Schengen Visa Application: Required Documents
Do you need a Schengen visa for your next trip to Europe? Here, we’ll help you get your Schengen visa application ready. How do you get a Schengen visa? Which documents do you need to provide? We answer all your questions here.
Reminder: What Is A Schengen Visa?
This article is about the short-stay Schengen visa (type C). This is different from long-stay visas (type D) and airport visas (type A). This type of visa is intended for citizens of countries that do not have a bilateral visa waiver agreement with the Schengen Area who wish to travel to one or more Schengen countries for tourism, business, family visits, short training courses or paid employment, for a maximum of 90 days.
Not sure whether you need a Schengen visa? Take a look at the list:
- of the Schengen Area Member Countries ;
- of the countries that require a Schengen visa.
How Do I Get a Schengen Visa?
Step 1. First, you need to determine with which country you need to apply for a Schengen visa. The rule is simple: if you plan to visit more than one country in the Schengen Area, you apply for a Schengen visa with the authorities of the first Schengen country you plan to visit.
Step 2. Please contact the consulate of the Schengen country you are visiting to apply for a Schengen visa. Are you visiting France? To apply for a Schengen visa, you need to fill out the Schengen visa form on the France-visas website. We will explain how to fill out the Schengen visa application form below.
Step 3. Get your documents ready for your Schengen visa. The list of documents required for your Schengen visa application will be sent to you once you have registered. To help you prepare for this step, we tell you more about the documents required for a short-stay Schengen visa (type C) at the end of this article.
Step 4. Submit your application to the consulate of the country where you will enter the Schengen Area, or to an official body authorised by the country. Your application must be submitted no earlier than 3 to 6 months and no later than 15 days before departure (depending on the type of Schengen visa requested).
Schengen Visa Application: Required Documents
Schengen visa requirements include:
- A passport valid for less than 10 years and at least 3 months from the date of departure. It must also have at least 2 blank pages.
- A completed and signed Schengen visa application form.
- The receipt for your Schengen visa application.
- A recent passport photo that resembles the applicant and complies with current standards.
- A letter explaining the purpose of the trip.
Depending on the reason for the trip and the applicant's situation, the following documents may also be required (non-exhaustive list):
- Proof of means of payment during your trip (cash, traveller's cheques, international bank cards, etc.).
- Proof of repatriation (return ticket, etc.).
- Insurance covering medical and hospital expenses with a minimum coverage of €30,000, valid in all Schengen countries.
- Proof of accommodation from an individual, hotel or establishment.
- Documents to prove the purpose of the trip and the conditions of stay (travel itinerary, plane ticket, etc.).
- A letter of reference from the employer.
- Bank statements for the last 6 months.
More Details to Help You Apply for A Schengen Visa
How To Fill Out A Schengen Visa Form
The Schengen Visa Application form is a requirement for your Schengen visa application, including if you are applying for a Schengen visa from the UK. This form is specific to each of the countries in the Schengen Area, but all require personal information and details on why and where you are planning to travel.
You must complete the Schengen visa form, print it out and sign it before adding it to your application.
Do I Need A Work Permit for my Schengen Visa Application?
In France, if you are working for less than or equal to 3 months, you must provide a work permit. However, professionals who travel to one or more Schengen countries for the following reasons are exempt from this requirement:
Sports, cultural, artistic or scientific events.
- Conferences, seminars and trade shows.
- Participating, as an artist or technical staff, in the production and/or distribution of cinematographic, photographic or audiovisual works or shows.
- Modeling and artistic posing.
- Personal services (domestic help) while in France on behalf of a private employer.
- Audits and expertise in IT, management, finance, insurance, architecture and engineering as a posted worker under contract.
- Teaching as a visiting professor.
Does A Schengen Visa Application by or on Behalf of a Minor Require Additional Documents?
Yes. A birth certificate must be included in the documents required for a minor's Schengen visa. The Schengen visa application form must also be signed by both parents or guardians. Finally, if the minor is travelling alone, a certified parental authorisation signed by both parents or guardian is also required. If only one of the parents has custody of the child, the relative court order must be included.
>Where to Get A Schengen Visa Extension Form
You must submit the request to extend your short-stay visa before it expires with the competent authorities of the Schengen Area country you are staying in. The services authorised to receive this type of request vary from one member state to another, including private agencies, police prefectures and immigration services. In France, you can apply for a Schengen visa extension through the online service, then you must take your supporting documents to the prefecture.
Reminder: Schengen France visa extensions are accepted only in certain exceptional cases, depending on the reason, and the extension may not allow you to stay for longer than 90 days. To find out more about Schengen visa extensions, see this article.