A Schengen tourist visa grants its holder a short-term stay within any country in the Schengen Area.
The visa involves a standardized application process, with specific requirements and documentation to ensure all applicants will abide by the visa rules and do not pose a security risk to the Schengen countries.
What Is a Schengen Tourist Visa?
A Schengen tourist visa is a short-term entry permit that allows you to visit the Schengen Area for tourism or leisure purposes. This visa is also known as a short-stay C-type visa, and it usually follows a uniform application process with a few variations depending on the Schengen country.
What Is the Difference Between a Schengen Tourist and a Visitor Visa?
The difference between a tourist Schengen visa and a Schengen visitor visa is the purpose of the visit. For example, you apply for a visitor visa to visit a family member or a close friend who lives in the Schengen Area, while you apply for a tourist visa for simple tourist purposes.
Usually, for a visitor visa, you’ll be required to provide an invitation letter from the person who you are visiting in the Schengen Area, while for a tourist visa, this is not a requirement.
Who Needs to Apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa?
You need to apply for a Schengen tourist visa if your nationality is on the list of countries whose nationals need a Schengen short-stay visa. Please note that if you already have a valid tourist visa, you do not need to apply again.
Nationalities from other countries may have the option to enter visa-free for a maximum of 90 days.
How Do I Apply for a Tourist Schengen Visa?
The application process for a Schengen visa for tourism purposes goes as follows:
- Check your eligibility. You must make sure you meet the eligibility criteria for this visa and that you truly need a visa to enter the Schengen Area.
- Find out where to apply. Next, you must find out where exactly you need to apply for your visa, as this can vary depending on the situation in your country of residence.
- Make an appointment. You must schedule your appointment for your tourist Schengen visa a minimum of 15 days before your intended travel date but no earlier than six months. For most Schengen countries, you can make an appointment online or via email.
- Prepare the required documents. While you wait for the day of your appointment, make sure you prepare the required documents you need for your tourist visa.
- Submit your application. On the day of your appointment, you must submit your application and attend a brief visa interview regarding your plans in the Schengen Area.
- Pay the required fee. A Schengen tourist visa costs €80. The fee for a Schengen visa covers only the application submission fee, and it does not include additional costs
- Retrieve your visa. It takes 15 working days to finish processing your Schengen tourist visa application. After your application is processed, you can retrieve your visa, enter the Schengen Area, and enjoy your stay as per the validity of your visa.
What Documents Are Needed?
For a tourist Schengen visa, you need to submit the following documents:
- The general list of required documents for any Schengen visa.
- Proof of accommodation. You must provide proof of your accommodation, such as hotel reservation, private accommodation, rental agreement, etc.
- Schengen travel insurance. For your application, you need to show proof of a purchased travel insurance policy meeting the Schengen requirements with a minimum of €30,000 for medical coverage.
- Cover letter with detailed itinerary. You must provide a written statement detailing your travel itinerary, including the visiting dates, where you will be visiting, and how long you will be staying.
- Round-trip flight ticket. Please include proof of a flight reservation for your travels to the Schengen Area.
- Proof of financial means. You must provide proof you have sufficient means to support your stay in the Schengen Area— the daily amount of which changes depending on which country you’re visiting. You can usually do this by providing your bank statements between the last three to six months.
- Proof of sponsorship. If a third party sponsors your trip, make sure to include proof of this sponsorship and documentation proving you meet the financial requirements to visit the Schengen Area.
Please note that official visa authorities hold the right to ask for any additional documents.
How Long Is a Tourist Visa Valid For?
A Schengen tourist visa allows you to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. This means you can spend up to 90 days in the Schengen countries during any 180-day period.
However, it’s important to note that the actual validity period of your tourist visa can vary. The issuing authority decides the duration based on factors like your travel plans, visa type (single or multiple entry), and your intended stay in the Schengen Area. Whether you receive a visa for the full 90 days or a shorter period is at the discretion of the issuing authority.
What if I Need to Stay Longer?
If you need to stay longer in the Schengen Area, you can do one of the following:
- Extend your tourist visa. You have the option to extend your stay by requesting an extension of your visa validity, but this requires a formal application process and an extension is granted for only strong reasons.
- Apply for a national D visa. You can also apply for a more long-term visa, which is usually a national D visa for that specific Schengen country where you need to stay longer.
Please be careful calculating the number of days you spend in the Schengen Area since often visitors overstay their visas and then face the consequences.
What if My Visa Application Is Denied?
If your visa application is denied, you can appeal against the rejection notice, and if it’s successful, the decision will be revoked. You can also re-apply for the visa application again without going through the appeals process.
Either way, it’s important you pay attention to the reason for your rejection when you receive your rejection notice, as it will help you improve your application and increase your chances of success in future attempts.
Can I Work With a Tourist Visa?
You cannot work, do business, or look for employment under a Schengen tourist visa. If that is your purpose, you can apply for a business Schengen visa or even a work visa.
Please note that if you’re found doing gainful employment with a tourist visa in the Schengen Area, you may be fined, deported, or arrested.
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