GUIDE TO PROCESSING SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA

If you’re planning to visit a European Country, one of the most important things you need to know is what kind of Visa you’ll need in order to enter the country without any hassle.

Most of the European countries require a Schengen Visa for successful entry.

A Schengen Visa is the document issued by the appropriate authorities to the interested party for visiting/travelling to and within the Schengen Area. Some countries/nationalities however do not require a Schengen Visa to enter a country within the Schengen Area. Nonetheless, it is still important to double check with that country’s consulate before your travel to ensure your entry.

The Schengen Area is comprised of 26 countries that have agreed to allow free movement of their citizens within this area as a single country. Of the 26 countries bound by the Schengen agreement, 22 are part of the EU and the other 4 are part of the EFTA.

Schengen area covers the majority of European countries, except for the United Kingdom and countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Ireland soon to be part of the agreement. However, there are countries that are not part of the EU like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein yet do belong in the Schengen area and cherish the free movement policy.

I’m a Filipino holding a regular Philippine passport, hence I require a Schengen Visa in order to travel/enter any of the Schengen States/area.

So, how does one apply for a Schengen Visa?

  1. Decide where you want to go! Once you have decided, it’s time to prepare your itinerary.
  2. Start your visa application by visiting the website of the country you’ll be travelling to. Most of them, have all the information you’ll need including the complete documents you’ll need to present.
  3. Some countries, you will need to submit your application online, while some requires personal appearance.
  4. Follow the step by step guide provided on the website. However, if the country don’t have a website, better call the consulate/embassy nearest you.

If you’re from the UAE, here’s a step by step guide to help you in applying for your Schengen visa:

  1. In the UAE, there are a couple of agencies that collects all documentary requirements for visa application. Once you have finalized which country you want to visit, check with that country’s consulate if you need to submit your visa application through a particular agency or directly to the consulate/embassy.
  2. If you intend to visit multiple countries, you may need to apply for visa from the country you’ll be spending the most time at, or where you will first enter from.
  3. Schedule your appointment – setting an appointment can either be done online or by personal appearance. Again, it is crucial to check first with the consulate. It is also important to allow at least 1.5 months before your intended departure date. Average processing time will take about 10-12 days.
  4. Prepare your supporting documents – Original and copy of your passport, Employment/Resident visa, passpot sized photos, Travel Insurance, NOC from your sponsor, Bank statements, Flight and hotel reservations. Your visa and passport should be valid for at least 3 months after return from the Schengen States.
  5. Submit your complete documents on the date and time of your appointment
  6. Wait for your visa stamp. As I’ve said, average processing time is 10-12 days. You can pay for extra fee so you will get updated through an SMS once your visa has arrived. You may either have to collect it from the agency where you applied the visa from or you may receive it on your doorstep, if you paid for the courier fee.

 

For all Filipinos based in Dubai, here’s an article I wrote for a step-by-step guide to applying for  Schengen visa to Iceland.

 

Note:

Please note that the above information are only for the purpose of knowing the basic process in applying for visa and not a guaranteed approach of obtaining an approved visa.

Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/