The Schengen Visa covers 26 countries and lets you move freely between them without being stopped at the border. It lets you stay in the Schengen States for up to 90 days for business or pleasure. The Schengen area is a zone in the EU where most countries don’t need passports. If you require to live, work, or study in any Schengen country for more than 90 days, you must apply for a national and Schengen Tourist Visa.
What is a Schengen Visa?
You can go to any number of countries in the Schengen zone while your Schengen Visa is still valid.
- You can’t stay in or pass through a Schengen State for more than 90 days in 6 months.
- You can also use the international transit areas of airports in the Schengen States (Airport Transit Visa).
- If you want to stay in a Schengen country for work, a profession, trade, or to start a business, the Schengen Tourist Visa won’t work for you.
What are the kinds of Schengen visas?
2. Travel or Short-Stay Visa (Type C)
Most people call this type of visa a “Schengen Visa.” As a Schengen Visa, it is usually given out for tourism. It is also given out when people go to sports events or visit family or relatives. After getting this visa, you can spend up to 60 days in 6 months in more than one Schengen country. You can get this visa for single, double, or multiple entries.
2. Transit visas for airports (Type A)
This type of visa lets you take a flight from a non-Schengen country to a Schengen airport’s international transit area. But this type of visa doesn’t let you leave the airport or go anywhere else in Schengen for any reason. According to the European Union, some people must have an airport transit visa. They need to go through an airport in any Schengen state.
3. Transit Visa (Type B)
With this Transit Visa, a person from a non-Schengen country can drive or take a bus through the territory of a Schengen state. Even if you are a journey by plane, you might need this Transit Visa if you need to leave the international transit area and enter a Schengen territory. You can get one of these Transit Visas for one, two, or more stops, as long as you stay in the Schengen Area for more than 5 days.
Who can get a Schengen visa and why?
People from the countries mentioned above are allowed to travel to the Schengen Countries. They can remain in the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days every 180 days. But if you want to be considered for this program, you must meet the following requirements:
- I need a passport that is still good.
- Should hold a valid Schengen Visa.
- To meet the insurance requirements for a Schengen Visa, you need to meet with your health insurance company.
- You must show documents that show why and how you want to travel.
- You must ensure you have a return ticket or enough money to buy a tick
What do you need to get a Schengen visa?
- Schengen Visa Application Form: You must complete this and sign it out.
- 2 Recent Photos of the Passport Size: Both photos should have been taken within the last 3 months, as required.
- Your Valid Passport: It shouldn’t be more than ten years old. It should also be good for 3 more months after you design to leave the Schengen region.
- Itinerary or Round-Trip Flight Reservation: This certificate should include the dates and flight numbers for entering and leaving Schengen countries. Visa consulting services will help a lot with making this happen.
- Travel Insurance Policy: This document should show that you have travel insurance for the whole Schengen area if it covers at least 30,000 euros.
- Proof of Accommodation: This can be a motel or hostel reservation or a rental contract. It should say where you will be staying during your time in Schengen.
- Proof of Financial Means: This shows you have enough money to care for yourself financially. During the time spent in Schengen. You can give a letter from a sponsor or a statement from your bank account.
- Proof of Payment of Visa Fees: Join a duplicate of the receipt as proof that you paid the required application fees
How to Request a Schengen Visa?
Step 1: Figure out what kind of Schengen visa you need.
- Tourism Visa Business Visa Study Visa
- Transit Visa
- Visa Because of Health Problems
- Visa for Official Visits
- Getting a visa to see family or friends
- Visa for Cultural & Sporting Activities
Step 2: Decide where you want to apply.
- The embassy in question
- The consulate in question
- A place where visas can be applied for in the country of destination
- The embassy or consulate of a country not in the Schengen area
Step 3: Figure out when the best time is to apply
- You can apply for a visa no sooner than 6 months before your trip.
- You can apply for a visa up to 15 working days before the trip you want to take.
- The Schengen Visa application should be sent at least 3 weeks before the trip.
Step 4: Make a reservation.
The following step is to create an appointment at the embassy or consulate. You can schedule an appointment online in many Schengen countries. Sometimes, you may have to go to the embassy or consulate to set up an interview.
Step 5: Fill out the form to apply for a visa
The Schengen Visa application form looks the same no matter which country you want to go to. Could you fill it out right and truthfully? You’ll be asked to do the following:
- The information about you
- What you know about yourself
- Why are you going to the Schengen Area
- Other information about your trip
Step 6: Gather the necessary papers
This is a very important part of your application for a visa. Documents are usually broken up into two parts. The first group is the same for everyone, and the second group is unique to your visa. Check out the documents on the list above.
Step 7: Showing up for the visa interview.
On the day of your interview, get to the building on time. Meet with the visa consular to give them the papers. During the interview, there would be more than one question. Make sure that your answers are firm and right. Most interviews last between 10 and 15 minutes.
Step 8: Pay the application fee for the visa
You can’t get your money back for the fee you must pay when applying for a visa. The payment is the same for all countries in the Schengen agreement, and it won’t change.
Step 9: Waiting for a response to your application for a Schengen visa
Before you hear back about your application, no more than 15 days will pass. There are times when the method could bring much longer. For citizens of some countries, it could take up to 45 days.
