France, Germany, and Italy are just three of the top destinations you can visit on a Schengen visa, which provides universal access the 26-country bloc known as the 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.
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 are the easiest countries to get a Schengen visa?
Where is the easiest country to get a short-stay Schengen Visa?
- Estonia, which also receives relatively few requests, is the next easiest, granting 98.4 percent of applications.
- Finland is next, with 98.3 percent, but it receives a higher volume of visa requests
- Other countries with comparatively high rates of applications granted are Iceland, Latvia, and Poland.
Which European countries are not in Schengen?
You can use your Schengen visa to enter the following countries that are not in the EU:
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Georgia
- Gibraltar
- Kosovo
Where can you travel with Schengen visa?
- Cambodia
- China
- India
- Macau
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Do US citizens need a Schengen visa?
The United States is one of the countries that has visa-free access to the Schengen area. As a US citizen, you will therefore not need a Schengen visa in order to enter the Schengen area for a short stay.
How many countries does Schengen visa cover?
Schengen is a European zone consisting of 26 countries, which have abolished internal borders.
Can I use Schengen visa to another country?
IF MY VISA IS ISSUED FOR INSTANCE BY THE GERMAN CONSULATE, CAN I USE THIS VISA AND TRAVEL TO ANOTHER COUNTRY OF SCHENGEN AGREEMENT? Yes, according to the Schengen Agreement rules, the Schengen visa is generally valid for all Schengen area countries.
Which country Schengen visa does not cover?
Schengen Area covers most of the EU countries, except Ireland and the countries that are soon to be part of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus.
Which is the easiest country to get Schengen visa?
Let us now have a look at the top 10 easiest Schengen to get a visa based on 2020 statisticsBelgium: ... Germany: ... Luxembourg: ... Switzerland: ... Denmark: ... Sweden: ... Iceland: Iceland is a small island known for its beautiful natural attractions like Gullfoss waterfalls and Blue Lagoon. ... Finland:More items...
Which Schengen Visa is longest?
Short stay (type C) Schengen visas are valid for 90 days, but long stay (type D) visas range from 6 months to 5 years.
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.
How long Schengen visa takes?
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.
Can I go to Turkey with Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa allows visitors to travel, study, and work and reside in all 26-member states passport-free. In addition to these benefits, Schengen Visa holders can also apply online for other countries, which are non-EU countries such as Turkey.
Can I visit Ireland with Schengen visa?
Note: A Schengen visa or UK visa is not valid for travel to Ireland. For exceptions to this, please see Schedules 2 and 3 below. If you're a citizen of a non-EEA country, whether you need a visa or not, you will be subject to immigration control when you enter Ireland.
How much bank balance is required for Schengen Visa?
Bank statement – this needs to show a minimum balance of €3000 over the last 6 months. If you do not have this amount in your bank, you could show a family member's/guardian's statement instead, with an accompanying letter stating that they are sponsoring your travel and stay.
Why is Schengen Visa rejected?
Incapacity to provide documents that support the purpose of travel and stay in the Schengen Area. Missing to apply for a visa period in conformity with the presented travel itinerary and holiday right or revenue situation. The inability to offer unchanging declarations about the purpose of travel and stay.
Which is the easiest country to get Schengen Visa 2022?
Lithuania. This country is the easiest one to get a Schengen visa. As per the reports, officials grant visas to almost 98.7% of applicants.
Can you go to us with Schengen visa?
The Embassy emphasizes the fact that those who have visited the Schengen area in the last 14 days prior to the moment they show up at a US port of entry, even if their stay in Schengen has been solely for transit purposes, are unable to enter the US due to a proclamation that bans such travellers from entering the US.
Can I travel to UK with a Schengen visa?
Can I Travel UK with Schengen Visa? You cannot travel to the UK with just a Schengen. The UK is not a part of the Schengen and will soon not be a part of the EU as well. As a result, they have an independent visa regime.
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 is the advantage of Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa, also known as a Europe visa, allows eligible individuals to travel freely within the 26 participating Schengen Area countries. This means Europe travelers will not be subject to border checks at internal Schengen borders. Border checks remain in place for travelers crossing external borders, however.
How many countries can a Schengen visa travel to?
A holder of a Uniform Schengen visa can travel to all 26 member countries of the Schengen Area:
How many countries are members of the Schengen Agreement?
22 members fully implement the Schengen acquis, Four of them – members of the EFTA, implement Schengen acquis through specific agreements related to the Schengen agreement. Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein are associate members of the Schengen Area but are not members of the EU.
How long is the Schengen border?
The external borders of the Schengen Zone reach a distance of 50,000 km long, where 80% of it is comprised of water and 20% of the land. The area counts hundreds of airports and maritime ports, many land crossing points, an area of 4,312,099 km2, and a population of 419,392,429 citizens.
What countries are in the Schengen zone?
Slovenia. Spain. Sweden. Switzerland. The Essential Features of The Schengen Zone. The Criteria to Become a Member Country. Non-Schengen Countries in Europe. Schengen Area signifies a zone where 26 European countries, abolished their internal borders, for the free and unrestricted movement of people, in harmony with common rules for controlling ...
What is the population of Luxembourg?
Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a country of 2,586 km2 and has a population of 575,747 residents. It is one of the founding states of the Schengen agreement, which was signed on 14 June 1985 in the village of Schengen in Luxembourg. Its capital, Luxembourg City, is one of the three official capitals of the European Union.
Which countries are not in the visa free zone?
Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City have opened their borders with, but are not members of the visa-free zone. The Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands are special members of the EU and part of the Schengen Zone even that they are located outside the European continent.
Which country is the richest in the world?
Austria. One of the richest countries in the world by per capita GDP terms, Austria, has an area of 83,871km2 and is inhabited by 8,712,137 residents. The country signed the Schengen agreement on 28 April 1995. However, it started its implementation more than two years later on 1 December 1997.
Which countries are not part of the Schengen Area?
Sao Tome and Principe. Serbia. Turkey. The following countries are not part of the Schengen Area, yet they ALLOW foreign citizens of other countries to enter and stay in their territories, ONLY by showing a valid Schengen Visa (double entry or multiple entry). Such foreigners, do NOT need a national visa issued from these countries to enter, ...
Which countries allow visa free access?
Colombia. Holders of passports issued by the following countries or territories are granted visa-free access for a maximum of 90 days (unless otherwise noted) if they hold visas or residence permits issued by a Schengen Area country. Cambodia. China.
How long is a Schengen visa valid in Colombia?
Schengen visas holders must ensure their visa is valid for at least 180 days from their arrival date in Colombia.
How long is a Turkish visa valid?
They first SHOULD GET a single-entry Turkish e-Visa which has a 1-MONTH validity (with a possibility to apply for such visa electronically in the website www.evisa.gov.tr (For more and updated information please click here !).
Which country allows foreigners to enter the country without a visa?
Croatia. Since the 22 nd of the July 2014, the Republic of Croatia has entered into force the decision to allow all foreigners holding valid Schengen Visa to enter, transit and stay in its territory without needing to provide an additional Croatian visa.
Is Croatia a member of the EU?
Croatia is a member of EU since July 2013.
How many countries are there in the Schengen area?
A Schengen visa obtained from any of the Schengen Area member countries allows travel throughout these 26 countries to its holder without having to get a separate entry permission for each individual country, up to its validity and period limitations.
Who needs to apply for a Schengen visa?
Citizens of the following countries are required to hold a Schengen visa to be allowed travel within the Schengen Area:
What are the validity and period limitations of the Schengen visa?
You may travel in the Schengen Area for a period of 90 days within a 180-day period.
How long is a Schengen visa valid in Colombia?
Schengen visas holders must ensure their visa is valid for at least 180 days from their arrival date in Colombia.
How long can you stay in Kosovo with a Schengen visa?
Travellers with a valid multi-entry Schengen Visa are exempt from having a separate Kosovo Visa to enter, transit or stay in the Territory of the Republic of Kosovo for up to 15 days within a 6-month period.
What is a C visa?
The “C” category stands for a short-term visa. This means that once you’ve obtained this type of visa you are able to reside in the Schengen Area for a certain period of time depending on the visa validity. This particular category, according to the purpose of the travel can be obtained in a form of: Single-entry visa.
Which countries allow double entry?
Croatia. Since the 22 nd of the July 2014, the Republic of Croatia agreed to allow all travellers holding valid Schengen Visas (type C, double or multiple entry) to enter, transit and stay in its territory without needing to provide an additional Croatian visa.
How many countries are in the Schengen Area?
A total of 26 countries form the Schengen Area by entering into a mutual agreement to allow the free movement of all Schengen nationals, remove internal borders and strengthen the external ones. Twenty-two of those countries are European Union members, while the other 4 are part of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association).
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa, issued by any of the Schengen member states, authorizes its holders to travel freely and cross the internal borders of any European Union Schengen country. A Schengen visa also grants the right to enter all the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Schengen countries. On the other hand, the European Union member countries that are not part of the Schengen Area also grant a visa-free entry to third-country nationals, as long as they fulfill two basic requirements: they hold a valid Schengen visa; their country has a visa waiver agreement with the given non-Schengen European country that wants to be visited.
What is a single entry visa?
Single-entry visa: This Uniform Schengen Visa allows its holder to enter a Schengen country once for a limited period of time. After the foreign visitor exits the country, the visa expires automatically.
What happens if you overstay your Schengen visa?
Overstaying a Schengen visa can have serious consequences as it means breaking the terms of your travel permit as well as the European immigration and visa policies. You should respect the validity of your visa and leave the Schengen territory before it expires. “If you do not, you may have issues obtaining a Schengen visa in the future, need to pay fines, and face even more serious consequences.
How long can a Schengen visa last?
UNIFORM SCHENGEN VISA (USV) The Uniform Schengen Visa, issued by one of the Schengen Area member countries, permits residence in the desired Schengen country for a maximum of 90 days, during a period of 180 days from the initial entry date.
What is a national visa?
Under normal circumstances, the National Visa is a single-entry visa for a limited period, which would cover the exact purpose of the applicant’s visa request, be it employment or education related.
How many pages are needed for a Schengen visa?
The passenger’s passport along with photocopies of all previous Schengen visas. The passport must have at least 2 blank pages and be valid for a minimum of 3 months, prior to departure. Round trip reservations such as hotel/room/flight bookings, together with their identifying reservation numbers.
Which country is the easiest to get a Schengen visa?
Lithuania . Lithuania is the easiest country to get a Schengen visa from, with only 1.3% of the short-term applications rejected in 2018. In total, 98.7% of the applicants for a Schengen Visa to Lithuania received a positive answer on their application.
Which country is easier to get a visa from?
Poland. The Republic of Poland is also an easier country to get a visa from. Despite a 0.9 difference with Latvia, those applying for a Schengen visa to Poland have a 97% chance of getting a positive answer. The Central European country had a low rate of visa rejection of only 3%.
Does Iceland have a consulate?
Yet, you are advised to first check where you need to apply, since Iceland is mostly represented by other countries, and does not have that many consulates of its own. This means that if the consulate representing Iceland is crowded, you will need to wait a bit more for an appointment.
Is Lithuania in the middle of the Schengen visa list?
Moreover, Lithuania is placed somewhere in the middle of the table regarding the total number of short-term visa applications received. This also means you will have to wait less to make an appointment. Unlike for countries as Germany and France, when in many countries applicants need to make an appointment several months ahead of their planned trip to Schengen.
Which countries require a Schengen visa?
The countries whose citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa in order to enter any member country of the Schengen Area are: Afghanistan. Gabon. Oman. Algeria. Gambia. Pakistan. Angola.
Which countries require airport transit visas?
The list of the countries which are subject to the airport transit visa in the Schengen Area goes as following: Afghanistan. Bangladesh.
How long can a person stay in the Schengen zone?
The number of days permitted to stay in any of the Schengen zone countries doesn’t exceed 90 days/ three months every half a year needless ...
Can a national enter the Schengen area?
While there are categories and nationals of countries that are privileged with entering the Schengen visa-free zone, there are also other categories and nationals, which have to go through all the processes of meeting requirements and attending interviews, in order to obtain a visa that grants them with the permission to enter the Schengen Area.
Does Sri Lanka require a transit visa?
Sri Lanka. There are however exceptions regarding the Airport Transit Visa for certain individuals. In case of the following terms, the nationals of the above-mentioned countries are not obliged to obtain an airport transit visa:
Do you need a visa for more than one nationality?
In the case of citizens with more than one nationality, the visa requirements depend on the passport he/she chooses to travel with. If you chose to travel with a passport of a nationality that requires a mandatory visa you will have to obtain one even if you are in possession of a passport of one of the Schengen member countries but you are not willing to use it for any reason.
How long can you stay in Schengen?
While many of the countries allow Schengen visa holders to stay up to 90 days, some require shorter stays.
Is Ireland in the Schengen zone?
Of the above five states, all but Ireland, are set to enter the Schengen area sometime in the future, as a condition of their EU membership.
Can you enter Schengen on a visa?
The privilege of entering these countries on a Schengen visa is, for the most part, restricted to Type-C (Short Stay) Schengen visa holders. In most cases, holders of Type A (Air port Transit) Schengen visas are denied entry into the below countries.
Do you need a visa to enter Schengen?
The countries below generally do not require certain Schengen visa holders to obtain another visa in order to enter. However, not all of the below countries allow the entry of all Schengen visa holders; some restrict entry to Schengen visa holders from certain countries. Key: if a country name is black, this means it allows visa-free, E-visa, or visa-on arrival entry to Schengen visa holders from every country. If it is red, this means it allows visa-free, E-visa, or visa-on arrival entry to citizens from some countries, but not all.
Is Andorra a Schengen country?
Andorra is different, however. Because it has a passport control along both its French and Spanish border, an entry to the microstate is considered an exit from the Schengen area. Because of this, while Schengen visa validity applies to Andorra, travelers on Schengen visas must possess either a double or multiple entry Schengen visa in order to re-enter the Schengen area.
Can you travel to the entire Schengen area?
Please do not conflate the EU with the Schengen area—having a Schengen visa gives you access to the entire Schengen area—not to the entire EU. Only the EU states that are also members of the Schengen area are accessible via a Schengen visa.
Which countries can you get a Schengen visa from?
Some of the Schengen states from which are the easiest to obtain a Schengen visa are Latvia, Lithuania and Iceland. However, if these countries are not in your to-visit list, you can still check the list of the easiest Schengen countries to obtain a Schengen Visa, and find if there is listed any of the countries you plan to visit.
How many countries can you visit on a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa gives to its holder the opportunity to visit 26 European countries. However, when it comes to where one should apply, the Schengen countries have very strict and clear rules. Many applicants fail to understand where they should apply, and in absence of information, apply at the wrong embassy.
How to figure out where to apply for a Schengen visa?
The three following factors are determinative on where you should file your Schengen visa application:
What happens if I apply at the embassy / consulate of the wrong country?
Applying at the wrong embassy / consulate may result in visa rejection, or the embassy where you applied will direct you to the right one.
What if my destination country does not have an embassy / consulate / VAC in my home country?
If there is no diplomatic representation, or a VAC of your main destination country to file a Schengen visa application at, you will have to check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country. Visa submission may have been outsourced to one of the following:
How do I know under the jurisdiction of which consulate or the embassy I fall?
You should contact the embassy of your destination country, or the consulate general. They will give you further information how your destination country has organized jurisdictions in your country of residence.
What exactly is a Visa Application Center?
A Visa Application Centre (VAC) is an exclusive third-party service provider authorized to accept visa applications on behalf of a country. The VACs then transmits the information on the applicant and their application to the responsible body for visa processing which is the embassy or consulate of the applicant’s destination country.
Albania
Antigua and Barbuda
Belarus
- If you are a national of the following countries, you can enter Belarus visa-free if you possess a Schengen visa: 1. Egypt 2. Gambia 3. Haiti 4. India 5. Iran 6. Jordan 7. Lebanon 8. Namibia 9. Pakistan 10. Samoa 11. South Africa 12. Vietnam However, you’re eligible to enter visa-free in Belarus only if you hold a flight ticket to your home country that allows you to depart from the air…
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is recognized as a potential candidate to join the EU, allowing foreign nationals to enter visa-free if they have a Schengen visa. But, the visa-free period is valid only for 30 days. Additionally, this privilege is not extended to holders of Kosovan passports— which means if you are a Kosovo citizen, you cannot enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free even if yo…
Colombia
- Visa-free stay for 90 days within a 180 day period is allowed in Colombia if you hold a valid Schengen visa, and you are from the following countries: 1. Cambodia 2. China 3. India 4. Macau (180 days) 5. Myanmar 6. Thailand 7. Vietnam Keep in mind that this is applicable only if your Schengen visa has not expired yet.
Northern Cyprus
- Northern Cyprus is territory on the northeastern section of the island of Cyprus. It’s recognized as an independent country only by Turkey. Due to the political division, Northern Cyprus is not a part of the Schengen Area or the EU, but foreigners who have a valid visa from any Schengen country can stay visa-free for up to 90 days. However, you might not need a visa since most visitors can …
Georgia
- Foreign nationals who hold a Schengen visa can enter Georgia visa-free for 90 days within 180 days. However, if you are a national from Kosovo, Taiwan, and Palestine, you will be refused entry— you won’t even be allowed to transit unless you hold a residence visa from UAE.
Gibraltar
- Nationals from China, India, Mongolia, Morocco, and Russia enter Gibraltar if they have a Schengen visa valid for a minimum period of 7 days after entering the country. In 2020, the EU agreed to make Gibraltar a part of the Schengen area allowing Spain to issue Schengen visas for Gibraltar. However, this agreement is yet to be finalized.
Kosovo
- Anyone who holds a valid Schengen visa can enter Kosovo visa-free for 15 days— this includes holders of a valid biometric residence permit from a Schengen country. Currently, Kosovo is recognized as a potential candidate to join the EU, while it’s still not a part of the Schengen area.
Mexico
- If you possess a Schengen visa that is not yet expired, then you do not need to apply for a Mexico visa as long as you are visiting the country for tourism, business, or transit purposes. Please note that you must present your visa along with your passport at the point of entry.