What are the important tips to remember when applying for a Schengen Visa.

There are 26-member states that require the Schengen Visa — Austria, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

            There are two types of Schengen visas; short stay and long stay visa. These visas can be issued for a single entry or multiple entry access, depending on the kind of visa for which you are applying.

            The short stay visa is applicable for the purpose of tourism, visit or business travel. It is issued for a stay period of 90 days with a validity of 6 months. The long stay visa is issued for long term stay purposes such as employment, study, marriage etc.

            You need to apply for a Schengen visa at the Embassy/consulate of the country you will be staying in for the longest period; if you plan to visit more than one country. For eg: Suppose you plan to visit France, Germany and Italy for a holiday. You will be staying for 3 days in France, 2 days in Germany and 5 days in Italy. In such a case, you must apply for the Schengen visa at the Italian Consulate as you intend to stay in Italy for a longer period then other countries.

            You must return to your home country within the permitted period of stay. You cannot extend the period of your stay while in the schengen country.

            The processing time for a Schengen visais approximately 10 – 15 working days. The processing time is dependent on several factors and can change without prior notice at the consulate’s discretion. Sometimes it can take up to 30 days if more time is needed, and up to 60 days in exceptional cases, for example, if additional documents are required.

            While there might be a few additions to the usual list of documents for some Schengen countries, depending on the country you are visiting. Generally, the documents you need to share are; your passport, photographs, cover letter, Employment letter, bank statements, Income tax returns, flight tickets, hotel reservations or Invitation letter from a family/friend and Travel insurance. For a complete list of Rules and Regulations. clickhere