Schengen Visa Information
Travel and visa requirements
The Schengen Visa
About the Schengen Visa
Schengen visas are travel documents that allow the holder to travel around the Schengen countries without restrictions and are valid for a given period of time. In total, there 26 member states of the Schengen area they include; Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. A Schengen visa can be issued by any of Schengen member states and you should apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the Schengen member state you are going to be staying or the one you are going through first.
Schengen visa countries
Please select a country from the list of Schengen States listed below for visa requirements:
Schengen visa requirements
Travelers are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to apply for a Schengen visa.
In order to receive a Schengen visa you would need to have met the following requirements;
- You must have a passport that is valid at least 3 months after your date of departure from the Schengen area. Your passport must also have at least 2 blank pages apart from the 2 amendment pages found towards the back cover of the passport.
- You must have completed and signed the Schengen Visa Application
- You must have a recent passport photograph of you that meets the Schengen visa photo requirements which are; dimensions 45x35, 32 - 36 mm face from chin to hairline, neutral expression, wearing no glasses, face-centred, light background, no shadows, and no blurring.
- You would also be required to provide copies of your prior issued visas to the Schengen States.
- You must provide proof that you are financially sufficient to cover all your expenses while you would be in the Schengen area
- You must also have travel insurance that will cover any possible medical expenses up to 30,000 EUR.
- You must also have booked your flights to and from the Schengen area and have reserved a room in the hotel where you’ll be residing during your stay. All of the documents related to your travel itinerary, flight numbers and hotel booking (with specific dates) should be provided.
Schengen Visa Application Process
Tips on applying for the Schengen Visa
- Examine whether you need a Schengen visa and select which Schengen visa will be best for you.
- Download the visa application form, fill it entirely and sign.
- Provide proof of travel insurance from your travel agency
- Bank statements and financial documents should be provided as these documents are the evidence that you have sufficient funds for your travel
- After you prepared all your necessary documents, you must then make an appointment at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your mainstay at least 2-3 weeks before your intended travel date.
- Submit your documents to the embassy
- After submitting your documents then you would have to wait 3-4 business days (which is the average time taken for visa processing) to hear back from the embassy whether they’ve accepted or rejected your visa application
Schengen Visa Fees
Applicants are required to pay a nominal visa fee when applying for a Schengen visa. This fee is non-refundable even if the application was rejected and the visa was not issued by the consular department of the embassy. The approval and issuance of a visa is based entirely on the discretion of the consulate general.
| Visa Type | Visa Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Short stay (90 days) | 60.00 |
| Long-term stay (over 90 days) | 99.00 |
| Children visa (6-12 years old kids) | 35.00 |
| All visa types for Georgia, Kosovo, Russia and Ukraine citizens | 35.00 |
| All visa types for students and accompanying teachers when travelling on educational purposes (proof needed) | Free |
| All visa types for researches when travelling on scientific research purposes (proof needed) | Free |
| All visa types for non-profit organizations representatives aged 25 or below when travelling for participating in educational events | Free |
*Different rates may apply for different Schengen countries
How to apply for Schengen visa
More tips on applying for the Schengen Visa
To apply for a Schengen Visa you would have to go to the Embassy or Consulate of the selected country in person with the documents required to apply for your preferred visa and fill all the necessary forms. When applying for a Schengen Visa it is recommended that you book your appointment with the embassy at least 15 days (but not more than 12 weeks) to your intended trip.
After your appointment has been scheduled you will need to double check that your documents are complete and prepare to answer some of the questions that you might be asked, These questions basically revolve around your travel plans and personal details. Depending on the Schengen country you apply to, you would be required to provide biometric identifiers such as fingerprints and photographs which will be held on the Visa Information System and can be used for your next Schengen visa applications.
Do I need a Schengen visa?
You will need to apply for a Schengen visa prior to visiting the countries in the Schengen visa countries list above if you hold a passport from the following countries:
*You do not have to be at the country of your citizenship to apply for a Schengen visa. You can do it from the country of your permanent residence, but you will have to submit a proof of your legal status there.
Insurance for Schengen visa
How much travel insurance do you need to apply for a Schengen visa
Documents required for Schengen visa - checklist
Here you can find the checklist for the documents required for applying for Schengen visa. It is general list for all the countries but you should also check the specific requirements of the country you are going to visit.
- Your passport
- Passport photograph
- Visa application form
- Evidence of travel medical insurance
- Evidence of accommodation
- Evidence of financial sustainability
- Contact details
- Evidence of stable wages
- Evidence of employment in your resident country
- Photocopies of all documents including copies of all Schengen visas that have been issued in the past
- Letter of invitation
Additional documents may be required depending on the Schengen country you are applying to and the type of visa you are applying for.
In addition to the general list you may be required to have a proof of your entrepreneur status (if applicable), family status (marriage certificate etc), national passport (in some countries). Usually all the documents are to be copied.
* All documents are to be A4 format.