Schengen

Schengen

The Schengen Visa is a visa that refers to the European Union's  passport-free zone covering most of the European countries. It’s the largest free travel area in the world.

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any member countries of the Schengen Area. Allowing per stay up to 90 days for tourism/business purposes.

The Schengen visa is the most common visa for Europe. It enables its holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any of the Schengen member countries. There are no border controls within the Schengen Zone.

However, if you are planning to study, work, or live in one of the Schengen countries for more than 90 days, then you must apply for a national visa of that European country and not a Schengen Visa.

The countries that come under the Schengen Visa list are 

Under the Uniform Schengen Visa, there are 2 categories of the Visa available:

1. Airport Transit Visa (“A” Category Visa)
2. Short-Term Visa(“C” Category Visa)

Airport Transit Visa (“A” Category Visa)

This visa is for those people who have to travel through the international zone of the Schengen country Airport without entering the Schengen Area. 

Airport transit visa is mandatory for the citizens travelling from one non-Schengen state to another non-Schengen state through a change of flights in a Schengen country airport.

Short-Term Visa(“C” Category Visa)

Short-term visa is for individuals who want to visit the Schengen Area for a certain but short period of time. Short Term visa entitles an applicant, to stay in a Schengen Country for an uninterrupted period that does not exceed 90 days in every 180 days period.

This particular category, according to the individuals purpose of the travel can be obtained in the form of a:

• Single-entry visa
• Double-entry visa and
• Multiple-entry visa

Single-entry visa

A single-entry visa allows the person to enter the Schengen Area only once, within the given period of time, as mentioned in the visa  affixed to their passport. Once the visa holder exits the Schengen territory, he or she can no longer go back, even if they have not spent the number of days as permitted by the embassy that issued them the visa.

Double-entry visa

A double-entry visa applies the same way as the single-entry visa. The difference between a single-entry and a double-entry visa is that the second gives you the chance to go back once more to the Schengen territory once you have left it.

With this visa, when you leave the Schengen Area for the second time, you cannot  go back, even if you have not spent all of the days you were given the visa for. However, if you have obtained a double-entry visa more than once, and you are a frequent traveler to the Schengen zone, you are more likely to be granted a multiple-entry visa.

Multiple-entry visa

A multiple-entry visa allows its holder to go in and out of the Schengen Area as many times as they want, as long as they do not violate the 90 day stay rule.

Based on how frequently you travel to Schengen zone, you may apply and obtain one of the following multiple-entry visa types:

• 1 year multiple-entry visa
• 3 year multiple-entry visa
• 5 year multiple-entry visa

Schengen Visa Types (According To Purpose Of Travel)

When an applicant fills the Schengen Visa application form, they will also have to select a purpose for applying to enter the Schengen territory. Below are the purposes and an explanation on what each of them stands for:

1. Airport Transit – this purpose of entry is for people who need to travel through the international zone of a Schengen Country Airport without entering the Schengen Country. 
2. Transit – which is very similar to the previously explained purpose of travel.  Mostly foreign seafarers, who only need to stop for very short periods by the seaport of one of the member states, check this purpose of travel in their application form.
3. Tourism – one of the most famous purposes for traveling to the Schengen Zone. People who are planning to visit any of the countries in this territory for sightseeing and experiencing their culture, architecture, foods and much more, should select this purpose of traveling in their application form.
4. Visiting Family or Friends – people who have family members or friends legally residing in the Schengen area, can apply for this visa, if they wish to visit them. There are some special requirements for this visa that the applicant must fulfill in order for the application to be successful, as i.e. a letter of invitation.
5. Business – a lot of people travel often to and from the Schengen countries for business purposes. The perks of applying for such a visa are many, as i.e. being able to get a quicker appointment during the peak season of visa applications when there is a high number of people applying.
6. Official Visit – if you are traveling to the Schengen Area on an official duty then this purpose applies to you.  You will have to check this visa purpose even if you are traveling together with a large delegation with identical travel dates and official purpose.
7. Medical reasons – If you are traveling to any of the member states of the Schengen territory to seek medical treatment, you should select ‘medical reasons’ in your application form. This visa enables patients to get the medical care they need at any medical clinic or hospital for a period of three months within 180 days.
8. Study Purposes – students that wish to attend any type of educational institutions, as university courses, language courses and other, for a period shorter than three months, can apply for a Schengen study visa. Those who need to take an entrance exam for school or university in the Schengen Area, are also eligible under this category.
9. Cultural, Sports and Film Crews – a visa  for people who wish to travel to Europe for the purpose of attending a Cultural / Sports / Religious Event and Film Crew. The applicant should be part of the event, as i.e. a performer at a concert, or a writer presenting their book at a book fair, etc. 

For more information regarding Schengen Visas, please contact us on +91-11 4132 5201 / 4132 5202 or email us at info@starglobalalliance.com