions +1 to my husbands name. Not sure, if it would be enough. Advice: Make sure to have one copy for each of the applicant. Note: They do not accept cash. Credit/debit cards/money orders are accepted. Courier service is available for passport delivery for $30 each( separate for dependents) or you could also get prepaid shipping labels and envelope. Amount was around 100$ for each. (65$ visa fee+33$ vfs processing fee). Update: It took 9 days for processing including a holiday and weekend . Turnaround is good. read more

Netherlands Consulate - Embassy Near Me - San Francisco, California

Netherlands Consulate 5 stars. Outsourcing company VFS global 1 star. 1 - Netherlands officer is friendly and detail oriented. Visa was issued with about 6 business days. Overall, 5 stars 2 - It took me about 30 minutes to wait after submitting my receipt to pick up the passport. Why? Because the agent put my receipt alongside the passport and went back to her own work. I am appalled by this lack of common sense. On the passport there is a note "voicemail left on MM/DD". I never received any voice mail on that MM/DD. This however was resolved by checking online status on the website. Overall, 1 star for incompetent VFS global staff. read more

Edit: Not sure who's to blame, but the consulate website guarantees that they will send your passport in 2-3 weeks. Mine took SIX weeks. And it would've probably taken longer had I not emailed after FOUR weeks asking where it was. (Their response: Oops, for some reason we haven't STARTED processing it yet) Consulates are an odd thing to review, so imagine my surprise when I realized other people have already reviewed this place too haha. First of all: You MUST make an appointment here, they may well be booked a couple of weeks in advance, and they are only open a few hours per week. So come prepared, and don't forget to bring everything you need. My visit to the consulate was an odd experience. The building in which the office is located appears to have no posted directory other than a computer at the front desk, and no buttons anywhere in the elevator. When you go in, you check in at reception, they confirm your appointment, and then program the elevator to take you where you need to go. As soon as you get to your assigned elevator, it opens. You step in, it closes, and you get zoomed up to the 31st floor. Oddest part was that the screen that normally shows the floors you're passing, instead just had a big red X, as if you weren't even allowed to know what floors you were passing. The entire experience struck me as slightly surreal and excessively secretive. But that's what made it exciting haha. There was nobody else there when I arrived so I was helped right away by a very nice young lady. As we worked through the papers to figure out what I needed and whether I'd need some other document as well (a document I'd never seen before), a young man came over as well, and I talked to them about the different requirements and options. I found them both to be exceptionally pleasant, friendly, and happy to chat with me and answer my questions. In fact, I'm certain I have NEVER in my life met bureaucrats this nice and helpful haha. The young man gave me some additional information I didn't know about, related to fingerprints and a few other things, which was immensely helpful. Oh, and before I finish this review, let's not forget the view. Oh my god the view. All the walls consist of enormous windows, and from the 31st floor you can see the entire city and the bay. Breathtaking, I didn't really want to leave haha. I should also add that, if you forgot Dutch standard passport photos (they're very picky about those), there's a gentleman down the block who will take your photo. He will also provide the shipping labels you need (for passports and such) to have documents shipped to your home. You're required to pick those up yourself and pay for them, which really made me wish I could just pay extra for postage by credit card, in the office, but oh well. The photo shop guy had a very sexy Russian accent, so that totally made up for lost time :) When I returned to the consulate with my shipping label, an older man came in for his appointment, and right away called out to the girl behind the glass, in Dutch: "And a coffee please!" We all laughed. For as far as I know though, they don't serve any haha, but that's not a bad idea considering how many Dutch people go through that office. I didn't see anybody who had to wait for their appointment, everyone got helped right away, but it would still be nice to have something to drink. Overall, excellent experience though. It was all down to the surprisingly good customer service! read more

Netherlands Consulate - View from the consulate - Embassy Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I have just picked up my passport at VFS today. Decided to update my review : if you keep tracking the status it does change. Once your passport arrived VFS the status will be changed into something like: your processed document has been received by visa center. At this point you don't need to wait for email or call, just bring your photo ID and receipt, be there any time between 3-5 Mon-Fri, however, do check website in case there are holidays just to be safe. If you are driving, there is a parking lot charges $3 every 15 mins close by, drive pass the building of 505 make sure the entrance door is on your righthand side, at second crossroad make a right turn, you'll see the parking lot entrance. read more

What's supposed to be a nice pleasant experience visiting a foreign country has been completely ruined by VFS and as well as the Netherlands Embassy. My boyfriend needed a Dutch Schengen visa and we read that in general, all schengen visas take about 2 weeks to process. His France visa from 2015 took 3 days!! We weren't able to get a visa appt earlier than 2-3 weeks out, but found one for 6/19 Monday. Since his plane ticket is for 7/1/17 (Saturday), we thought, oh that's plenty of time. But NO... here we are, 8 BUSINESS DAYS LATER and the crappy VFS website still says the same status from DAY ONE!!! "Your visa has been forwarded to Netherlands embassy on" and it doesn't even say the DATE it was supposedly sent to the embassy. was it even sent to the embassy successfully? WHO KNOWS? Guess we'll find out in a month? We've tried calling/emailing VFS and the embassy itself, but nobody was willing to help. They just give the same answer, it can take up to 15 calendar days, but you can find out what's wrong AFTER 3 full weeks have passed. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I will admit fault in not scheduling an even earlier visa appointment (there were SO FEW APPTS TO BEGIN WITH), but honestly, after 8 business days, surely SOME PROGRESS SHOULD BE MADE? I wouldn't even be this upset if we didn't get it on time but that you processed this as quickly as you can. or if regular updates were provided, as I know there are multiple stages/statuses that will show up before getting the passport/decision back. It takes probably a few minutes for the embassy to make the actual decision, after all, you've done the INTERVIEW haven't you? It's not rocket science. We're giving your country money by visiting, shouldn't you be nicer to us? And do your job on time? Seriously, there are so many 1-star reviews on trust pilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/vfsglobal.com But this is was our first time dealing with VFS and we didn't know better. Shame on us. So please, if you 1) NEED A VISA HERE: make sure you do it more than 1 month in advance, if not 2 months. 2) WORK FOR NETHERLANDS CONSULATE, please consider not outsourcing this to VFS... this crappy visa monopoly of a company is making your country seem like you don't care at all about visitors to your country 3) WORK FOR VFS, YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. read more

This is a review for VFS office who handles Schengen visa applications for Netherlands. EU family member trying to apply for Schengen Visa. It took almost six hours to finish due to down systems and officers who doesn't know their own checklist which was listed on their site. Plus 1 star as it took only 4 business days to process the visa and pickup the passport. Please train your officers about the process and checklist! read more

My first time applying for Schengan Visa for The Netherlands and had a great experience. I was asked to put my documents according to the check list. Got taken to a room and was asked a few questions about my trip. It only took 15 mins and off I went. I got my Visa a week later (normally 15 days). Great service! Tips: make sure you read all the details (req documents, fees, etc...) on their website prior to your apt, put them in order using their check list and be on time. If you do all of those there shouldn't be any surprises! read more

Beware that since April 2017, Netherlands started using VFS Global as a third party outsource for conduct interviews and receive the applications. The VFS office is in a different address than the Netherlands consulate, so be sure to check your appointment letter to make sure you are at the right place. Pro: quick appointment Cons: everything else. The VFS operation was new and unorganized. Their credit card machine was not working. They gave me an invalid website for tracking, and there was no email or phone number to follow up. The interviewers were nice but appeared to be clueless about the process - kept saying that they only accepted the applications and had no idea how long it would take or how decisions were made. A week and a half later, I still had not received any answer on the invalid tracking, and had no idea when I would get my passport back. Takeaway: Sadly I'm afraid the efficiency many experienced here might not continue to hold true. Make sure to book your appointment early. Hopefully the operation will smooth out, but for now expect some confusions from VFS's end. read more

Two months ago, my partner made an appointment for one month before our vacation. One week before the appointment they rescheduled because of a problem with the scheduling system. The rescheduled appointment is now a month after our planned trip. Spent 4 hours on the phone with no help. Need to cancel all our vacation plans. Plus they charged us twice for the application fee. read more

HI! Just got my Schengen Visa today after 7 working days!I went to VFS Global in SF twice because in the first trip I overlooked a necessary document:An invitation letter from my friend.I went back after a month and the Processing Officer was stern but polite. These were the lessons learned: 1.Do not purchase a ticket until after you have your Visa except in exceptional circumstances. 2. Go over the Checklist with a friend since sometimes you may overlook important but required details like pre booked hotel stays. 3.Use Capital letters when filling up the Application letter to avoid mistakes in the return mail or the Visa itself. 4.When travelling as in a cruise, the longest stay in a particular country is the Consulate you will apply to even for just 1 day of difference. 5. Follow the photo dimensions and specifications as required. Special thank you to Sir RIYAZ. read more

On Aug 4th, I scheduled an appointment for Schengen visa application, and was lucky to find a spot on Aug 7th. There was no info on the appointment letter about VFS Global, so thank you previous reviewers for warning people about not going to the actual consulate on 120 Kearny! The address of the appointment was 505 Montgomery St #1139, San Francisco, CA 94104. The location was easy to find and I was lead into a waiting room with a computer, a printer, and a few agents to help each and everyone who came in with sorting out their paperwork and making sure all necessary documents are available. When an agent went through my documents and noticed I got the wrong health insurance plan (my deductible was $2500, the requirement for deductible was $0), he instructed me to cancel my plan and purchase another on their computer, and I was able to promptly print out a new proof for the right plan before the interview. There's a check list that you gotta follow in terms of organizing your paperwork. Everything was very organized, self-explanatory, and if you're feeling uneasy, the agents are willing to walk you through the process. I definitely appreciate all the help there! Wait time was pretty long for me (2.5 hour), primarily because my appointment was somehow not registered on their system, so I waited around until they eventually realized I was sitting there for too long and asked for my appointment letter. I was seen right away then. They got my finger prints, charged me $98, and just kinda let me chill in the interview room as they log in all of the info from my documents to their system. I was out after 30min. On Aug 15, I got an email saying my passport is ready for pick up. I also received a phone call from VFS on the morning of Aug 16 as I was on my way there. Again, really appreciate how communicative they are. After spending hardly 5min in the waiting room, I received my passport and new visa back. read more

Thank Goodness the "joyce-era" is finally over!!! Went today for my passport renewal and had a very positive experience at the Consulate in SF. Very friendly gentlemen. Toppie!! Be aware of the passport picture requirements. The best way is to have your picture taken by the "approved" photo shop on 237 Kearny. My pictures were not the right size and the consulate called the guy at the photo shop that my pictures had to be smaller in size. I walked in his store and he knew what to do with no additional costs for me. No explanation required. That was a very good service from the consulate. The appointment can take longer, so prepare for it. I was in and out within 1 hour (with the extra pictures taken). Very efficient. Like the credit card payment option as well. Read the instructions carefully and you will be in and out in no time. read more

REVIEW FOR VFS GLOBAL NOT NETHERLAND CONSULATE! Unprofessional, clueless, arrogant. Real disappointment. If anyone from the consulate is reading this, please please take your visa processing back in house. I used to remember the days where I would come in to the consulate, drop my v passport off and the visa would be ready in 5 days. I have used VFS global for other visas too and that company is horrible. Please take your visa service back. read more

I'm Dutch but from Surinamese descent and will be blunt, as we tend to be. This place had me go bipolar because of the 2 people I dealt with. They could not be further apart in professionalism, courtesy and being a calling card for visitors abroad. Here is the story: I had made an appointment to renew my passport and showed up at the agreed time. I was directed to counter one where a younger lady (could've been Indo or Surinamese heritage by the looks of it). She was ice cold from the first second we interacted: didn't respond to my good morning, just asked for my documentation that I should have prefilled. I handed her the printed and PDF-writer filled out PDF. She puts me on mute and starts debating (I could still hear) that the font is too small and that she should reject it. The guy in the booth over says its fine, they can read it fine (I am farsighted with a vengeance and I could read it but whatever....). If I had hand written it I would still have gotten flack from her for the color of ink or the font I chose. I offered to redo it, she ignores me and asks for photos. I give her the envelope in her bin, she looks at me and says "I need one photo". The checklist I downloaded said 2, I reply. She stares. I pull one out and lay it back. She then goes: I need to see your proof or residence and old passport. I put those in the bin. She goes: I need copies, you could have seen that online. I said I din't think it said copies in the checklist, she shakes her head and huffs and puffs and proceeds to tell me she can send me away for this, and I should have brought copies. Since I flew 700 miles I didn't want that so I said let me go and make copies then. Here is the tickler: TEHIR OWN CHECKLIST DOES NOT SAY "COPIES OF". IT MERELY STATED TO "BRING PROOF OF". That's what I did: prove of legal residence is showing my greencard. If they wanted a copy, then state "copies of". GGGGgrrrrrrr..... So if we are going to argue about words then get it right, lady. Whats even more aggravating is that there is a copier behind you. She did make copies when I said , with a smile "sure, give them to me and I will be right back with copies (place was empty with a Duane Reade around every corner. Now it gets crazy: she opens my old passport and points out that some pages have "ink" on them. Now I'm like, is she mental or what is this... I proceed to tell her that I travel the globe for a living and people stamp my passport and sometimes thats with wet ink.... She rolls her eyes and shakes her head and refers me to another counter for the rest. My assessment is that this lady had a real bad morning, is just born this way or dislikes brown people. Make your pick. I was nice and courteous throughout. Its a clear example of employees losing sight of common courtesy and the well-being of others when they are in positions that give them some perceived power. She knew she could send me away and have an expensive trip with flights and hotel go to waste if she wanted to. I have seen the Chicago staff do this to people when that Consulate was still open (I've been in the country for 20+ years so have my share of visits). People that traveled for hours in tears and being yelled at for no good reason. They even went as far as to reprimand a muslim lady for her poor English and if she coulnd't speak it properly she should come back with a translator. I could understand her fine, mind you. The next lady, more mature, was super friendly. She chatted us up while she did the work, validated some stuff and was very pleasant to deal with. She's a 5 star employee. Just made me feel like a citizen of the Netherlands and she treated me as her customer. Kudos, If you recognize yourself. Anyhow, sorry for the long story but the short of it is, as with many places, is that your perception will greatly depend on who you dealt with in that place. 1-star to point out that this person needs a serious attitude adjustment and should not be a reflection on the hospitality of the Netherlands. read more

I got my Schengen visa approved and passport sent back to me within 7 working days. I came in about 30 minutes earlier than my appointment time. There was one window open with a lady officer talking to a couple. I was the only one waiting, then a man officer opened the other window and called me in. He asked and checked my documents. Everything was complete and there was no questions asked, he got my fingerprints and I paid. It all took me 10 minutes. I flew in to San Francisco the day before. If you have your documents all complete, you can just fly in and out in one day. The officer was polite, and it's all that matters with paperwork stuff like this. Just like the previous person said, it's like going to the dmv, you go here cause you have to. The office was very very nice though.. P.s.: get your photo taken at the recommended photographer down the street called Union Post SF. It's bit pricey ($22), but it gets the job done, right size and all. read more

What is the adress for sechgen visa to de netherlands in los angeles cslifornia or sanfrancisci

(Review based on getting Schengen Visa) Dutch consulate did an awesome job! My tourist visa was approved within 5 calendar days! The officer who interviewed me was very meticulous but quick and efficient. Don't understand the negative reviews--just follow (simple) instructions on website. provide all requirements and of course, make sure you have enough $$$ in your bank accout. Good luck!!! read more

Although Joyce is no longer there and they have now FINALLY upgraded their system to allow you to pay via credit card rather than pay in exact cash, I still hate going here. Today I had an appointment at 9:30am. I arrived at 9:34am only to see that a family was being helped at the counter. I was suppose to be the first appointment of the day! After waiting between 45-50 minutes, while in the meantime I was able to see three other workers in the office who never even acknowledged me as there or asked me one question, I finally was helped. I came prepared with all the necessary paperwork and photos and was out within 15-20 minutes. However, the amount of time I waited before my appointment made this visit HIGHLY unpleasant. I had expected to take only 1 or 2 hours off work that day but was forced to take a half-day out of my vacation time since I did not arrive before noon at my job. Allow plenty of time for this place since they don't seem to care about appointments or appointment times and you have to deal with people who take forever to get their paperwork in order. They never even apologized or recognized how long I had to wait before being helped. Good luck! read more

The best consulate I ve been so far. Very professional and friendly. Loved these people! You are doing a great job! read more

they are actually very effecient and understanding. this is my first time applying for a schengen tourist visa. my first appointment got rescheduled coz their system was down but after 5 days i got another appointment with them through email. Went in early for my appointment, waited about 10 mins they let me arrange my paper according to their checklist first, someone assisted me and checked everything but i was missing my employee letter so i had to come back, the lady said if i dont get an appointment in a week online, just email them. So i did 2 days later i got my employee letter, emailed them then got me through 9am the next day. Went there again, i was out after 20 mins. just had to give the files , did my biometrics and paid $107. vfs fees including schengen visa fee. 6 days later including sat and sun, i got a call that my passport is ready for pick up. thanks vfs global.. tip: just make sure to book an appoinmtent atleast a month before your trip and really go through the said requirements , make sure they are complete and give a detailed itinerary . read more

So far, i find them most accommodating and kind as compared to the other embassies i tried.

What else to expect from the Dutch ? ... it was simply superb ! Arriving after a two hr flight and with plenty of time to get it all done, the interview for my passport renewal went as smooth as it can get. From my research I had located the legitimate photographer just a bit further down Kearny St. and came prepared with correct photos plus all required documents and arrived in time. The Senior Consular Officer assisting me was friendly, polite, professional, knowledgeable and efficient. He was just the nicest person and I felt lucky having him attend to my somewhat complicated issues. Everything got resolved with more than sufficient time allotted and this was much appreciated, in particular when having to appear in person from a long distance. Even payment by CC is now an option. Not an inexpensive passport altogether, considering the expense of flights, transportation, Express Fedex , special photos, passport document, valuable time spent etc., but definitely - and with the excellent customer service I myself received - more than worth the costs and efforts IMHO ! 5 Stars and a Big Thumbs Up ! read more

After having had my passport renewed twice before and "enjoying" encounters with Joyce, I came fully prepared, with the fee in cash, exact change (the mention of "payable in cash" was not interpreted by me to mean "exact change" last time, and was the reason for my scolding then). They took my right at my appointment time. I was helped by a very pleasant young lady, and got a clarification on one issue by a pleasant young man. The whole deal took less than 15 minutes. I asked about Joyce and was told she had retired! So there you have it: fear no longer (but still read all instructions and bring everything) :-) read more

Went to the consulate yesterday for a new passport. The experience was great, especially compared to last time when we did not yet have the consulate here in downtown SF. Anyway, the website very clearly described what I needed to bring. I called for suggestions on where to get my photo taken and arrived on time - so I did my part and came prepared. But it really was the attitude of the consular employee that made this visit so much better than last time. He was friendly, professional, organized and the whole procedure was done in 15 minutes. I appreciated the Dutch magazines in the waiting area. I was really pleased and happily surprised - kudos! read more

Best counselate I have been to. Very helpful people working there. I didn't have my health insurance with me. I purchased and emailed it later same day and my passport was sent for visa right away. read more

Incredible service from the staff at this embassy! Had an emergency expediting, and got my visa in record time. Special thanks to Bibi Ottenhof for making it happen, I am now able to attend my good friends wedding in Amsterdam! read more

Went with my mother and a very nice, courteous gentleman helped us. Even translated some parts of the application that I left blank by mistake. He met with us promptly and we were done in less than half an hour. Very efficient and polite. read more

We went to the consulate to get a multiple entry Schengen visa, and our experience was great. We submitted the docs in person on a Thursday, and our passports were ready for pick-up on Tuesday. Thats less than 3 business days! Very friendly, efficient and prompt. So impressed! read more

Don't go to your usual passport photo place to update your mug shots. Since September 2009 the criteria for the photo's are very strict, and you don't want to be sent packing after making it all the way out to the consulate in San Mateo. Joyce recommended a local outfit, and the guy, his name is Paul, did a fine job: Express Photo & Video, 951 Edgewater Blvd, Foster City, 94404, (650) 571-8812. Having the picture taken is quick, but the printing and cropping to the perfect size takes about 20 minutes, so leave yourself enough time. I went to two other places first myself, and could have saved money time and effort by going to Paul first. read more

I went to this consulate to get a Schangen Visa and I had a wonderful experience. This is absolutely the best consulate I have ever been so far. I was 30 mins earlier than my appointment. Both windows are open when I arrive, so the lady came up and helped with my application. She was very professional, polite and friendly. The entire process took only about 10 mins. Thank you for the awesome experience! read more

Just had my interview. People who work there are nice and friendly. The interview process took about 10 minutes. They accept credit cards. Said that the visa should be ready for pickup in 5-10 business days. Seems super efficient. read more

The best customer service experience I have ever had! I was scheduled twice to accommodate for an upcoming trip. The staff was always attentive, professional, polite, friendly and on top of communication. I was even helped an hour before my scheduled appointment. Can't find enough words to explain my gratitude. Thank you! read more

I went there recently they were a bit behind schedule ( by 30 minutes ) , but overall great experience, very professional, nice and friendly and helpful. There was a guy who didn't have adequate documents and he kept arguing to make it work, and the officer was very nice to him despite him being very irrational. read more

We set up an appt with the Dutch consulate, SFO today morning only to arrive and Find out that we don't have appts. Seems like there was a system glitch and our appts were set instead for their Washington DC location instead. The officer at the window understood our situation and went on to process our applications. He was polite, friendly and as I have explained above- extremely helpful. We (my husband and I) were very impressed with the overall experience Keep it up guys! read more

Ok, so here I go I needed my passport renewed. On the 14th of January I could not get an appointment until April. Called, than after speaking to very polite but unfortunately not to someone who can do anything about this issue (someone who does not work in the SF office) I had to look at the appointment site again. Perhaps it would help you to know that you need an appointment because you can only get to the consulate if the building security knows your name. Because they have to assign an elevator to you to get to the consulate. Any 2 weeks later I found that the whole month of March was added to the appointments. Unfortunately not good for me. As they indicate that to get you passport renewal it takes 4 weeks. Again I called and unfortunately received the same service as before. Polite but not at all helpful. So I had to e-mail with the standard e-mail address (sfn-ca@minbuza.nl )to ask for an earlier appointment. 6 times I had to sent e-mails with a response like this Dear Sir/Madam, You recently contacted the Consulate General in the Netherlands by email and requested an earlier appointment to file your Dutch passport or Schengen visa application. As we receive many of these requests on a daily basis, we are unable to handle these requests individually. A few minutes ago we added additional appointments to the online system. If you still require an (earlier) appointment, you are advised to visit the appointment system as soon as possible. If you are still unable to find an appointment that suits you, you are advised to: Regularly check the appointment system for availability as other applicants may cancel their appointments, and these appointments will become available online again. File your application at the Embassy or other Consulate General of the Netherlands in the United States. Revise your travel plans. Regards, Consulate General of the Netherlands Consular Department / WUV Department Mailing Address: One Montgomery Street | Suite 3100 | San Francisco | CA 94104 Visiting Address: 120 Kearny Street | Suite 3100 | San Francisco | CA 94104 ........................................................................ T 415.291.2033 F 415.291.2049 sfn-ca@minbuza.nl http://the-netherlands.org I was asked why I needed my passport renewed and to provide a good reason. Sorry, but what is a specific reason? It expires. I can not travel with an expired passport. I think that is a valid reason. Anyway I indicated that I could not get an appointment back in January as there were not any available before I needed to travel the 24th of March. Than in February, March appointments came on the board. Still not early enough. The Consulate indicated that I could ask for a "Rush" appointment at $52 dollars extra on top of $136. Excuse me, my travel date is still 7 weeks away. Suddenly the 10th of February opened up. Yehh success. However, no not really. The picture you need to bring needs to be so specific that even the by the consulate provided document is not specific enough. Apparently UnionPostSF across the street can do a good job, they take 6 photos you only need 2, and they also can provide the Fedex Mailback envelope for premium dollars...Perhaps you have time to find something cheaper go do that. The passport picture needs to be "flashed " out from the front and it would be great if they would provide the exact head dimensions, the consulate has a specific sheet they line over the photo. Anyway I did get my passport in-time. But I am sorry I have experienced better. I hope you will do better. read more

I never usually write reviews but when I went to the Netherlands consulate I was just completely wow-ed !!!!! From the get go they were just so awesome and helpful. I live in Los Angeles and had to fly to San Francisco for the appointment so I did and when I got there the lady was just impecably helpful. She guided me through everything with such ease and was so polite and I was just really so happy with the way they treated all the customers at the time. Then I had a situation with an appointment for my green card for which I needed my passport but my passport was with the consulate so I emailed them and " Karin van der Schaft " emailed me back being just as fantastic and informed me my passport will be mailed out to me as much as the next day. For me it was just amazing to have this kind of response from the consulate. I travel alot and I am always dealing with consulates and they are usually so rude and completely not helpful but these Guys were amazing !!!! looking forward to a super super time in netherlands - the people there are just as nice :-) read more

Everything is very streamlined. Please note that the address provided here is that of actual consulate but for your interview you have to go to the VFS Global Services office in Montgomery street. You won't be allowed in any more than 15 minutes prior to your appointment. If you are early, there is a cafe right next to it. I was sent to the 10th/11th floor and once I let the receptionist know, I was asked to wait for someone from VFS to help. Someone came and took me to one of their offices and gave a checklist and asked to arrange all the documents in that order. She checked if I had all the necessary documents, gave me an application tracking number. I opted for the UPS mail back option for my passport - so I was also told I would receive an email with a separate tracking number from UPS. You can pay using credit/debit card. Staff was friendly and very supportive especially with those around who had some confusion or needed more documents. I think there is a copier there in case you need to make copies. I was done in 15-20 minutes. The tracking number does not give you much info about your application status. On day 1 it went from something like being processed at VFS to forwarded to Consulate at SF and by day 2 it changed to "application under processing at visa application centre." But it never changed from that point. When I called the consulate in SF, I was told that this means it has been forwarded to the embassy in Washington D.C. The person who talked to me was friendly and very helpful. The status of the application never changed but 11 days from the day of submitting the application to VFS, I received an email from UPS about a package to be delivered by next day. On day 12, I had my passport with the visa stamp on it (and the online application tracker still says application under process). Make sure you don't miss any document listed on their website they want you to bring, and there won't be a delay with the process. read more