Europe has always been a dream destination for many Indians, and they are mostly showing interest in schengen visa by getting influenced by the location of Europe.
Schengen visa allows you to travel around all schengen countries. You can stay in schengen countries for up to 90 days within a 180 day period.
Eligibility Criteria:
You must fulfil the criteria to get visa of any Schengen countries.
You must be the citizen of any Non-European country.
The purpose of your visit and the time period should be properly justified.
You must have a passport valid for at least three months after visa application date.
You must provide bank statement.
According to the type of visa issued by the certain embassy there are different restrictions that apply to the particular visa.
Basically there are 3 types of Schengen Visas
1. Uniform Schengen Visas (USV),
2. Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV),
3. National Visas.
Let's have a brief discussion about all these types:
1. Uniform Schengen Visas (USV):
The Uniform Schengen Visa stands to grant a permit of one of the Schengen country to transit in the desired territory for a certain time period. In this visa applicant can stay up to maximum of 90 days from every six month period starting from the date of the entry.
Holder of a Uniform Schengen Visa can travel in es: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
According to the purpose of travelling Uniform Schengen Visa applies for 2 categories: 'A' and 'C'.
- 'A' category stands for Airport Transit Visa, which allows the applicant to travel through the international zone of the schengen country airport without entering any Schengen area.
- 'C' category stands for a short term visa which allows the applicant to transit in a Schengen area for a certain period of time (Depending on the visa validity).
The particular 'C' category, according to the applicant's purpose of travel can be obtained in a form of:
- Single-entry visa,
- Double-entry visa,
- Multiple-entry visa.
- Single-entry visa:
A single entry visa allows the applicant to enter the Schenge area only once, with in the given time period. Once the applicant exits the visited country, he or she is no longer to go back to the country.
- Double-entry visa:
A double entry visa applies the same way as the single visa (explained above). The simple difference is that this visa sticker gives you the second chance to visit the same country, once you have left it.
- Multiple-entry visa:
A multiple-entry visa holder can go in and out the schengen countries as many time as as he or she wants.
And based on how frequently you travel to schengen zone, you can apply for one of the following multiple-entry visa types:
-- 1 year multiple-entry visa:
You can get this visa if you have obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years. This visa allows you to enter the schengen zone as many time you want, as long as you do not remain more than 90 days within this period.
-- 3 year multiple-entry visa:
You can get this visa if you have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple entry visa valid for one year within the previous two years. This visa allows you to enter the schengen zone as many time you want within the period of 3 years, as long as you do not remain more than 90 days within this period.
-- 5 year multiple-entry visa:
You can get this visa if you have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple entry visa valid for two years within the previous three years. This visa allows you to enter the 26 countries as many time you want within the period of 5 years, as long as you do not remain more than 90 days within this period.
2. Limited Territorial Visas (LTV):
This type of visa allows you to travel only in Schengen state, that has issued the visas. The holder of this type of visas can not enter in any schengen countries. his type of visa is issued in very peculiar cases such as a humanitarian reason or under international obligation as an exception to the common USV system.
3. National Visas:
The national visa of 'D' category is granted to individuals who want to apply for studies, work permit or for permanent residency in one of the schengen countries. These visa can be of a single entry.
In order to get a multi entry national visa, you must fulfil the certain criteria:
An international student program will grant a visa for more than one year.
A pedagogical work at a higher institution in any of the schengen countries, regarding the person and its close family members.
In case of any emergency that prevents the individual leave the schengen area at the designated time period.
Schengen Visa Extension:
Schengen visa extensions are permitted by the regulations of the European Parliament. If you do not have a strong reason as the basis of your application you will have very low chance to get the extension.
According to the Schengen visa policy, acceptable reasons to extend the visa are as below,
Late Entry
Humanitarian Reasons
Force Majeure
Important Personal Reasons.
