Lusting after a fun Euro Trip? Well, its not as arduous or upscale as you might think. The Schengen visa provision makes it significantly easy for visitors to travel within Europe for a brief duration of up to three months.
The Schengen Area encompasses twenty-six European countries namely – Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The member states have quashed the boundaries between them and operate as a single entity sharing a common visa policy. The EU states which aren’t a part of the Schengen agreement yet include – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland.
Before we jump into the visa application process, here’s a little fun fact regarding the etymology of the term “Schengen” – the Schengen visa is named after a little town that goes by the same name in Luxembourg because this is where the Schengen agreement had been signed back in 1985.
We’ve rounded up some important pointers that would help you to obtain a Schengen Visa:
- We’ve rounded up some important pointers that would help you to obtain a Schengen Visa:
- Always cross-check with your travel agent or embassy about the visa prerequisites to understand whether you meet the eligibility criteria. These requirements will vary based on your nationality.
- Read through your itinerary carefully and apply for a Schengen visa for the country you’ll be staying in for maximum duration. Don’t forget to file a separate visa application for any country in your itinerary that’s not part of the Schengen Area. If you intend to spend equal amounts of time in all the countries on your itinerary, apply with the consulate of the country you’ll first set foot in.
- Since Schengen visa typically takes about two weeks to process, its advisable to file your application at least fifteen days prior to your date of departure.
- In case you have kids traveling along with you, write a letter of consent and submit along with a separately filled visa application form.
- Applicants are required to file their applications in person. Make sure that you book your appointment in advance, have all the necessary documents, and prepare to dodge any question the interview officer throws at you.
Most commonly asked questions the visa interview:
- Name the countries you’re planning to visit on your trip to Europe.
- What’s the purpose of traveling to these countries?
- Where will you be put up?
- What do you do?
- Are you single or married?
- Who’s bearing your travel expenses?
- What’s your intended duration of stay?
Mandatory Documents:
Make sure that you’re in possession of the following documents –
- A recent passport-size photograph, showing your entire face clearly.
- A duly filled visa application form
- A copy of your round trip tickets
- Bank statement of the last six months
- A valid passport with two blank pages
- Schengen travel insurance covering medical expenses up to €30,000
- Proof of hotel reservation for your entire trip.
Visa fees:
- Tourist Visa (short-90 days) – roughly Rs 4,300
- Tourist Visa (long-more than 90 days) – roughly Rs 7,100
- Transit Visa – roughly 4,300 rupees
- For Children under age twelve and above six years – roughly Rs 2,500
Visa Services provided by Musafir