Schengen Visa

What is Schengen Visa for Europe?

A Schengen visa application is processed based on the Visa Code Regulation 2009 of the European Parliament. A visa for the Schengen region is an authorisation granting foreign nationals permission to enter, stay, and travel within the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 days. Depending upon your purpose and duration of visit, you can get a single-entry or a multiple-entry Schengen visa.

Often called a Europe visa, a Schengen visa is issued by a member Schengen state, allowing its holder to transit to and from the Schengen area without the need to apply for a different Europe visa for each Schengen country. Here are some of the most prominent features of a Schengen visa for Europe:

*Values for Europe visa costs will vary depending on the category of the visa applied

Schengen visa also lets foreigners transit through the international airports of =Schengen states.

Uniform Schengen visa type C is the most applied type of Europe visa for tourism. You can also apply for a work visa for Europe, depending on the Schengen country you plan to work in.

Documents Required for Schengen Visa

People applying for a Schengen visa must submit a few documents and their application form. To avoid any mistakes, make sure to follow the Schengen visa checklist. Here is a list of the standard Schengen visa documents needed for Indians planning their Europe trip:

• Duly filled Schengen visa online application form
• Current passport in original
• 2 Recent passport-size photos (35 mm x 45 mm)
• Round-trip flight tickets or detailed flight itineraries mentioning the travel dates and flight numbers
• International travel insurance (Schengen travel insurance plan) or medical travel insurance policy
• Proof of accommodation or details of hotel reservation
• Proof of financial security includes bank statements, letters of employment, salary slips, etc. (minimum bank balance for Schengen visa varies from country to country)
• A letter mentioning the purpose and duration of the travel
• Income Tax Returns for the last 3 years
• Last 6 months pension statement from the bank (for pensioners)
• Valid visa for the destination country if applying for an Airport Transit visa
• Original marriage certificate if travelling to stay with spouse residing in a Schengen country

Additional Documents for Europe Schengen Visa Application

Different kinds of travellers will need to submit a few additional Schengen visa documents. Refer to the table below to check the list of additional documents:

Note: Before applying, you must confirm the required documents with the Schengen Embassy/ Consulate or VFS Schengen visa centre.

Schengen Visa Photo Requirements

Your Schengen visa needs to meet several requirements, including photographs. You need to provide 2 identical coloured photos, not older than 6 months, with your head taking up 70-80% of the photo. The photos should be 35 mm X 45 mm and have a minimum resolution of 400 dpi.

Your Europe visa application must meet all the specified Schengen photo sizes and other requirements. Make sure to carefully review all the Schengen visa photo requirements before you apply for Schengen visa from India.

Types of Schengen Visa for Indians

When applying for a Schengen visa, you need to know the type of visa you should apply for. Depending on the duration and purpose of your stay, a Schengen visa is of three types:

• Type A Schengen Visa: Airport Transit Visa
• Type C Schengen Visa: Short-term Visa
• Type D Schengen Visa: Long-term National Visa

These are the broad categorisations of various Schengen visa types. Depending on the purpose and duration of visiting, these can be divided into further Schengen visa types.

When & How to Apply for Schengen Visa?

It is essential to apply for a Schengen visa on time so that your visa arrives well before your date of departure from India. You can apply for a Schengen visa in India not before three months before your day of departure.

However, schedule your Schengen visa appointment at least 15 days before departure. There may be a significant delay if you apply during the peak season (Christmas holidays or college admission months) as the total number of applicants is very high.

People with multiple-entries Schengen visas should submit a Europe visa application valid for 180 days before the expiry of the existing visa.

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa?

If you are planning a trip to one or more Schengen countries and want to apply for Schengen visa, follow the steps mentioned below:

• Identify the Europe visa category you wish to apply for based on the purpose and duration of your stay
• Find the VAC (Visa Application Centre) where you need to submit your visa application
• Collect all the supporting documents required to be submitted during your Schengen visa appointment
• Submit your visa application along with all the documents needed for Schengen visa
• Schedule your Schengen visa appointment at your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) online, via telephone or by visiting the centre
• Arrive for your Schengen visa interview on time and attend it
• Pay the Schengen visa cost for your single entry/multiple entry Schengen visa
• Wait for your visa application to get processed

Please note that Schengen visa processing time from India requires some time, so you must always have a buffer period between your Europe visa application procedure and travel plans.

Who can Apply for a Schengen Visa in India?

Schengen visa is required for most non-EU nationals who wish to visit one or more countries in the Schengen zone. Indian citizens and foreign nationals residing legally in India can apply for a Schengen visa from India.

The reasons for visiting the Schengen region include tourism, meeting friends/family, work, studies and any reason for which a Schengen visa is available. The following kinds of travellers can apply for this Europe visitor visa from India:

• People travelling for holidays, leisure, or to stay with family/ friends
• Corporate travellers who are visiting for business purposes
• People travelling to attend or participate in cultural or sports events
• Indians travelling to get medical treatment
• People with a flight layover at any of the member Schengen states
• Students who are going to study in a Schengen country

Based on the purpose and frequency of your travel, the Schengen country's Embassy or Consulate will issue you a single-entry, double-entry or multiple-entry Europe visa. Indians can apply for tourist visas for Europe from India or other visas like Europe student visas. Moreover, students and other travellers who plan to stay in a Schengen country for more than 3 months should apply for a National visa for the country visiting.

Schengen Visa Checklist for Smooth Application Processing

• The passport of the applicant should be valid for at least 3 months after departure from India
• The passport should have at least two blank pages
• The passport should be issued within the last 10 years
• The passport-size photo should be an 80% close-up of the face and should be taken against a white background with a matte finish
• Make sure to buy travel insurance as per the Schengen guidelines, i.e. with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000

Schengen Visa Fees

All Indians need to complete their Schengen visa application & pay the required Schengen visa costs. Every adult applicant must pay a standard amount of EUR 80 as a Schengen visa fee.

Visa applications for children between the ages of 6 and 12 must pay a EUR 40 Schengen visa fee.

Fees Applicants for Whom Schengen Visa Fee is Waived

Every applicant must bear the Schengen visa costs, however a certain category of people may not be required to pay a fee to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen area. Look at the criteria under which your Schengen visa fees may be waived:

• Children below the age of 6 years
• Students at school, graduate and postgraduate level who will be travelling for the purpose of educational training or study
• Representative of a non-profit organisation under the age of 25 years who is travelling as a participant in conferences, seminars and educational, sports or cultural events organised by other non-profit organisation
• Applicants travelling to conduct scientific research
• People with diplomatic or service passports

Schengen Visa Application Submission

The Schengen zone consists of 26 countries; thus, the Europe visa process can confuse the applicant in deciding which country's Embassy or Consulate they should submit the visa application to. Especially when visiting multiple countries, it's natural to get confused about where to obtain the Schengen visa, you can submit your visa application to one of the following Schengen visa countries:

• The sole Schengen country you are going to visit on your trip
• The leading destination Schengen country based on the duration and purpose of your travel
• The first Schengen country whose territory you enter while entering the Schengen zone

Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa

Life is full of uncertainties, and it is prudent to prepare for unforeseen emergencies in the best possible way. The authorities of the European Union and the Schengen visa countries realise the unpredictability of life and thus have made it compulsory for every foreigner to buy international travel insurance policy for Schengen visa countries.

This travel insurance policy takes care of emergency expenses of a traveller, including medical expenses, loss of passport, personal liability, delay or loss of check-in baggage, personal accident and trip delays, amongst others. It also acts as medical travel insurance if you suffer from a sudden illness or accident and must be hospitalised.

A valid Europe travel insurance policy is a prerequisite to applying for a Schengen visa. Whether you are travelling on a Schengen tourist visa from India, a Europe student visa or any other visa to countries covered by Schengen visa, you need to have travel insurance for Schengen visa.

Similarly, students travelling to study at Schengen University require student travel insurance. Moreover, every Schengen visa applicant must have a travel insurance policy with a minimum sum insured of EUR 30,000.

Schengen Visa Countries

The member states of the Schengen area mainly comprises European nations that are part of the Schengen pact or may soon join it. However, not all European countries are Schengen countries.

26 European countries come under the purview of the Schengen area and require a valid Schengen visa before you enter their borders. Of these, 22 countries are a part of the European Union, and the remaining four belong to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Here is a Schengen visa countries list:

How to Read a Schengen Visa Sticker?

After processing your visa application, you will receive a Schengen visa sticker on your passport. This sticker acts as a legal document permission to enter the Schengen area. A lot of crucial information is mentioned on a visa sticker, and you need to understand it to avoid breaking any rules. Here is how you can read a visa sticker:

• All information on a Schengen visa sticker is written in English, German and French.
• The list of Schengen countries you can enter is written next to 'Valid For'. If you have a Uniform Schengen Visa, 'Schengen States' or 'Etats Schengen' will be written.
• If 'Schengen States (-acronym of the Schengen country)' is mentioned, then you will not be allowed in that country. For example, you can enter all Schengen countries except Greece if your visa mentions Schengen States (-GR).
• The start date of your visa is written next to the 'From' label.
• The information on whether you have a single-entry Schengen visa, double-entry Schengen visa or multiple-entry Schengen visa is mentioned next to 'Number of Entries'.
• The 'Duration of Stay' field mentions the days your visa is valid. To avoid overstaying, which could result in a ban, you must exit the Schengen area before the permitted duration is completed.
• The 'Visa Type' label mentions the type of visa you have been granted. Type 'A' stands for Airport Transit Visa, type 'C' denotes Short Stay Visa
• The information on the city where the concerned Embassy or Consulate issued the visa, along with the date of the issue, is also mentioned
• The Schengen visa holder's name and any related remarks are mentioned at the bottom of the visa