The Schengen Area is the term used for a zone or area in Europe in which 27 nations of Europe have removed internal borders to allow for the unrestricted movement of people. The “Schengen Agreement,” which ten members signed on the 7th of July, 1985. This treaty established the Schengen Area in Europe. All internal border checks have effectively been abolished.
Types Of Schengen Visas
What is a Schengen Visa?
A Schengen visa is a temporary visa that permits its holder to travel freely throughout the Schengen area. There are no border restrictions among the 27 countries that make up the Schengen Area (“Schengen States”).
Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden are among these countries.
Countries Not In The Schengen Area
Previously, Croatia was not part of the Schengen Area until January 2023 when they signed the Schengen agreement. The European countries that are not part of the Schengen zone include:
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Ireland
Moldova
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Turkey
United Kingdom
Restrictions of a Schengen Visa
You are not allowed to work while on a Schengen visa for another reason. You can still work in the Schengen Area if you have a National (D) Visa for employment reasons issued by one of the Schengen Zone’s 27 European countries.
You cannot study on a typical Schengen visa either, and you will need to apply for a student Schengen visa.
A Schengen Visa only permits travel for short stays of up to 90 days, if you cannot evidence the fact you will return to your home country within 90 days of arriving in the Schengen area then you will not be accepted when submitting your Schengen visa application at the Embassy.
Types of Schengen Visa
The “A” category refers to the Airport Transit Visa, which permits its holder to travel through the Schengen airport’s international zone without entering the Schengen Area. Citizens traveling from one non-Schengen area to another non-Schengen area via a change of planes in a Schengen country airport must get an airport transit visa.
The “C” category refers to a short-term visa that allows its holder to stay in the Schengen Area for a set amount of time, depending on the validity of the visa. This category can be obtained as a single-entry visa, a double-entry visa, or a multiple-entry visa, depending on the holder’s travel purpose.
What can you do with a Schengen Visa?
A Schengen visa obtained from any Schengen Area member country entitles the holder to free travel across the Schengen Zone, including among European Union Schengen members and EFTA Schengen members, subject to the validity and length constraints of the visa. You may travel for transit reasons, tourism, family & friends, and cultural events.
Various restrictions apply to each visa depending on the type of visa issued by a specific embassy/consulate, as well as the nature of the trip and other relevant factors.
For detailed information on specific parts of the Schengen visa process, you can refer to the links below to find the answer to your query. If you are unable to find any particular information, please contact us via email.
Schengen Visa Countries
If you are a third-country national, you will need a visa to enter any country in the Schengen Area. Short-stay Schengen C-visas permit stays of up to 90 days. While a national D-visa/residence permit is for more extended stays in the country.
What types of Schengen visas are there, and what is right for me?
The Uniform Schengen Visa is a visa issued by one of the Schengen Area Member Countries to transit or remain in the targeted region for a period of up to 90 days every six months, beginning on the date of entrance.
The Uniform Schengen Visa applies to all of the two categories, “A” and “C,” depending on the purpose of travel.
The “A” category refers to the Airport Transit Visa, which permits its holder to travel through the Schengen country airport’s international zone without entering the Schengen Area. Citizens travelling from one non-Schengen country to another non-Schengen country via a change of planes in a Schengen country airport must get an airport transit visa.
The “C” category refers to a short-term visa that allows its holder to stay in the Schengen Area for a set amount of time, depending on the validity of the visa. This category can be obtained as a single-entry visa, a double-entry visa, or a multiple-entry visa, depending on the holder’s travel purpose.
People Also Asked...
There are 27 Schengen states in Europe. You can see the full list of countries in the Schengen zone above.
If you are granted a Schengen visa, in most cases it will be valid for travel to the entire Schengen area. You should review your visa sticker to ensure you are aware of the validity period and number of entries you have been granted.
This depends on a number of things such as whether or not you have had a Schengen visa in the past or how many countries you intend to visit. Generally you first Schengen visa will be issued for the duration of your stay.
You can expect an update on your application within 3 days of submission. You can choose express processing at checkout for a response within 24 hours.
Once you attend your appointment, your visa can take up to 15 working days to be processed by the Embassy.