Travelling to Europe was always your dream, and now it’s time to start putting your dream into action! Despite the fun in planning your trip, are you worried about how to apply for Schengen visa and get the visa approval? Well then, stop waiting on tenterhooks for your visa approval. All you need is some guidance on how to apply for Schengen visa and fulfil certain mandatory requirements — just read this article to know how to apply for Schengen visa, without having to take any burden. Once done, you’ll have your visa in hand for your long-awaited trip to your dream destination!
KNOW THE PURPOSE OF TRAVELLING ABROAD:
A Schengen visa is granted for a temporary stay in the Schengen area. In order to obtain a Schengen visa, you need to be very clear about the purpose of your visit. There are quite a few Schengen visa types that you can choose to match your purpose. The most common Schengen visa types are student visa, working visa, tourist visa and business visa. Knowing about the duration of your travel is also very important. Most of the visa types only allow you to stay in the Schengen country for a period of 3 months, although, job visa and student visa may allow you to stay for longer period. Once you choose the purpose, you can select the particular visa type that matches your purpose and proceed with the application.
COLLECT YOUR DOCUMENTS:
When you apply for Schengen visa, you need to have a set of mandatory as well as supporting documents with you. The mandatory requirements for all the visas are the same:-
- An application form duly signed after completion is the most important document that you need to submit when you apply for Schengen visa. It can be obtained from the respective Embassy’s website or from an authentic travel agency, such as Visa Reservation.
- Attach your original passport along with the application form. Ensure that you have at least 2 blank pages in the passport and that it is valid for at least 3 months after you return from the Schengen area.
- You need to have at least 2 Passport-sized photographs that are front facing with a decent, light background. You need to ensure that the photos are identical and also recently taken.
- When you apply for Schengen visa, it is mandatory to make arrangements for your stay beforehand. You need to provide the proof of your accommodation along with the application form. If you’re staying in a hotel, homestay or any paid accommodation, you need to provide the hotel reservation for visa application. In case, you’re staying with your friend or relative, you will have to provide the proof of sponsorship along with an invitation letter from the host residing in the Schengen area.
- It is always important to assure the embassy that you’ll return to your home country after the trip. For this, you can attach the flight tickets. If you think that it is not a good idea to reserve tickets even before obtaining the visa, you can also choose to provide a flight itinerary for visa application from your travel agents.
- When you’re in a foreign country, you need to be prepared for any emergency, such as an accident or illness. In the instance of any such emergencies, you need to have enough funds to handle the situations. So, it has been compulsory to provide the documents of your travel medical insurance covering a minimum of 30,000EUR. The insurance should also be valid in all the Schengen countries.
- Along with all these documents, remember to include a covering letter stating the purpose of your visit, important dates, places you plan to go and even details about the accommodation and transportation.
During the visa application process, the Embassy might request for certain additional documents too. You can know the list of additional requirements from the diplomatic office of the country you’re visiting. In most cases, the frequently-requested supporting documents include the proof of means of financial stability, marriage certificate in case you’re married, birth certificate, invitation letter from a host or a sponsor, the proof of your permanent address in your country, your ration card, identity card, and a leave permission, and a No Objection Letter from an employer (or school if you’re a student). Arranging these documents up front could make your visa application process quite faster.
APPLY FOR SCHENGEN VISA:
When you’ve completed documentation, you can pin all the requirements together and enclose them in an envelope. Make sure that your address and contact phone numbers are marked on the envelope. Though we recommend you to deliver the documents in person during the interview, you can also send them via post. Once you apply for Schengen visa by submitting all the documents at the Embassy, make payment for the visa fees and book an appointment for the interview. If the applicant is a minor, ensure that all the documents must be signed by either the parents or the guardian.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW YOU APPLY FOR SCHENGEN VISA:
It is good to know that the application, along with all the documents, needs to be submitted at the diplomatic office, embassy or consulate of the country you’re visiting first or the country where you’re staying the most. Before the interview, ensure that you have prepared well by revising all the documents that you have submitted. This is because the immigration officer would ask questions and match the documents with your answers. Once the visa application has been processed, you’ll be notified whether you’re approved or rejected through mail/email/SMS. You can also track your visa application status through your travel agency. The chances for your visa to be approved or delayed depends on whether you’ve fulfilled all the requirements satisfactorily. Your visa can be rejected if you provide fake proofs, incorrect details or fail to prove your eligibility to visit the particular country. In this case, you will get refusal letter listing all the reasons for the rejection. You can apply for a second time after rectifying the mistakes. It isn’t that tough to apply for Schengen visa. That said, everything depends on how prepared you are. If you’re worried about obtaining some of the important documents and reservations for your application, we’re here to help you out. We have a range of services that includes dummy flight reservation, getting an itinerary for visa, and hotel reservation for visa. So you just need to contact us on +1 (773)-234-2727 and choose your desired package — we’ll take it from there. With years of experience in providing visa services and a whole crew of friendly professionals, be assured that we’re there for you when you need help at any stage of your visa application process!
