A Schengen visa is a document allowing you temporary access to the Schengen area The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement.Schengen Area
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement.
What does a Schengen visa allow you to do?
What is a Schengen Visa? A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area, per stays up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. The Schengen visa is the most common visa for Europe.
What are the 4 types of Schengen visas?
Types of Schengen VisaUNIFORM SCHENGEN VISA (USV) The Uniform Schengen Visa, issued by Schengen Area member countries, permits a maximum stay of 90 days in a 180 day period. ... Limited Territorial Validity Visa (LTV) Holders of the LTV may only enter the Schengen member country that has issued the visa. ... NATIONAL VISA.
Can I enter any country with Schengen visa?
Yes. According to the Schengen rules, the Schengen visa is generally valid for all the countries in the Schengen area.
What is the difference between EU visa and Schengen visa?
In short, they are 2 different entities, although many countries are included in both. The EU is a political and economic union, whereas the Schengen Area allows for the free movement of people between the participating countries.
How long can I stay with Schengen visa?
90 daysThe short-stay visa is a Schengen visa. It allows you to stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Your visa will be valid for a specific period. This period may be shorter than 90 days.
How long does Schengen visa last?
For double or multiple entry (circulation visa) Schengen visas, the validity of the visa ranges from 6 months to 5 years. The holder may travel one or several times for up to 90 days over a 180-day period. The validity of the Schengen visa is indicated on the visa attached to the traveller's passport.
What is the cost of Schengen visa?
Schengen Visa FeesSchengen Visa CategoryFee in EURFee in USD*Adult80€96$Children between 6-12 years of age40€48$Children younger than 6 years of ageFreeFreeHolders of diplomatic, official or service passports travelling for official purposesFreeFree4 more rows
How do I get a 5 year Schengen visa?
You must have a clean visa history. You must have never overstayed your Schengen Visa or worked unlawfully in the Schengen Area. You must have a clean criminal record in your home country. You must have purchased adequate Travel Insurance for the first year of your multiple-entry visa that you have applied for.
Can I get a Schengen visa in 2 days?
You will have to wait at least 15 days for your Schengen Visa to be processed, though the processing time will depend on your case. In specific cases, embassies can take 30 days to process a visa, and the Schengen Visa processing time could even be as long as 60 days in extraordinary circumstances.
How many countries can I visit with Schengen visa?
26 countriesA Schengen visa is a short stay visa allowing its holder to circulate in the Schengen area. The Schengen area covers 26 countries ("Schengen States") without border controls between them.
How long does it take to get a Schengen visa?
It takes 15 days to process a Schengen visa. However, Schengen visa processing time may vary in some specific situations. In individual cases, the visa processing time may be extended to 30 days after the interview, or in some very specific situations to 60 days.
Which countries are not Schengen?
The European countries that are not part of the Schengen zone are Albania, Andora, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, The United Kingdom and Vatican City.
How do I get a 5 year Schengen visa?
You must have a clean visa history. You must have never overstayed your Schengen Visa or worked unlawfully in the Schengen Area. You must have a clean criminal record in your home country. You must have purchased adequate Travel Insurance for the first year of your multiple-entry visa that you have applied for.
What is Type B Schengen visa?
Category 'B' - This category denotes 'Transit Visa'. This type of visa grants travellers permission to commute through any Schengen country to a country that is not a Schengen member state. However, the period of transit cannot exceed 5 days.
Which Schengen country gives visa easily?
LithuaniaIn general, Lithuania is the easiest country to obtain a Schengen Visa from, with officials granting 98.7% of applications.
Are all Schengen visas the same?
According to the type of visa issued by the certain embassy/consulate of any Schengen country there are different restrictions that apply to the particular visa in accordance to the nature of travelling and other relevant circumstances.
What is Schengen?
Schengen refers to the EU passport-free zone that covers most of the European countries. It’s the largest free travel area in the world.
How to Apply for a Schengen Visa Around the World?
For more information about visa requirements and application process for US, UK, Canadian and Australian residents, please read the following articles:
How Much Does a European Visa Cost?
The cost of a Schengen visa fee is €80 per adults . Still, depending on the age of the applicant, nationality and some other factors, there are categories that will have to pay a lower fee or no fee at all.
Who Needs a Visa to Enter Europe?
All nationals of third countries , which have yet not reached a visa-liberalization agreement with the Schengen member states, need to obtain a visa prior of their arrival in Europe.
What is Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa?
Your Travel Medical Insurance should be valid for your whole stay in the Schengen Area, with a minimum coverage of 30,000 EUR for medical emergencies.
What is a Proof of Accommodation for Visa application?
You are required to submit a confirmed document that shows where you will be accommodated for your whole trip in the Schengen Area.
How long is a single entry visa valid?
The validity of your single-entry visa depends on the number of days you stated you are going to be in the Schengen zone on your visa application form and the actual decision of the consulate that issues you the Schengen visa.
What are the different types of Schengen visas?
There are three types of Uniform Schengen Visas. 1. Type A Schengen visa or Airport Transit Visa. The type A visa allows citizens of non-Schengen states to transit through or wait for their connecting flight in the international zone of an airport located in a Schengen country. It is compulsory for those travelling from a non-Schengen country ...
How long can you stay in Europe on a Schengen visa?
The most common Schengen Visa type, a Uniform Schengen Visa, covers categories A, B and C, providing you with your airport transit visa and allowing you to stay in any country in the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days in a six-month period. This will be the visa you need if traveling to Europe for a short vacation.
What is a single entry visa?
A single-entry visa (“1” on the visa sticker): allows its holder to enter the Schengen area once. If you leave the area, the validity of your visa expires even if the validity period isn’t over yet. In a nutshell: any exit is final !
How long can a person stay in the Schengen area?
It allows the holder to stay or travel freely in the Schengen area for less than 90 days over a 180 day period. It is mandatory for citizens of some countries. Check if you need a category C Schengen visa by reading the Schengen visa entry requirements.
What is a national visa?
The national visa is the type D long-stay Schengen visa. It is mandatory for any foreigner wishing to study, work or live in a Schengen country for longer than 90 days (up to 1 year). It allows its holder to travel and stay in the Schengen area outside of the originally chosen Schengen country for periods of 90 days maximum over 180 days and during the entire validity period of their visa.#N#The travel purposes which can justify applying for a category D visa are:
How long does it take to get a visa for multiple entry?
Most think the 180-day period starts when your visa becomes valid, but it keeps rolling - meaning you need to count back from the date you plan to re-enter the Schengen Area to check you haven’t spent more than 90 days there in the past 180 days.
How long is a 3 year visa valid?
The three-year multiple-entry visa is granted to applicants who have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for one year within the previous two years. The 90/180 rule applies.
What is the difference between a national and a Schengen visa?
Schengen Visas: There are two main differences between a Schengen visa and a National visa: 1) A Schengen visa allows you access to the Schengen area, and can be valid for all the countries within the Schengen area. In contrast, a national visa allows you exclusive access to a single state.
How long is a Schengen visa valid?
a) All Schengen Visas are valid for 90 days within a 180-day period: This means you can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days on a Schengen visa. It does NOT mean you can stay in the Schengen area for 180 days. Once you enter the Schengen area on your Schengen visa, you must leave after 90 days.
How long is a double entry visa valid for?
Schengen Visa double entry is allowing you to enter the Schengen area twice for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Unlike the single entry, the Double Entry Schengen Visa allows you to leave the Schengen area and re-enter it. It is therefore valid for two entries into the Schengen area.
How many types of Schengen visas are there?
There are more than 10 different types of Schengen Visa Purposes to describe your reason for travel.
How many countries are there in the Schengen area?
Uniform Schengen visa is a type of visa that is valid for entry to the entire Schengen area; all 26 member states.
What is a national visa?
National Visa is a type of visa allowing you access to a single, particular country. National Visas are not Schengen visas. National Visas are in the “long stay” (Type D) category of visas, in contrast to “short stay” Schengen visas (Type-C).
What is double entry visa?
In terms of flexibility, the double entry visa allows you greater flexibility than the single entry, but still limits the number of times you can leave and re-enter the Schengen area.
What does "Schengen states" mean?
If next to those words is written «ETATS SCHENGEN» or «SCHENGEN STATES», then it means that the visa is valid in all Schengen states, and the visa holder can visit each of them, once inside the territory.
What does "ETATS SCHENGEN" mean?
Whereas, if the visa contains the following label «ETATS SCHENGEN (-country acronym)» – then this means the visa is valid for all Schengen countries, expect for that country i.e. expect Sweden if the label is «ETATS SCHENGEN (-S)». You will be unable to enter depending on the country code after the minus sign.
What does "C" mean in visa?
Label «C» – stands for the visa type C – or short-stay visa, that does not permit the holder to stay more than 3 months in the Schengen Area. Label «D» – stands for the visa type D – or long-term visa, which permits the holder to stay more than 3 months.
What languages are on a Schengen visa?
The visa sticker information is provided in three languages: English, French and German.
What is a visa sticker?
A visa sticker always contains information on the countries that its holder is permitted to visit.
What does the number of entries mean in Schengen?
The label “NUMBER OF ENTRIES”, “NOMBRE D’ETNREES” and “ANZAHL DER EINREISEN” stands for the number of times a person is permitted to enter the Schengen Area.
What is the label for a visa issued in a city?
Label “ISSUED IN”, “DILIVRE A” and “SUGESTELLT IN” stands right next to the name of the city where is located the embassy or consulate that issued the visa.
How long is a Schengen visa good for?
You’re good as long as you will be in the Schengen area the entire time. You get one entry into it and must not leave until you’re done with the Schengen area or else you won’t be permitted re-entry. Number of countries don’t matter, provided they are within the Schengen area.
How many countries are there in Schengen?
Schengen currently includes 26 countries with 5 additional countries likely to be added in the future.
Is Norway part of the Schengen Area?
Also remember that EU is not synonymous with the Schengen Area, countries like Romania and Bulgaria are in the EU but not the Schengen Area, and conversely, Norway is not in the EU, but is part of the Schengen Area.
Is Schengen similar to the US?
If you’re from the US or have traveled there, Schengen countries are similar to crossing from state to state in the US.
Can you go to another country in the Schengen zone?
You can go to as many Schengen countries as you want, as long as you stay in the Schengen zone the entire time. Sometimes you don't even have to go through customs when you go from one Schengen country to another Schengen country. By car, you never pass customs on the border. By plane, it depends on the airport. Some airports let you skip customs on arrival if you come from a Schengen country. I can assure you this as someone who lives in a Schengen country (Netherlands).
Can I travel to any Schengen country?
Done this a few times now. Single entry allows you to enter the Schengen area once. You can travel to any Schengen country without issue. I've done Spain to Portugal (driving) . Then Italy to Switzerland to Paris (trains) - have not had any issues.
