What is a Schengen Visa? How to get it?

If you are thinking of going abroad, you have probably heard the word "Schengen" on the internet or in your environment. You are much more likely to hear this term if your destination is European countries.

Schengen is the visa you need to enter most European countries. As with any other type of visa, you must follow the procedure to obtain a Schengen visa.

What is a Schengen visa, how to get one, what are the required documents or why should you get one?

You can continue reading our article for all the details about the Schengen visa.

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What is a Schengen Visa?

Schengen visa is an international document issued to enter and exit European countries included in the Schengen Area. It can only be used in the Schengen Area.

26 countries are considered Schengen Area. This means that once you have a Schengen visa you can travel freely to all these countries.

Schengen visa is personal and cannot be used by anyone else.

You might want to check it out: What is a Visa? What are the Types of Visas?

Which Schengen Countries are Members of the EU?

When we mentioned "Schengen" above, we said that it is a type of visa that allows you to travel to most European countries. The reason why we say most European countries is that it depends on whether the countries are members of the EU or not.

The Schengen countries that are members of the EU are given below;

1. Germany

2. Austria

3. Belgium

4. Czech Republic

5. Denmark

6. Estonia

7. Finland

8. France

9. Netherlands

10. Spain

11. Sweden

12. Italy

13. Latvia

14. Lithuania

15. Luxembourg

16. Hungary

17. Malta

18. Poland

19. Portugal

20. Slovakia

21. Slovenia

22. Greece

Non-EU Schengen Countries

There are four non-EU countries in total. These are;

1. Switzerland

2. Iceland

3. Liechtenstein

4. Norway

How to Get a Schengen Visa?

Schengen visa is issued if you are deemed eligible after applying to the relevant authorities. To obtain a Schengen visa, you must apply to the consulate of the country you want to travel to or other authorized institutions approved by the consulate.

So first make sure you are applying to the right institution.

You can make your application directly at the consulate or electronically. You must provide all the documents requested by the institution in full. You can then make an online appointment and complete the process.

On the day of the appointment, do not forget to bring the relevant documents and most importantly your passport. The passport must be submitted in order to complete the application process. If your visa is approved or denied, your passport will be delivered to the address you specified.

In addition, if you will be traveling to more than one country, you should contact the consulate or the official in charge of the country where you will be staying the most.

How Long Does a Schengen Visa Last?

You can stay in the Schengen Area you are traveling to for a maximum of 90 days every 6 months. Once your 90th day is up, you must leave that area.

That is, you can travel to the Schengen Area for a total of 180 days in a year, with a maximum of 90 days in the first six months of the year and 90 days in the remaining six months.

Why Should You Get a Schengen Visa?

The reasons for obtaining a Schengen Visa and the documents required for these reasons may vary. For example, if you are going abroad for health reasons, you may be asked to provide information about your illness and treatment. Or if you are going for business purposes, you may need to provide details.

So why do you need a Schengen Visa?

1. Visits to family, friends and relatives

2. Short-term training or research plan

3. Because of work

4. Cultural trip

5. Sports activities

6. Tourism

7. Health check or treatment

8. Official mission travel

Although getting a Schengen visa is difficult, it is not impossible. The important thing is to prepare and submit all the documents requested from you in a complete manner. Although the process of collecting documents may seem overwhelming at first, you will realize that the process is actually not that difficult.

What are the Documents Required to Obtain a Schengen Visa?

As with any official procedure, you need a number of documents to obtain a Schengen visa. Although these documents vary according to the nature of the applicant, there are common documents. These documents are as follows;

- Schengen visa application form

- Sample of residence

- Biometric photo

- Passport

- Photocopy of birth certificate

- Bank statement

- Proof of hotel, flight reservation

Schengen visa is the first thing you need to do if you want to travel to European countries. In this blog, we have tried to answer all the questions about Schengen. Stay tuned to Sks Blog for much more!

Have you checked the other blog posts of Üsküdar University Department of Health, Culture and Sports? Read now!