Dutch Honorary Consulate in India
Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata
Find official contact information for the Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata, India, including Honorary Consul Namit Shah, the office address, telephone numbers, email contact and guidance on Dutch passports, identity cards, Schengen visas and emergency consular assistance.
Contact
Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata – Contact Details
Kolkata 700014
West Bengal
India
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110021
India
Available 24 hours a day
24-hour Dutch consular assistance
Official Passport and ID Card Guide for India
Official Emergency Travel Document Procedure
Important: the honorary consul’s email address is for non-consular enquiries only. The office is not a regular application location for Dutch passports, identity cards or Schengen visas. Use NetherlandsWorldwide to find the correct government application procedure.
Location
Dutch Honorary Consulate Location in Kolkata
The Netherlands maintains honorary consular representation in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal in eastern India.
Kolkata is an important centre for commerce, education, culture, public administration and transport. Its connections to eastern and northeastern India make the city relevant to international business and institutional relationships.
The Dutch government’s official contact listing provides the following address for Honorary Consul Namit Shah:
5, Rameshwar Shaw Road
Kolkata 700014
West Bengal
India
Visiting the Honorary Consulate
The government publishes an office address and two telephone numbers but does not specify regular public visiting hours on the individual honorary consulate page.
Contact the office before travelling, explain the purpose of your enquiry and confirm whether a meeting can be arranged.
The address is also identified in the official government’s location information. However, it should not be treated as a walk-in passport or visa service centre.
Before visiting: confirm the office address, meeting time and any access arrangements. The honorary consulate does not replace the embassy, consulates-general or authorised visa application centres.
Kolkata and Eastern India
Kolkata has a long history as a major commercial and cultural centre, with extensive connections to international trade, education and the arts.
The wider region supports activities involving manufacturing, logistics, technology, healthcare, financial services and research.
These sectors may be relevant to cooperation between Dutch organisations and Indian businesses or institutions.
For current contact details, consult the official Dutch government honorary consul page for Kolkata.
About
About the Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata
Mr Namit Shah is the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Kolkata, according to the official Dutch government contact listing.
Honorary consuls are local representatives who maintain relationships with institutions, businesses, authorities and communities in their area.
They help connect local contacts with the Dutch diplomatic network and may assist with suitable commercial, institutional or representative enquiries.
The Dutch government also identifies assistance to Dutch nationals abroad as one of the broader functions of honorary consuls.
The honorary consulate complements the work of the Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi and the consulates-general in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Dutch-Indian Relations in Eastern India
India and the Netherlands maintain economic, diplomatic, educational and cultural relationships across many sectors.
Kolkata is an important location within eastern India and provides opportunities for contacts involving business, research, transport and public institutions.
The Netherlands has considerable expertise in water management, logistics, agricultural innovation, port technology and sustainable infrastructure.
These fields may provide opportunities for cooperation with organisations operating in West Bengal and surrounding regions.
The honorary consul offers a local Dutch representative contact for appropriate enquiries, although specific assistance should be confirmed in advance.
Trade, Logistics and Maritime Connections
Kolkata’s commercial history is closely connected with river transport, ports and international trade.
Regional logistics networks support the movement of goods between production centres, domestic markets and international transport routes.
Potential Dutch-Indian cooperation may involve port operations, efficient supply chains, engineering services, sustainable freight transport and infrastructure development.
The Netherlands has experience in logistics technology, maritime engineering and environmental management that can be relevant to these fields.
Specific business partnerships must be arranged by the organisations involved and should not be assumed to be guaranteed services of the honorary consulate.
Water Management and Sustainable Urban Development
Water-related infrastructure and sustainable urban development are areas of potential shared interest between Dutch and Indian institutions.
The wider eastern Indian region includes river systems, urban centres and infrastructure that require long-term environmental planning.
Possible cooperation can involve drainage, water quality, flood resilience, wastewater management and sustainable engineering.
Dutch research institutions and companies may have relevant technical expertise for suitable projects.
Education and Research
Kolkata has a longstanding reputation as a centre for education, scholarship and cultural activity.
Universities and research organisations in the region may pursue cooperation with international partners in technology, medicine, environmental studies, social sciences and business.
Dutch-Indian academic relationships may involve research collaboration, student exchanges, professional development or institutional partnerships.
Such opportunities are managed by the relevant organisations, rather than constituting routine consular services.
Cultural Connections
Kolkata is well known for its literary, artistic and cultural traditions.
Exchanges between Indian and Dutch cultural organisations may contribute to broader bilateral relationships, including contemporary artistic projects and academic work.
The honorary consulate can form part of the wider network of Dutch representatives and local contacts.
Limits of Honorary Consular Authority
The honorary consul does not operate as a full-service embassy or consulate-general.
Formal services such as Dutch passports, identity cards, Schengen visas, official certificates and emergency travel documents must follow the relevant authorised procedures.
Applicants should consult NetherlandsWorldwide before preparing documents or booking appointments.
Consular Services
Dutch Passport, Identity Card and Visa Services in Kolkata
The Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata does not accept regular applications for Dutch passports or identity cards and is not an authorised Schengen visa application centre.
Residents of Kolkata should use the relevant Dutch government procedures to identify the correct application location.
Dutch Passports and Identity Cards
Apply by appointment at the Dutch embassy in New Delhi or the consulates-general in Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Schengen Visa Applications
VFS Global operates an authorised Netherlands Schengen visa application centre in Kolkata, separate from the honorary consulate.
Emergency Travel Documents
Emergency Dutch travel document applications are handled through the embassy or an authorised consulate-general in India.
Applying for a Dutch Passport or Identity Card in India
Start with the official NetherlandsWorldwide passport and identity card application guide for India.
Create a personal document checklist for the applicant’s individual circumstances.
A separate checklist is required for every application, including those involving children.
The checklist identifies the documents required, including application forms, identity records, proof of residence and supporting certificates.
Where Can You Apply?
NetherlandsWorldwide currently identifies three regular passport and identity card application locations in India:
- Embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi.
- Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Mumbai.
- Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Bengaluru (Bangalore).
Applications cannot be submitted at the honorary consulate in Kolkata.
Eligible Dutch nationals living abroad may alternatively apply at a participating border municipality in the Netherlands.
Proof of Legal Residence in India
Applicants must provide acceptable evidence that they are legally resident in India.
The official India procedure identifies possible documents including:
- A valid visa together with the relevant supporting documents.
- A valid Indian residence permit.
- For applicants who also have Indian nationality, a valid Indian passport or identity card.
For a child’s first Dutch passport or identity card, the child’s Indian birth certificate can be used as evidence of legal residence under the published conditions.
Indian birth certificates may record a chain of names rather than separate given names and surnames. This can affect the way a child’s name appears in a Dutch travel document.
Parents should review the official guidance before submitting a first application.
Apostilles for Indian Birth and Marriage Certificates
Indian birth certificates and marriage certificates used for a Dutch passport or identity card application must be legalised with an apostille.
Check the relevant Indian legalisation procedure before arranging the apostille or obtaining replacement documents.
Documents issued outside India may have different legalisation requirements.
Applicants should prepare the necessary certificates before attending a passport or identity card appointment.
Translation Requirements
Documents written in Dutch, English, German or French can be submitted without translation solely on account of their language.
Documents written in Bengali, Hindi or another language outside these four languages should be translated by a sworn translator.
Where an apostille is also necessary, make sure that the documents and translations satisfy the official conditions.
Booking a Passport or Identity Card Appointment
After preparing all required documents, make an appointment at an authorised Dutch application office using the NetherlandsWorldwide instructions.
Separate appointments are required if you wish to apply for both a passport and an identity card.
Every applicant must attend in person, including children.
Residents of Kolkata should confirm their appointment before making travel arrangements to New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Your personal checklist determines the exact requirements. Depending on the application, you may need:
- A completed, printed and signed passport or identity card application form.
- The printed personal document checklist.
- Current and expired Dutch and foreign passports and identity cards.
- Proof of legal residence in India.
- Required birth, marriage or other civil-status certificates.
- Apostilles and sworn translations where applicable.
- Parental or guardian consent documents when required.
- A passport photograph meeting Dutch requirements.
Missing documents may prevent the consular office from accepting an application.
Applications for Children
Children must attend their passport and identity card application appointments in person.
For passport applications involving children under 18, or identity card applications for children under 12, parental or guardian consent requirements may apply.
If a required parent or guardian cannot attend, a signed consent declaration and a dated, signed copy of their passport or identity card may be necessary.
Follow the child’s personal document checklist to determine the applicable requirements.
Keeping Your Current Passport During Processing
Applicants who need their existing passport or identity card while a replacement is being processed may be permitted to retain it temporarily.
If the replacement passport is to be sent by courier, the existing passport must first be submitted to the embassy or consulate-general before the new document can be dispatched.
If your passport contains a valid visa or residence permit, inform the consular staff before handing it in.
Collecting Your New Passport or Identity Card
NetherlandsWorldwide currently states that personal collection of a new Dutch passport or identity card is unavailable at the Indian application offices.
Applicants must discuss the relevant delivery arrangements with the embassy or consulate-general.
You will receive a notification when your new document is ready.
The document must be collected or arranged for delivery within three months after notification. Otherwise, it will be destroyed.
DTDC Passport Delivery to Kolkata
Under the official India procedure, eligible applicants can arrange delivery of a new Dutch passport through the DTDC courier service.
Before attending the appointment, check whether DTDC delivers to your intended address.
The currently published courier fee is INR 850.
DTDC provides an airway bill number after online payment. Applicants must record this number and complete the required disclaimer form.
During the appointment, applicants can request the appropriate delivery envelope and provide the required address, passport and airway bill information.
DTDC can be contacted at +91 97 1100 1980 during its published telephone service hours, Monday to Saturday, 10:00–17:00.
A new Dutch identity card normally cannot be delivered by courier. Confirm the available arrangements with the application office.
Important: personal collection of new Dutch passports and identity cards is currently unavailable under the published India procedure. Passport delivery through DTDC may be possible where the destination is covered. Identity card delivery normally requires different arrangements, which applicants should confirm before applying.
Schengen Visa Applications in Kolkata
NetherlandsWorldwide lists Kolkata as an authorised location for Netherlands Schengen visa applications through VFS Global.
The VFS Global application centre is separate from the Dutch honorary consulate on Rameshwar Shaw Road.
Before applying, check whether a visa is required and whether the Netherlands is the correct Schengen country for your application.
Use the official Schengen visa application guide for India to obtain the correct checklist and book an appointment.
Most applicants may apply up to six months before travel. Seafarers may apply up to nine months in advance. Applicants should submit their application at least 15 days before the intended journey.
Applicants must generally attend their appointment in person, including children.
VFS Global handles document submission and application administration. Decisions on Netherlands Schengen visas are made by the competent Dutch authorities.
The honorary consul cannot issue a Schengen visa or replace the authorised application procedure.
Appointments
Appointments and Emergency Consular Assistance in Kolkata
For appropriate representative, commercial or institutional enquiries, contact Honorary Consul Namit Shah using the officially published telephone numbers or email address.
The honorary consul’s email address is intended for non-consular matters.
Confirm any proposed visit before travelling to the office.
Honorary Consul Enquiries
Use the official contact details for suitable local representation, commercial and institutional matters.
Passport and ID Card Appointments
Complete the personal document checklist and arrange an authorised application appointment in New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Emergency Travel Documents
Follow the official Dutch government procedure if a passport or identity card is lost or stolen and urgent travel is necessary.
Lost or Stolen Dutch Passport in Kolkata
If your Dutch passport or identity card is lost or stolen in Kolkata or elsewhere in West Bengal, first determine whether you need an emergency travel document for your planned journey.
Contact your airline or other transport provider to check which identity and travel documents will be accepted.
If an emergency document is required, use the official NetherlandsWorldwide procedure for India.
Preparing an Emergency Travel Document Application
The documents required under the official procedure include:
- A completed, printed and signed passport application form.
- A completed and signed declaration concerning a missing travel document or Dutch identity card (C2 form).
- Evidence that the intended journey cannot be postponed.
- A photograph or scan of the missing passport or identity card, if available.
- Other available identity documents or copies.
- Two passport photographs meeting Dutch requirements.
- Parental or guardian consent documentation where applicable.
If a copy of the missing document is unavailable, contact the responsible Dutch consular office for instructions about providing identifying information.
Contacting an Authorised Dutch Consular Office
Emergency travel document requests in India can be handled by the Dutch embassy in New Delhi or the consulates-general in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The official emergency procedure publishes these email addresses:
- Embassy in New Delhi: nde-ca@minbuza.nl
- Consulate-General in Mumbai: bom-ca@minbuza.nl
- Consulate-General in Bengaluru: bgl-ca@minbuza.nl
Send all documents together in one email to the appropriate consular office.
Include your current location, a reachable telephone number and the exact details of your intended journey.
Attach files directly to the email rather than providing links to external cloud-storage services.
The office normally responds within three business days after reviewing the submitted documents. Additional information may be requested.
Emergency document applications are not processed during weekend office closures.
Emergency Document Appointments
The responsible Dutch office will explain when and where the applicant must attend in person.
The consular authority determines whether a laissez-passer or passport is appropriate for the journey.
Applicants cannot choose the type of emergency travel document themselves.
Under the published India procedure, laissez-passers are usually ready for collection within three business days, while passports are usually ready within ten business days.
These periods are indicative and not guaranteed.
Indian Exit Visa After Losing a Passport
If your lost passport contained an Indian visa or residence permit, an Indian exit visa may be necessary before leaving the country.
After receiving your emergency travel document, contact the Indian Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) promptly.
The relevant Indian authorities determine the requirements for an exit visa.
A replacement Dutch travel document does not automatically replace the immigration permission recorded in a lost Indian visa or residence document.
If Your Missing Passport Is Found
A Dutch passport or identity card officially reported lost or stolen becomes invalid.
It cannot be used for travel even if it is subsequently recovered.
Urgent consular assistance: call the Dutch embassy in New Delhi at +91 11 24197600 or NetherlandsWorldwide at +31 247 247 247. For emergency travel documents, contact an authorised Dutch consular office and follow its instructions.
Local Representation
Dutch Honorary Consular Representation in Kolkata and West Bengal
The Dutch government officially lists Kolkata as a location of honorary consular representation in India.
The honorary consul provides a local Dutch representative contact in West Bengal and forms part of the wider diplomatic network in India.
Kolkata
The officially listed location of Honorary Consul Namit Shah and the capital of West Bengal.
West Bengal
The Indian state containing Kolkata, with important activities involving trade, logistics, education, manufacturing and public administration.
Embassy in New Delhi
The principal Dutch diplomatic mission in India and an authorised location for passports, identity cards and emergency travel document services.
Geographic Responsibility
The individual official contact page identifies Kolkata as the honorary consul’s location.
It does not publish a complete formal consular district defining every city or administrative district for which the honorary consul is responsible.
Although the office is located in West Bengal, this alone should not be interpreted as confirmation of jurisdiction over every part of the state or neighbouring areas.
People seeking assistance from another location should confirm the appropriate Dutch government contact.
Division of Responsibilities
The honorary consul may provide suitable local representation and help maintain relationships with businesses, authorities and institutions.
Formal applications and official decisions are handled by authorised Dutch government services.
Dutch passport and identity card applications in India are accepted through the embassy in New Delhi and consulates-general in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Schengen visa applications in Kolkata use the separate VFS Global application centre.
Before You Visit
What to Know Before Contacting the Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata
Confirm a Meeting
Contact the honorary consul before visiting 5, Rameshwar Shaw Road. The official page does not publish fixed public visiting hours.
Choose the Correct Application Office
Dutch passport and identity card applications must be made through an authorised office, including the embassy in New Delhi.
Check Visa Appointments
Netherlands Schengen visa applications in Kolkata are handled through VFS Global, not through the honorary consulate.
For Dutch Residents of Kolkata
If you require a new Dutch passport or identity card, prepare your personal checklist before travelling to an authorised application location.
Check proof of residence, any necessary Indian apostilles and sworn translations.
Because personal collection is currently unavailable under the published India procedure, confirm the applicable document delivery arrangements with the consular office.
For Business and Institutional Enquiries
Contact the honorary consul using the officially published telephone numbers or email address.
Describe the purpose of your request and confirm whether an in-person meeting or other representative assistance can be arranged.
For Schengen Visa Applicants
Do not visit the honorary consulate expecting to submit a Netherlands Schengen visa application.
Use the official NetherlandsWorldwide visa guide to prepare the appropriate documents and book with VFS Global.
For Dutch Travellers
Keep secure copies of identity documents and travel details in case a passport is lost or stolen.
For immediate medical, police or safety emergencies, contact the appropriate Indian emergency services.
For urgent Dutch government consular assistance, contact NetherlandsWorldwide or the responsible Dutch consular office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata – FAQ
Is there a Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata?
Yes. The Dutch government officially lists an honorary consul in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Who is the Dutch Honorary Consul in Kolkata?
Mr Namit Shah is the honorary consul named on the official Dutch government contact page.
What is the address of the Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata?
The official address is 5, Rameshwar Shaw Road, Kolkata 700014, India. Confirm the visiting arrangements before travelling.
What are the telephone numbers of the honorary consulate?
The official government listing provides +91 33 2289 7020 and +91 33 2289 7676.
What is the email address of the Dutch Honorary Consulate in Kolkata?
The published email address is consulkolkata.netherlands@gmail.com. It is intended for non-consular enquiries only.
What are the opening hours of the honorary consulate?
Regular public visiting hours are not specified on the official individual contact page. Contact the honorary consul to confirm meeting arrangements.
Can I renew a Dutch passport or identity card at the honorary consulate?
No. Routine applications can be submitted by appointment at the Dutch embassy in New Delhi or the consulates-general in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Can I apply for a Netherlands Schengen visa in Kolkata?
Yes. VFS Global operates an authorised Netherlands visa application centre in Kolkata. It is separate from the honorary consulate. Follow the official India visa instructions.
Can a new Dutch passport be delivered to Kolkata?
Eligible applicants may arrange delivery through DTDC if their address is covered. The current published courier fee is INR 850. Postal delivery of a Dutch identity card is normally not possible, and personal collection is currently unavailable under the India procedure.
What should I do if my Dutch passport is lost or stolen in Kolkata?
Follow the official emergency travel document procedure for India. Contact an authorised Dutch embassy or consulate-general, such as New Delhi at nde-ca@minbuza.nl. If the missing passport contained an Indian visa or residence permit, you may also need an exit visa from the Indian authorities.