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Schengen Visa

Schengen Visa Types and Requirements

Schengen is a Schengen visa?

The Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows the holder to travel in the Schengen area. This visa holder is allowed free movement within the Schengen area member countries and “European Free Trade Association” EFTA Schengen members, up to the limit of his eligibility and duration. There are specific embassies/consulates in each Schengen country in Europe that impose different travel restrictions on Schengen visas depending on the case.

EFTA has four members state included Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

Which countries are included in the Schengen area?

Schengen area is an area that includes 26 European countries and there is no border control between them (the border control may be imposed sometimes depending upon the situations such as during any serious security of Pandemic issues). These countries are 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.

Types of Schengen Visa

There are two types of main Schengen visas. One is for a short time period for example for 90 days. This is called a short term “c” type Schengen visa (you cannot stay more than 90 days during 180 days in a row in a Schengen country on this visa even if the validity of the visa is of 5 years at maximum). On the other hand, long term visa for a stay longer than 90 days in a Schengen state is called a long-term Schengen visa “D” type (You can stay on regular basis without having to leave the Schengen zone).

1- USV Uniform Schengen Visas (C type Short term Schengen visa for 90 days)

The Uniform Schengen visa holder is allowed to travel in 26 courtiers as mentioned above. A Uniform Schengen visa requires permission for a Schengen country member to move to the desired area. The Uniform Schengen visa applies to both  “A” and “C” categories, depending on the purpose of the Schengen visa trip.

  • “A” category means airport Transit Visa. Airport Transit Visa is allowed to travel in the international zone of Schengen country airport without entering the Schengen area. “A” category visas are required for citizens traveling from one non-Schengen state to another by changing flights at Schengen country’s airports.
  • The “C” category is a short-term visa. Short-term visa holders are required to live in the Schengen area for a specified period, depending on the visa validity. Short-term visa holders are given a visa choice according to their traveling purpose. They can get a visa in form of the following:

Single entry visa: As the name suggests, this visa holder is allowed to enter the Schengen area once only and it is also written on the visa sticker of his passport. If the visa holder leaves the Schengen area, he or she cannot return, even if they have not been issued a visa there as per the permission of the embassy. You are allowed to visit is close to the “legal” tag on your visa sticker, while your stay is close to the “number of entries” tag.

Double-entry visa: In a Double-entry visa, when you leave the Schengen area for the second time, you will not have the right to return, even if you have not been allowed to stay there all day. However, if you have obtained a double entry visa more than once, and you are a frequent Schengen zone traveler, you are more likely to receive multiple entry visas. In a double-entry visa, you are given the opportunity to return to the Schengen area after leaving, except that all other procedures are the same, such as a single entry visa. The important thing is not to exceed the days that allow you to live in the Schengen zone, as well as the time that you can spend in the EU these days.

Multiple-entry visa: Multiple entry visa allows its holder to move outside the Schengen area as many times as desired. The important thing in a multiple-entry visa is the 90/180 rule. This visa allows its holder to move out of the Schengen area as many times as he wants unless he breaks the law. The multiple entry visa is further divided into 3 types:

1-year multiple-entry Schengen visa: Multiple 1-year entry visas give you the right to enter the Schengen zone as many times as you like, but one thing to keep in mind is that this right will last as long as you do not stay more than 90 days. When you apply for this visa, you must provide proof that you have made your previous visas and trips to the Schengen zone. If you have legally obtained three visas in the last two years and have used this visa in accordance with the law, you can easily obtain this visa.

3-year multiple-entry Schengen visa: The 3-year multiple-entry Schengen visa allows the visa holder to enter the Schengen area as many times as possible within a three-year period, provided the visa holder is not allowed to stay in the EU for more than 90 days in a 180-day period. Only those who have obtained and used it legally previous multiple entry visa for one year in the last two years are eligible for this visa.

5-year multiple-entry Schengen visa: The visa is for those who have legally obtained and used the last multiple entry visa for at least two years in the last three years is eligible for a 5-year multiple-entry Schengen visa unless you violate the 90/180-day rule. This visa allows you to enter 26 European countries in five years, at your discretion.

Limited territorial validity visas (LTV)

This visa issued in rare cases such as humanitarian reasons or under international obligation as an exception to the common USV system and in some emergency cases. Limited territorial validity visas deal with case accordance. In one case the visa holder can travel only to the Schengen State that has issued the visa, number two case is the same with the addition of travel to certain Schengen states mentioned at the time of visa application, and apart from that countries are all other Schengen states are ban. The movement is not allowed in any other Schengen country that is not the first and final destination target of the visa holder.

 

Purposes for which a short term Schengen visa be applied

Study purposes

The students who need to take an entrance exam in any educational institute in the Schengen Area should ticket this visa purpose. Those who want to attend any school or university courses, language and other short courses within ninety days of the period will be given this visa.

Medical reasons

In this category, the visa is provided to the patients who need medical care in any hospital or medical clinic in one of the Schengen member states for a time of 12 weeks within 180 days. The patient will tick the option (medical reason) in the application form to get this kind of temporary visa.

Official visit

First of all the applicant will tick the “official visit ”option in the application form then he has to show his designation and nature of his duty for the official visit.

Business

The applicant will tick the “Business ”option in the application form. A large number of businessmen travel to Schengen countries for business purposes, mostly it consists of a quick appointment.

Visiting family and friends

This type of visa is for those who want to visit their friends and family in the Schengen Area. For this visa, the host will be a legal resident of a Schengen member country, and he will send an invitation letter to the guest. This visa will be granted if all necessities are fulfill given in the application form regarding the visiting family and friend category.

Tourism

This is the most entertaining category of the Schengen visa and probably one of the most using options for traveling to Schengen countries. Tourists enjoy the culture, food, and natural beauty of the Schengen countries. The applicant has to tick the “Tourism ”option for a tourism visa

Airport Transit

This option is for those who travel through the international zone of a Schengen Country Airport without using the Schengen Country. Schengen states granted this visa to fewer countries, therefore You will not need a visa to travel through some countries, depending on your nationality you may need others.

Transit

This visa is similar to an airport transit visa. Many seafarers, who need to stay for a short time on one of the member state port will use this visa. They can get this visa to tick on the “Transit” option on the application.

Sports, Cultural and Film crews

This type of visa is for people who are from outside of the Schengen area and want to attend religious, Sports, or Cultural events and film crews. The candidate should be a participant in the event, not just an audience.

Others

If you do not find your desired visa category in the application form, you will select the “others” option and write a one-line description of the reason for your journey.

What is 90/180 rule?

You can stay in the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180 days period. Calculated individually for each of these states. For example, after staying in the Schengen area for 90 days, one can immediately go to Croatia and stay there for another 90 days. 180 days reference period is not fixed.

Citizens of countries whose Schengen visa-free entry is allowed. Most people think that the 180-day period starts from the day your visa is validated, which is not true.
In fact, it lasts for 180 days. So, whenever you want to enter Schengen, you have to count back the last 180 days, and see if you’ve been in Schengen for more than 90 days at a time.

Difference between Visa Validity and Duration of Stay

The embassy decides the visa period. In addition to the multiple entry visa, which enables you to stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days over a period of 180 days. The verification of your single entry visa or double entry visa depends on the embassy. The embassy identifies the days you are allowed to stay in any of the Schengen countries, as well as the first date you enter Schengen, and the last day you are allowed to stay. There is always a difference between the visa validity and the number of days allowed at maximum during a single trip.

Visa Validity: This is the period from which you can use your visa to enter and stay in the Schengen area.

Duration of stay: This is the number of maximum days you are allowed to stay in Schengen for a maximum of days. The first day you enter Schengen is counted as “Day 1”, even if you enter just minutes before midnight. However, the “last day” counts as the day you leave Schengen, even if it is just a few minutes after midnight.

Schengen Visa Extention

Here are some reasons the Schengen visa holder wants to extend his visa: whether he is a traveler looking for more European experience, a business person who has to do some unexpected business after his visa expires, or if a patient wishes to receive medical treatment in one or more Schengen member states who need to continue his treatment. He will not be allowed to stay in Europe after his Schengen visa expires until he gets it extended. The European Parliament and Council (EC) No. 810/2009 authorized the extension of the Short Stay Schengen visa by establishing a community code on the visa of 13 July 2009 (Journal of EU Laws of 2009 L243 / 1). However, if you do not have a compelling reason to base your application, you will have little chance of getting an extension.

Following are the reasons to extend a Schengen short-stay visa under the Schengen visa policy:

  • Humanitarian Reasons
  • Late Entry
  • Force Majeure
  • Important Personal Reasons

 

2- National Visas (D type Long term Schengen visa)

The long term residence permit of Schengen countries is issued to the students, workers, and permanent residents in one of the Schengen states.  This usually called a national visa of the “D” category for a certain purpose. National visas can be two types, single entry or multiple entries.

Types of long term Schengen visas

Single entry long term visa: This is a type of single entry visa that is granted temporarily to those deserving individuals who need residence in one of the Schengen countries for a certain period of need.

Multiple entry long term visa: This is for those individuals who want to move freely in all Schengen countries without any additional visa documents. This is the most awarded visa in general.

Multiple entry visas can be granted to an individual who falls under one of the following conditions:

  • One year visa granted through an International student program.
  • Medical emergency case.
  • For professionals such as players for their matches, artists for their unique art, and experts who can serve the country through their expertise.
  • A professional student who has to travel to other Schengen countries for completion of his course.
  • Researchers who have to travel in one of the Schengen countries for their course-related search.