What is a Schengen Visa? What are the Types of Schengen Visas?

Schengenvisa is a special kind of visa which gives you access to travel freely without the immigration and border checks for a maximum period of 90 days in a period of 6 months to the Schengen countries. A treaty called the ‘Schengen Agreement’, was signed by 26 European countries that allow you to travel within the ‘Schengen Area’ on a single visa – the Schengen Visa. Schengen countries comprise of 26 European countries that includes: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Liechtenstein.

It is important to keep in mind that some countries, even though they are within the Schengen Area, or those that are part of the European Union, will require a separate visa. It is best to check well in advance whether the country you’re visiting accepts a Schengen Visa.

Here are the Types of Schengen Visa:

·                     Tourist Visa

Out the several types of visa available, the Schengen Tourist Visa is the most popular one. Most of the Schengen visas are short-term visas that applicants need to have to travel to countries in the Schengen Area of Europe.

·                     Business Visa

This type of Visa is issued when you plan to travel to the Schengen Area for commercial purpose. This short-term Schengen Business Visa allows you to travel and stay in the Schengen area to attend business meeting and conferences, as well as take part in commercial/industrial events, exhibitions, etc.

This Visa allows the Visa-holder to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 3 months and has a validity of around 90 days.

·                     Medical Visa

The Schengen medical visa for Europe allows the applicant to get medical and healthcare treatment within the Schengen Area. This is normally a short-term visa and is issued for the duration of the treatment.

This visa will require a letter from the medical institute/hospital where you are scheduled to undergo the medical treatment.

·                     Student Visa

With the Schengen Student Visa, the visa-holder can stay in the Schengen Area for pursuing higher education. This type of visa is issued to applicants on having their admission accepted by a renowned educational institute from within the Schengen Area.

·                     Work Visa

The Schengen Work Visa for Europe is a long-term visa. It is issued to skilled workers for the duration of their contract with the company operating within the Schengen Area.