Are you planning to visit the Schengen zone for your holidays or tourist purposes? You must go through several steps to get a visa to enter the target region.
For example, a Schengen visa application process may require you to submit certain documents to the embassy of the target country. Moreover, you must finish the steps of the visa application process to get your visa on time.
However, please note that the documents the embassy requires depend on various factors. For instance, this may include,
- The type of visa you need
- Your current civil status
- Your nationality
Moreover, besides the standard documents, you may also have to submit additional documents to the consulate during processing. Submitting these documents is important as the information previously submitted does not guarantee a visa.
What does this article offer?
Therefore, the following article will help you identify the entry requirements for a Schengen zone.
Other than that, you can also learn about the various types of Schengen visas. It will help you decide the purpose of your travel to the destination country. This is important because the document must be submitted to the embassy.
However, it is always advisable to visit the official website of the embassy of the target country to learn additional details.
Background Information about Schengen Countries
29 European countries are included in the Schengen area, except for Cyprus and Ireland. This region includes Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, and Italy.
Besides, the Schengen zone encompasses the following European countries as well.
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Liechtenstein
- Luxemburg
- Malta
- Norway
- The Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Which countries are the latest to join the Schengen zone?
Surprisingly, Bulgaria and Romania are the newest member states that joined the Schengen area in March 2024. Furthermore, this region allows almost four hundred million people to travel freely between these interconnected countries. This is because of the zero internal border checks.
Pros of having a Schengen visa
Therefore, you do not require a separate permit to enter a country if you can get a visa for any other Schengen state. For example, you can visit other European nations if you are visiting Poland with a Schengen visa. Additionally, if you have a Type C visa, you can stay for up to three months within 180 days.
Types of Schengen Visas
A Schengen visa can be further categorized into various types. These visa types represent the reason for your travel to the target Schengen country.
Therefore, you can choose among the following types of Schengen visas when visiting a European country.
Tourist visa
This visa allows you to visit any Schengen country for tourism or pleasure purposes. You can also visit a friend or a family member who has been a resident in any of the Schengen countries.
Moreover, you can stay in this area for the granted number of days. It is usually three months in six months. However, make sure that you do not get involved in any of the illegal activity.
Student visa
With a student visa in hand, you are allowed to study in a Schengen country. However, the school or university must issue a letter of enrollment before you fly out from your home country. Besides, you cannot enjoy the status of permanent residency with this visa.
Business visa
If you want to do business in a Schengen country, you must apply for a business visa. In addition, the embassy will state the restrictions on the visa in case you must avoid certain business activities.
Working visa
You can also stay and work in a specific Schengen country with a working visa. Besides, citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Switzerland can apply for this visa when entering the Schengen area. However, they are not required to have a visa to enter the Schengen zone.
Transit visa
A transit visa has two types:
- A type A visa is an airport transit visa. If you have this visa, you cannot leave the transit area at the airport.
- Alternatively, the Type B or transit visa allows you to travel the Schengen region for only five days en route to your non-Schengen destination country.
Short-stay visa
Type C is a short-stay visa that allows you to stay in the target country for at least 90 days. However, this can be further categorized into a single, double, or multiple entry visa.
Long-stay visa
A long-stay visa is also known as a Type D visa. You can use it for study, work, or stay purposes in the Schengen country. Moreover, with this visa, you can also enter the target country one or multiple times.
LTV visa
A limited territorial validity visa allows you to travel to only a specific country in the Schengen area. This will be written on your visa. Moreover, please note that the embassy may issue you this visa in case of humanitarian reasons.
Legal Documents Required for a Schengen Visa Application
When you apply for a Schengen visa application, the embassy may request you to submit various documents along with the form (as discussed earlier). Therefore, make sure to give yourself enough time to collect all the legal documents and arrange them in sequence. This will save you time and ace your visa application process.
You can submit the following documents:
- A visa application form that you must fill with the required information. Moreover, be sure to sign the form and put the date at the end.
- You also must provide your passport to the embassy. In addition, it must have two to three blank pages to stamp the visa.
- The embassy wants you to submit at least two to three recent passport-size pictures. They should be of high quality.
- Furthermore, it is important to reserve a flight on a plane to show that you intend to fly out of the country. For this purpose, you can submit proof of flight reservation.
Worried about where to get these documents? You can visit RFV Travels to complete your visa documents at the best price. They deal in providing verifiable visa and flight services to customers worldwide.
- You can also disclose where you will reside during your stay in the target country. Therefore, you can submit a hotel reservation, a rental contract, or an invitation letter from a host.
- Lastly, it is important to have travel insurance that must be valid for your entire trip in the Schengen country. It will be beneficial in case of unexpected medical costs. Moreover, it can manage up to 30,000 euros of expenses.
We hope this article will be of help to you if you are traveling to the Schengen zone for the first time.