If you are wondering what the scope of the Schengen Visa is, then you don’t need to wonder any longer because this article delves deeper on everything you need to know about Schengen Visa.
One of the most visited continents in the world is Europe. At present, there are 50 sovereign countries and several dependent territories that comprise the Europe continent.
Almost all of these countries can easily be accessed via train which makes travelling convenient and more affordable to tourists. To top it off, 26 of these sovereign countries, called the Schengen members, implement the same tourist visa which is known as the Schengen Visa. This means that tourists can go in and out of these 26 nations with just one stamp on the passport.
Everything You Need to Know About Schengen Visa:
This article encompasses all pertinent information about the Schengen visa and the area that implements it. After reading this article, you will get to know not only the visa application process but also the history and the scope of this one permit that you are hoping to have.
What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area is composed of 26 independent European countries, 22 of which are members of the European Union while 4 are members of the European Free Trade Association. All 26 countries are covered by the Schengen Agreement where citizens from all 26 countries may cross borders at any time and may even reside in any of the said territories. This commenced in the mid-1980s and was made even broader with the implementation of the Schengen Tourist Visa.
What countries belong to the Schengen Area?
Everything you need to know about Schengen visa must include the members of the Schengen area. Knowing the members of the Schengen Agreement will help tourists plan their itineraries and budgets. Here is the list of the countries that implement the same tourist visa:
- Austria (EU)
- Belgium (EU)
- Czech Republic (EU)
- Denmark (EU)
- Estonia (EU)
- Finland (EU)
- France (EU)
- Germany (EU)
- Greece (EU)
- Hungary (EU)
- Iceland (EFTA)
- Italy (EU)
- Latvia (EFTA)
- Lithuania (EU)
- Luxembourg (EFTA)
- Malta (EFTA)
- Netherlands (EU)
- Norway (EU)
- Poland (EU)
- Portugal (EU)
- Slovakia (EU)
- Slovenia (EU)
- Spain (EU)
- Sweden (EU)
- Switzerland (EU)
- Liechtenstein (EFTA)
What foreign passports need a Schengen visa?
While there are quite a number of countries with Schengen visa exemption agreements with the Schengen member countries, there are still a lot more foreign passport holders that are required to apply for a Schengen visa:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burma
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cote D’ Ivoire
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Northern Mariana’s
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Sri Lanka
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Kosova
What documents are needed to apply for a Schengen visa?
Once you understand everything you need to know about the Schengen visa, then you can have greater chances of getting an approved stamp on your passport. The requirements are quite easy to complete. Yes, it may take time but all requirements are easy to access and generate.
- Valid passport and copies of the front and back pages
- Current passport-sized photos with white background
- Completed Schengen Visa application form
- Proof of travel such as flight booking, travel itinerary, and hotel booking – You may get a Flight Booking for Visa and Hotel Reservation for Visa just for your visa application without having to pay for the airfare or hotel booking.
- Travel Insurance– It is better to acquire this from Schengen Travel Insurance, an affordable and reliable insurance company.
- Personal Coverage Letter
- Bank Documents
Which Schengen-member embassy do you apply from?
As much as all 26 member countries have authorized their embassies to process visa applications, you cannot just select the closest Schengen-member embassy to your area to get your short-stay visa. You can only apply for a Schengen visa from the embassy whose country you will travel in the longest. For example if you are planning to go to Italy, France, and Spain, you need to apply from the embassy where you plan to spend the most number of days.
Is a Schengen visa required for travellers with airport transfers to one of Schengen countries?
Yes, even if you will not enter the country and you will just spend hours in the airport, you still need to get a Schengen visa. The type of visa that you need is called the Airport Transit Visa or the A-visa.
How long can a tourist stay in the Schengen area with an approved visa?
It all depends on the number of days and the number of entries awarded to you by the embassy that processed your application. Some embassies rely on the itinerary given to them by the applicants to determine the allowed length of stay, especially for first-time applicants. For those who have already applied for a visa and have been granted one already, you may be given at least 30 days to go around the Schengen area.
Is there a visa application fee?
Yes, the fee may vary from country to country but the usual standard fee is €60 for both Airport Transit Visa and Short-stay Visa and €99 for Long-stay Visa.
Do I really need to book a flight and reserve a hotel just to get an approved visa?
Well this is quite tricky. The Schengen embassies actually discourage applicants to purchase tickets and pay hotel bookings prior to visa approval yet they require visa applicants to present a flight and hotel booking.
For more information on how to get a cheap flight itinerary and hotel booking, check out our Schengen Travel.
Everything You Need to Know about Schengen Visa:
Are you now ready to apply for a Schengen visa? Set an appointment with the Schengen member country where you plan to stay the longest and submit all your documents. Should you need further assistance in getting a visa or itinerary, contact us through our website or our WhatsApp (+1 201-554-8735).
Now, you do not need to fear the unknown because you have everything you need to know about Schengen Visa!
