Understand the process of applying for a Schengen Visa

Posted date: 20 Jan 2021

Any person wishing to access the Schengen Region could be subject to a visa regime for whatever reason, depending on his or her nationality. The first thing you have to do if you've never been to Europe before is ask yourself, "Do I need a Schengen Area visa?" "At present, more than 60 countries worldwide are able to enter Europe's visa-free zone without first obtaining a visa and stay there for 90 days within a six-month span. Your freedom of movement in this region is bound by the application procedure for obtaining a European visa. Therefore, when lodging your Schengen visa application, you should be very vigilant.

If you need to apply for a visa to Europe, continue reading this post, which is the ultimate guideline for the process of applying for a Schengen visa.

1. Find out what sort of Schengen Visa you need

You may apply for one of the following types of Schengen visas, depending on the reason for which you need to access the Schengen region.

2. Find out where to apply

Depending on how the visa submission in your country of residence is governed by your destination country in Schengen, you may have to file your Schengen visa application.

3. Find the most appropriate time for the application

As the Schengen embassies / consulates need to process a Schengen visa worldwide, you have an appointed time during which you can apply for a visa.

4. Reserve an appointment

To continue with your application, book a Schengen Visa appointment. The majority of countries offer you the ability to book an online appointment. On the other hand, you would need to reserve the appointment in person in others, at the embassy or consulate of your destination country.

5. Complete the form for a visa application

Download the application form and complete it honestly and correctly. No matter which country of visa the applicant is applying for, the Schengen visa application form has the same format.

6. Gather the documents needed

A key part of your visa application is the necessary documentation. These documents are usually classified into two categories. The first category consists of the standard documents that are needed. The other category consists of particular visa requirements. These documents and their requirements vary between one form of visa and the other. Furthermore, some of the Schengen Member States have additional conditions of their own for visa applicants.

7. Attend the visa interview

On the day of your appointment, show up on time at the facility where you will be interviewed. There you will meet a visa consular to whom you need to hand the collected documents, as required. During the interview, you will be asked personal questions about your whereabouts, the intended trip and other travel details. Make sure your answers are firm and correct, and that they comply with the information in the application form and the other documents. The interview may last around 10-15 minutes.

8. Charge the premium for visas

When applying for a Schengen visa, you would need to pay a non-refundable administration fee in order for your visa application to be processed.

9. Wait for a reply on the application

Wait before an answer to your visa application is issued. Though it takes no more than 15 days for a visa to be approved in most cases, there are occasions when this procedure takes quite a lot longer. That duration can be extended from 15 to 45 days in certain countries with regard to certain people.

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GSP Admin