Congratulations, you finally got an approved travel visa and you want to know the details on your Schengen Visa. It is important for you to know all the information written on your visa so that you can create a proper travel itinerary at the same time check if what you have applied for is correct according to your travel plans.
Well if you are still wondering how to secure an approved Schengen visa, here are the requirements that Schengen member embassies ask for:
- 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
- For employed travellers, a No Objection Letter is highly recommended
Know the Details on Your Schengen Visa:
Before discussing the details on your visa, you should know that even if all Schengen member countries share the same visa, the layout of the visa printout of each member country may differ. Although most of the information are similar from a Spanish embassy approved visa from an Italian embassy approved visa, you just need to be careful when interpreting the details on your Schengen visa.
1. Your Picture:
You may recall submitting a white-background, colored photo when you submitted all your visa application requirements. Well this same photo will appear on your approved Schengen visa. This photo will be verified by an immigration officer of whichever Schengen country you are visiting before you enter the country.
2. Area of Validity:
As you know the details of your Schengen visa, you will notice the first written information on your visa at the topmost portion is the area of validity. This information will tell which countries or territories your visa will allow you to enter. Since you have applied for a Schengen visa, you will most probably find the words “Etats Schengen” or “Stati Schengen” which means Schengen States. Your Schengen visa allows you to enter any of the members of the Schengen area provided you stay within the period stated on your visa.
3. Start of Validity:
Just beneath the Area of Validity information is a date which tells you when the validity of your visa starts. You can see the English word “From” and then beside it is a printed numerical date. Take note that since the issuing nation is European, the numerical date is printed in this order – Day-Month-Year. It might be a minor detail but quite a number of travellers do become confused over this so please double check it.
4. End of Validity:
Across the start of validity date is the end of validity date. This information tells you when the final day of your visa is valid. You can see the English word “Until” and then beside it is also a printed numerical date. Again, please note that the date is printed in the order of Day-Month-Year.
5. Type of Visa:
Under the start of validity date of your visa, you can see the type of visa granted to you by the embassy. You can only find any of these three letters: A, C, or D. If the embassy put an A on under Type of Visa, this means that your visa is only valid for airport transfers. The A visas only allow travelers to layover inside the airport but do not allow travelers to enter the territory. If the embassy granted you a C visa, this means that you may enter any Schengen territory but for a short-term stay only. Finally, if the embassy granted you a D visa, this means that you may enter any Schengen territory and are allowed to stay long-term. Must read our written article on Schengen visa types – Which do i choose?
6. Number of Entries:
Just beside the Type of Visa is the Number of Entries section. From the title itself, this gives you the number of allowable entries you can make in any Schengen member country within the allowable days of your visa. If under this section your visa says “1,” then this means that you only have a single entry visa. If it says “2,” then you have a double entry visa. Lastly if it says “Mult,” then you have a multiple entry visa.
You may be wondering what these numbers or abbreviation mean? For the single entry visa, tourists are allowed to enter from any Schengen member country once. Tourists may move from one Schengen member country to the next but once a tourist exit the Schengen area, he or she will not be allowed re-entry. For example, a tourist enters in Amsterdam and then goes to Italy, then France, and then goes to England. Since England is a member of the Schengen area, this means that the tourist officially exited Schengen area in France and may not re-enter again.
For the “2” or double entry visa, tourists are allowed to enter twice. So if the above example tourist wishes to return to Amsterdam, he or she may do so.
Lastly for the “Mult” or multiple entry visa, the tourist may go in and out of the Schengen area but still within the allowable days on your visa.
7. Days:
Immediately beside the Number of Entries is the section labelled Days. This section will tell how many days you are physically allowed inside the Schengen area. What is the difference within Validity and Days? Validity is the range of months or even years of when your visa is active. Once you use your visa or enter the Schengen area, your number of allowed days will tell you the allowable length of stay. For example, your number of allowable days is “30,” then this means that if you enter the Schengen area on December 1, you need to leave on or before December 30 otherwise you will be overstaying.
8. Other Details:
The above-mentioned sections in your visa are the most important sections to know. The other details of your visa tell your personal information and where the visa is granted. Just double-check if your name is spelled correctly. The other sections are the following: Place of Issue, Date of Issue, Surname or Last Name, Given Name, Visa Number, and Remarks. Unless your visa is given with reservations or strict instructions, you will not see anything written under Remarks. Now that you know the details on your Schengen visa, you may now properly outline your itinerary and budget.
Know the Details on your Schengen Visa:
Plan your trip wisely as you get to know the information written on your visa. Should you have more queries about the visa application process, you may contact us through our website or Facebook page.
To remove any doubts, you better know the details on your Schengen visa!
