Schengen Visa

U.S. citizens who have a valid passport do not need to apply for a Schengen visa if they would like to visit Europe for tourism or business as long as their short-term stay is less than 90 days. However, U.S. permanent residents, or those with a U.S. green card) must apply for a Schengen visa if:

• You are a foreign passport holder from a country that has not established a visa-free regime with the European Union
• You are a foreign passport holder from a country that has established a visa-free regime with the European Union but was previously denied entry into Schengen countries

Those who hold dual citizenship can travel to the Schengen Area without a Schengen visa if one of their passports is from a country that has established a visa-free regime with the European Union.

If you need to apply for a Schengen visa, you should first determine which type of visa you will need for your travel. Those who are applying from the United States can choose from the following types of Schengen visas:

• Tourist Schengen visa (For the purposes of sightseeing and visiting Europe for pleasure)
• Airport Transit Schengen visa (This airport transit visa will allow entrance into the Schengen Area for the purposes of changing their means of transport but not entering the Schengen country, ex. Changing flights at an international airport)
• Transit Schengen visa (This visa is mostly for foreign seafarers who need to stop for very short periods of time at seaports of Schengen states)
• Business Schengen visa (for the purposes of doing business in the European Union)
• Visitor Schengen visa (if you would like to visit family members or friends who are legally residing in a Schengen country)
• Cultural Schengen visa (for those who would like to travel to Europe in order to facilitate or participate in work for a cultural, sports-related, or religious event. This visa is also available for film crews.)
• Official Visit Schengen Visa– (for the purposes of official duty)
• Medical treatment Schengen visa (For those traveling to a Schengen country for the purposes of seeking medical care)
• Study Purposes Schengen Visa – (For those looking to study at any educational institution for a period no longer than 90 days)

If you would like to apply for a Schengen visa from the United States, you will need to submit the following documents:

• Schengen Visa application form (You will be asked to print this form twice and sign both copies)
• A valid passport or valid travel document (Your passport must have been issued within the past 10 years, have 2 full blank pages, and is valid for three months after the date you leave Europe)
• Your US residence permit (green card or valid U.S. residence visa)
• 2 photos (these must be taken within the last 90 days and meet the Schengen visa requirements)
• A cover letter stating the reasons for travel, the countries that you will visit, the amount of time you plan to spend in each of them and any other details relevant to your trip
• Round-trip Flight Itinerary from the U.S. (If you are taking any other flights within Europe, you will also need to provide those as well)
• Proof of accommodation in Europe such as a hotel booking, a rental agreement, an invitation from your host family, etc)
• Evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself financially while in Europe (ex. Bank statements, letter of sponsorship, etc)
• Proof of purchase of Schengen Travel Health Insurance (you must purchase travel health insurance that covers the Schengen Area territory and has a minimum coverage of €30,000 and covers any medical emergencies or repatriation to the U.S. in case of death)

It should be noted that your U.S. residence permit or visa should be valid at least 90 days beyond the intended departure from the Schengen Area.

As part of the Schengen Visa application, you will need to submit additional employment-related documents. The type of documents that you will need to submit will depend on your employment status.

U.S. employees will need to submit:

• Employment contract
• Current bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Leave permission from the employer
• Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary

Those who are self-employed will need to submit:

• A copy of your business license
• Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

Foreign students who are on F1 visas will need to submit:

• A valid I-20
• Reference letter from the educational institution (school/college/university) stating that you are in good standing academically, what your major is and the expected date of your graduation.

Those who are retired will need to submit:

• A Pension statement from the last 6 months

If you are unemployed and married to a citizen from the European Union, you will need to submit:

• A recent (less than 90 days old) Confirmation of Employment letter from your spouse’s employer stating the position held within the company as well as the starting date
• Your Spouse’s valid passport
• An official marriage certificate

Children who are underage will need to submit:

• Original birth certificate
• Signed travel consent from both parents
• If one parent is not located in the United States then they should submit their signed consent to the Embassy/Consulate of their residing country

Applying for a Schengen visa from the U.S. is similar to any other visa application process in that you need to follow a series of steps to apply. These application steps are as follows:

1. Determine which type of Schengen visa you need. (ex. Single entry visa or multiple entry visa, tourism visa or business visa)
2. Determine where you need to apply for a Schengen visa in the U.S. In order to do this, you will need to apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the country whose jurisdiction you will fall under.
3. Fill out the Schengen Visa Application Form. This form is free and can be found online.
4. Decide when to apply for a Schengen visa. It is usually recommended that you apply at least 3 weeks prior to your trip.
5. Gather all of the required Schengen visa documents.
6. Book and attend an interview at the Schengen visa application center.
7. Pay the visa fee.

After the interview, you will usually receive a response within 15 days. If approved, you will receive your valid Schengen visa and will therefore be free to travel to Europe.

Where you apply for a Schengen visa will depend on a number of factors such as the purpose of your visit and the length of your visit in each Schengen country.

If you are visiting only one Schengen country then you will need to apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of that particular country.

If you are visiting more than one country then you will need to apply for a Schengen visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you will spend the most amount of time in.

If you are visiting multiple Schengen countries and spending an equal amount of time in each, then you will need to apply for a multiple entry visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you will first enter.

If you would like to travel to Europe and need a Schengen visa, then you will need to apply and make an appointment at least 15 days before your intended journey. This is the latest you can apply although it is recommended that you apply for a Schengen visa at least 3 weeks before your trip. If you would like to apply earlier, you can apply for a Schengen visa 3 months prior to your departure for Europe.

It usually takes about 10 days for your application to be processed. This may take longer if you apply during the peak summer season where embassies usually receive a lot of applications for Schengen visas and the waiting time for a response is closer to a month.

If you would like to apply for a Schengen visa, you will need to pay the necessary visa fees. The cost of the visa is relatively straight-forward and are as follows:

• Adults (older than 12 years old): $70
• Children (6-12 years old): $41
• Children under 6 years old: $0

People traveling for official purposes with a service or diplomatic passport are exempt from Schengen visa fees as well as family members of European Union or European Economic Area nationals, students traveling with their teachers on school trips, and researchers traveling for the purposes of performing research.

It should be noted that if your Schengen visa is denied or if you decide to withdraw your application, you will not receive a refund.