In some cases your health insurance or, in the case of a clinical study, the sponsor will reimburse (part of) the costs of travel and accommodation. However, in many cases the insurance will not reimburse costs for accompanying family. Keep this in mind.
Arrange all practical matters in time! Housing, transport, travel and residence documents, travel insurance, contact and guidance.
Housing
It is important that you arrange accommodation outside the Princess Máxima Center for the entire period in the Netherlands (one parent is allowed to stay with your child during clinical admission). You may have family or friends you can stay with, another option is to stay in the Ronald McDonald House. Temporary rental of a house or staying in a hotel is of course also a possibility. The Princess Máxima Center has standing agreements with a variety of hotels in the Utrecht region. The International Patients Office can provide you with advice on accommodation and, if desired, help you make a reservation.
Transport to and within the Netherlands
Depending on where you live, the Netherlands is easily accessible by plane, train and/or car. The nearest airport is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Once you have arrived in Utrecht, there are also various means of transportation you can use to get to the Princess Máxima Center. For practical information about transportation within the Netherlands, click here.
Travel and accommodation documents
You are responsible for obtaining the correct travel and residence documents.
Visa
Depending on your nationality and length of stay, you will need a short or long stay visa. For example, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can travel to the Netherlands without a visa, but people from other parts of the world need a tourist or residence visa. For more information, click here.
Note: each country has different procedures for applying for a visa, please note that this can take quite a while and make sure you apply for your visa in time.
Passport
Make sure you have valid travel documentation at all times (in most cases this is a passport). Pay attention to the validity of the document, it must be valid for at least 3 months after the end of the visa period, also a travel document may not be older than 10 years.
Travel insurance
It is mandatory to have valid travel insurance. Travel insurance is necessary, for example in case a parent or other traveler needs to make use of medical care in the Netherlands.
Payments
Please note that most transactions in the Netherlands are by PIN payment (‘Maestro’) or euro’s. The most commonly used credit card in The Netherlands is the MasterCard.
Welcome flyer
Your can read more about the Princess Máxima Center in our Welcome flyer