You need a Schengen visa to visit one or more European countries. A single Schengen visa allows individuals to travel freely within the 27 Schengen area countries. To the uninitiated, the Schengen area refers to an intergovernmental project to allow free travel between participating countries. There are four basic Schengen visa types A, B, C, and D. Depending on the duration of stay and purpose of visit, you will be allotted a relevant visa. Vaigai Wings Schengen visa agents in Chennai list out the things to know when applying for one.
Types of Schengen Visas
As earlier said, there are four main categories of Schengen visa A, B, C, and D. Type A is a transit visa provided to people travelling from non-Schengen countries to another non-Schengen country and having a connecting flight in a Schengen country.
A Type B visa is issued for travel lasting less than five days, but is now replaced with a Type C visa with the condition ‘transit’. There are different types of Type C visas, depending on the purpose of your trip. This includes single-entry visas, double-entry visas, and multiple-entry visas. Type D visa is for people looking to study, work, or live in a Schengen country for more than 90 days but up to a year.
As for multiple-entry visas, they can be availed for one year, three years, and five years.
Applying for A Schengen Visa
If you are travelling from India, you’ll need to apply for a Schengen visa to the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country where you are travelling first or planning to spend most of your trip. If you aren’t sure where to apply, call our visa agents in Chennai for assistance.
The application must be made at least 15 days before travel but you cannot apply earlier than 6 months before the start of the trip. Also, you need to make an appointment with the designated embassy before making the application. Our visa consultants in Chennai suggest applying for a Schengen visa around 30 to 60 days before your intended trip, or even earlier if you are planning to visit Europe during peak season.
Documents Needed for Visa Application
You need a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity until it expires. If you have an older passport, ensure that the passport has at least 2 blank pages to affix the visa.
You’ll need recently taken passport-size photos along with a fully completed application form and proof that you have paid the visa application fee of 80 Euros (40 Euros for children aged 6 to 12).
You must also submit the complete trip itinerary along with round trip tickets along with information about the dates, and flight numbers.
Details of the accommodation are a must. The authorities will ask for hotel reservation confirmation if you are staying at a hotel. And if you are staying with a friend or family, you must submit proof of accommodation.
You must also submit proof of financial means. This includes a bank account statement not older than 3 months, a sponsorship letter from another person offering to financially support your trip, and the sponsor’s bank statement.
In addition, the consulate office may ask for additional proof if they deem fit. This could include proof of employment, no objection letter from the employer, school, or university, etc.
For more information about Schengen visas contact our travel agency in Chennai, including first port of entry rules, reading Schengen sticker and number, renewing visa, tracking visa status, etc., consult our Schengen visa agents in Chennai. We’ll be happy to help.