Schengen Visa Info

Schengen Visa Information

A Schengen Visa is a document issued by the European authorities for visiting or travelling in the Schengen area.

The Schengen member states are (view Schengen map) :

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Czech republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway

Schengen countries is a collective of 26 European countries that have decided to eliminate passport and immigration controls at their borders. The citizens of these countries are free to travel without limitations in the Schengen area.
Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Ireland are candidates to join the Schengen area.
Some countries that are not part of the European union like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein also signed the Schengen agreement.

What if you are not a citizen from the Schengen area and you want to travel in the Schengen area ?

You definitely need a Schengen Visa if you want to travel in these countries.

ATTENTION : the Schengen area is not the European union.
Choose the Top Schengen insurance if you want to travel in the European union, San Marino, Andorra, Monaco and the Vatican

The Schengen agreement became effective on March 26 in 1995 and made travelling in Europe much easier.

Who needs a Schengen insurance ?

Anyone travelling to a Schengen country that is subject to visa requirements needs a Schengen insurance and it doesn't matter if you are an individual or group visitor, business traveler, student, au-pair or just a normal tourist.

This website can give you a lot of information concerning Schengen visa : http://www.schengenvisainfo.com

Applying a Schengen Visa. - Application for Schengen Visa

Fill out the Schengen application form and do this very cautiously.
Read carefully and do not fill out information that is not correct. Be very clear about your travel intensions.
One photo must be attached. (passport format photo with light background and recently taken)
Do not leave any blanc spaces. Do not forget to sign the application form.
Ensure you have proof of funds. (for instance : current bank statements)
Be sure about how long you want to intend to stay. A Schengen visa is usually granted as a single entry or multi-entry visa and is valid for 3, 6 or 12 months.

Where can you apply your Schengen Visa ?

You can apply your Schengen Visa in the embassy or the consulate of your country of residence or your home country. Call them and check if you have to make an appointment.
Good advise : start your application for a Schengen visa around 6 weeks prior to your departure to a country in the Schengen area.
Find an embassy or consulate in the designated country.

Find info on : https://embassy-finder.com

How much do you pay for a Schengen Visa ?

Airport transit visa : 60,00 EURO
Short stay Schengen Visa : 60,00 EURO (less than 90 days)
Long stay Visa : 99,00 EURO (more than 90 days)
The Schengen Visa fee = 35 EURO for :
- children between 6 and 12 years old.
- Nationals from Georgia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Russia, Kosovo, FYROM (Macedonia), Serbia and Ukraine.

There is no Visa fee for :

  • Children under 6 years of age
  • Pupils, students, postgraduates and the accompanying teachers who are travelling for the purpose of studying or educational training
  • Researchers of the third-world countries travelling for the purpose of scientific research
  • Representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.

What if there is no embassy and no consulate in your country of residence or your home country ?

What now ? No problem, a justification why you are applying for a Schengen visa in another country visa will be sufficient. In case of absence of both possibilities, you can visit the embassy or consulate of a neighboring country.

What happens if you visit several countries in the Schengen area ?

Apply for a Schengen visa in the embassy or consulate of your main destination.
If you have no main destination but only a random visit to Schengen countries, you can apply for a Schengen visa in the embassy or consulate of the first country you will visit.

Can everybody apply for a Schengen visa ?

Every traveler can apply for a Schengen Visa if they are able to gather all the required info and documents, and you must be able to maintain yourself during your stay in the Schengen area.

Which documents do I need to apply for a Schengen visa ?

You can find all the required information by following this link : http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-application-requirements/

Schengen Visa types

Tourist Visa (when you visit family, relatives or friends)
You will need bank statements from the last 6 months.
Your family /relatives / friends can also declare that they will cover all your travel expenses. (a formal document should be filled out by them and you need a formal invitation from the family / relative / friend. If you don't have enough money to cover your expenses during your stay in the Schengen area, you must have an "affidavit of support" signed by your relatives /family /friends. They can ask for the document at the office in his/her place of residence.
Always give the official document to the authorities and NOT a copy when applying for the visa.
If the family / relative / friend is not a citizen from the Schengen area, a copy of their residency permit will be required.

Tourist Visa (not visiting friends/relatives/family)
You will need bank statements from the last 6 months.
You will need a detailed itinerary of your stay in the Schengen area. ( formal invitation of a resident, hotel vouchers or reservations )

Airport transit visa and transit visa
- the ticket for the final country of your trip.
- a valid visa (if required) for the final country you are travelling to.

Business travel purpose

  • A cover letter explaining the purpose of the visit to the Schengen country
  • Current bank statements
  • A short profile of the applicants working place (company/organization)
  • A letter from yours employer with a detailed description of the purpose of the travel as well as the itinerary of the days spend in the Schengen zone.
  • Memorandum and Article of Association in original certified copy (registered with joint stock companies)/ Trade License (first issued and present renewal)/ Partnership and/or Proprietorship documents.
  • Regarding the applicants expenses, it must be stated either in the employer's letter or the partner company's invitation that one of both parties will be covering the applicants travel expenses during his/her stay in the Schengen area.
  • Hotel and airplane ticket reservations
  • The invitation letter from the partner company in the Schengen zone, faxed also to the corresponding consulate. This letter has to be an invitation to attend meetings or other relevant events , trade, industry or work.
  • If there were previous trade relations between companies, than you need proof of such an event.
Training purposes
A certificate or other proof from the institute for the courses you will attend in the Schengen area.

Studying in the Schengen area.
You will have to proof that you will an address in a Schengen country and that you can financially maintain yourself during your stay in the Schengen area.
You will need a letter of acceptance of the university / school / college.
Fill out two application forms.

You wish to live permanently in the Schengen area because you married a Schengen citizen.
If your spouse is a Schengen citizen, you must fill out 2 application forms.
You also need a copy of the spouse's passport and you also need a copy of her/his residency permit if he/she is not a citizen form a Schengen country. (if she only lives in the Schengen area)

Should you make an appointment at the embassy or the consulate ?
In general, it depends on the rules of the embassy or the consulate you are applying for a visa.
We recommend to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit.

Do you need a Schengen Visa ?

If you have the nationality of one of the countries in the following list, you definitely need a Visa.

  • AFGHANISTAN
  • ALBANIA
  • ALGERIA
  • ANGOLA
  • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
  • ARMENIA
  • AZERBAIJAN
  • BAHAMAS
  • BAHRAIN
  • BANGLADESH
  • BARBADOS
  • BELARUS
  • BELIZE
  • BENIN
  • BHUTAN
  • BOLIVIA
  • BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • BOTSWANA
  • BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS
  • BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES CITIZENS
  • BRITISH PROTECTED PERSONS
  • BRITISH SUBJECTS
  • BURKINA FASO
  • BURMA/MYANMAR
  • BURUNDI
  • CAMBODIA
  • CAMEROON
  • CAPE VERDE
  • CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
  • CHAD
  • CHINA
  • COLOMBIA
  • COMOROS
  • CONGO
  • COTE D'IVOIRE
  • CUBA
  • DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
  • DJIBOUTI
  • DOMINICA
  • DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • ECUADOR
  • EGYPT
  • EQUATORIAL GUINEA
  • ERITREA
  • ETHIOPIA
  • FIJI
  • MACEDONIA (FRY)
  • GABON
  • GAMBIA
  • GEORGIA
  • GHANA
  • GRENADA
  • GUINEA
  • GUINEA-BISSAU
  • GUYANA
  • CAMEROON
  • HAITI
  • INDIA
  • INDONESIA
  • IRAN
  • IRAQ
  • JAMAICA
  • JORDAN
  • KAZAKHSTAN
  • KENYA
  • KIRIBATI
  • KUWAIT
  • KYRGYZSTAN
  • LAOS
  • LEBANON
  • LESOTHO
  • LIBERIA
  • LIBYA
  • MADAGASCAR
  • MALAWI
  • MALDIVES
  • MALI
  • MARSHALL ISLANDS
  • MAURITANIA
  • MAURITIUS
  • MICRONESIA
  • MOLDOVA
  • MONGOLIA
  • MONTENEGRO
  • MOROCCO
  • MOZAMBIQUE
  • NAMIBIA
  • NAURU
  • NEPAL
  • NIGER
  • NIGERIA
  • NORTH KOREA
  • NORTHERN MARIANAS (ISLANDS)
  • OMAN
  • PAKISTAN
  • PALAU
  • PAPUA NEW GUINEA
  • PERU
  • PHILIPPINES
  • QATAR
  • RUSSIA
  • RWANDA
  • SAMOA
  • SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
  • SAUDI ARABIA
  • SENEGAL
  • SERBIA
  • SEYCHELLES
  • SIERRA LEONE
  • SOLOMON ISLANDS
  • SOMALIA
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • SRI LANKA
  • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
  • ST LUCIA
  • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
  • SUDAN
  • SURINAME
  • SWAZILAND
  • SYRIA
  • TAIWAN
  • TAJIKISTAN
  • TANZANIA
  • THAILAND
  • TIMOR-LESTE
  • TOGO
  • TONGA
  • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
  • TUNISIA
  • TURKEY
  • TURKMENISTAN
  • TUVALU
  • UGANDA
  • UKRAINE
  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
  • UZBEKISTAN
  • VANUATU
  • VIETNAM
  • YEMEN
  • ZAMBIA
  • ZIMBABWE

Can you extend the period of my visa ?

Yes, if you have very good reasons to do so. Personal, medical, occupational reasons can be a reason to extend the period of your visa permit.
Contact the corresponding institutions in the Schengen country of residence and apply for an extension of the Schengen visa.

COUNTRY LIST: nationals of these countries don't need a visa to enter the schengen area.

  • ALBANIA
  • ANDORRA
  • ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
  • ARGENTINA
  • AUSTRALIA
  • BAHAMAS
  • BARBADOS
  • BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BRAZIL
  • BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
  • CANADA
  • CHILE
  • COLOMBIA
  • COSTA RICA
  • DOMINICA
  • EL SALVADOR
  • FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
  • GRENADA
  • GUATEMALA
  • HOLY SEE (STATE OF THE VATICAN)
  • HONDURAS
  • ISRAEL
  • JAPAN
  • MALAYSIA
  • MAURITIUS
  • MEXICO
  • MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF
  • MONACO
  • MONTENEGRO
  • NEW ZEALAND
  • NICARAGUA
  • PALAU (as from 8 December 2015)
  • PANAMA
  • PARAGUAY
  • SAMOA
  • SAN MARINO
  • SEYCHELLES
  • SERBIA
  • SINGAPORE
  • SOUTH KOREA
  • ST KITTS AND NEVIS
  • ST LUCIA
  • ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
  • TIMOR-LESTE
  • TONGA
  • TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  • URUGUAY
  • VANUATU
  • VENEZUELA

Also :  special regions like Hong Kong and Macao
            British citizens who are not nationals of the UK and N-Ireland : overseas areas (always ask more info at your embassy or consulate)

State not recognized by at least one member Schengen state : Taiwan

(hopefully this list gives you more information about Schengen visa - always check the accuracy of the info at your embassy because they have the latest information)