Travelers who decide to make their Europe trip come true, usually discover that 1) they need a Schengen Visa, and 2) there are different Schengen Visa Types available. So not only do travelers have to find out How to apply for a Schengen Visa, but now they also have to find out which of the Schengen Visa Types is the right one for their type of travel.
Going through the immense amount of information on the internet about the Schengen Visa, the Schengen visa application process and the Schengen Visa Types can seem like an impossible task. There are so many documents, attachments, forms, supporting documents and EXTRA supporting documents (!), that many feel like their Europe trip will never happen, and some even give up before they started.
Many of the Schengen Visa information websites give too much information, or present it in an unorganized way that is difficult to understand. At Schengen visa flight reservation we spend hours and hours every day researching the different visa requirements for all the Schengen countries – and all other countries – and we know exactly how confusing it can be.
In today’s article we are focusing on presenting the different Schengen Visa Types in a simple, straightforward way so that your visa process will be as easy as possible. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will help you right away. Our customer service is available 24/7 on e-mail and WhatsApp, and we also offer FREE (yes, free!) visa consultations via WhatsApp. We have specialized in visa applications, travel insurance, flight bookings and hotel bookings for all visa applications to all countries, and we continue to develop our services to help travelers everywhere.
The Three Schengen Visa Types:
In short there are 3 different Schengen Visa Types for general tourism. It’s very important that you note this, because if you are going to a Schengen member state (or several) there are different Schengen visa types for these purposes, like business visa, transit visa or long stay visa. This article will only focus on the three different types of “short stay visa” (visa type C).
The three main tourist Schengen visa types are:
- Single-entry Schengen visa
- Double-entry Schengen visa
- Multiple-entry Schengen visa
To better understand the different Schengen visa types and to find out which one is right for you, please read our in-depth description of each of them below.
SINGLE-ENTRY SCHENGEN VISA:
The single-entry Schengen visa is exactly what the name implies; it gives you the right to enter whichever Schengen country you submitted your visa application to ONCE. For example, if you submitted your Schengen visa application to the French embassy of your country, you will be granted entry to France. This means that once you enter France, you cannot leave again without your visa being cancelled. Once you leave the Schengen country, you have to apply for another Schengen visa.
DOUBLE-ENTRY SCHENGEN VISA:
The double-entry Schengen visa, on the other hand, is one of the two Schengen visa types that gives you the right to enter a Schengen country twice. It is still not the same as a multiple-entry Schengen visa type, and the double-entry will only give you access to one specific Schengen country.
However, contrary to the single-entry Schengen visa, the double-entry Schengen visa will allow you leave the Schengen country you have been granted access to once, and come back again. Note that double entry means that you can only enter TWO TIMES.
MULTIPLE-ENTRY SCHENGEN VISA:
The multiple-entry Schengen visa is one of the Schengen visa types that in our opinion is the best option for anyone who is not quite sure of what they want to see in Europe. This visa will not only give you access to ALL the Schengen member countries, but it also gives you the right to enter and leave all the Schengen member countries as many times as you want, as long as it’s within a 90 day period. If you leave the Schengen Area and go to a non-Schengen country, you must remember that your Schengen visa will expire after a total of 180 days. Please read our detailed post on the Tourist Schengen visa for more information on Schengen visa validity and rules.
The multiple-entry Schengen visa is usually the best option of the Schengen visa types because it gives you the most flexibility out of all the visas, both when it comes to which countries you can travel to, and when and how. When you apply for a multiple entry visa, it is mandatory to add both flight bookings, hotel reservations, and a full travel itinerary outlining your planned Europe trip.
This may sound like a paradox if you are applying for a multiple-entry Schengen visa for the purpose of flexibility, and you have to book everything in advance?
That’s where Schengen visa flight reservation comes in handy. Through our simple 4 step process, that’s now been made even easier, you can quickly and easily purchase authentic flight and hotel bookings for your visa application for a low fee. We handle all the work of booking and cancelling, and all you need to do is submit the bookings with your visa application!
We also recommend Visitor’s Coverage as provider of great Schengen travel insurance that will meet all the requirements of a Schengen Visa Application.
To start figuring out which of the Schengen visa types that is right for you, the first thing you need to think about is “What kind of trip am I going on?”
You need to ask yourself two main questions:
- Am I visiting one or more Schengen member countries?
- If I’m visiting only one country, am I staying there the entire time, or will I leave the Schengen country and come back again?
Once you have answered these questions, just pick the right application form, and apply! Leave us a comment below and let us know which Schengen visa type you ended up choosing for. We’d also love to hear how your Europe trip was!