The Schengen Visa is a European short stay visa that allows its holder to travel throughout the Schengen Area. This type of visa is issued by one of the Schengen States and allows you to visit any of the Schengen countries for a duration of up to 90 days in total within a period of 180 days.
If you want to leave and re-enter the Schengen area within the 180-day period, choose the multiple-entry option when making your application.
You can get a Schengen Visa if you are traveling to Europe for the following purpose:
- To transit through the airport of a country in the Schengen zone in order to take the plane to your Schengen destination country.
- Tourism visits and sightseeing.
- Business visits.
- Visiting family members and friends.
- Travel as part of a cultural exchange program, sports, or research.
- Medical visits.
- Short-term study courses.
- Official visits.
The airport transit visa is a Category A visa, but all visas that are issued for different purposes fall into the C category.
TYPES OF SCHENGEN VISAS
Depending on the number of entries and the number of countries you can visit, you could be issued a Uniform Schengen visa or a Limited Territorial Validity visa.
- Uniform Schengen Visas (USV)
The Uniform Schengen Visa (USV) allows its holder to travel and stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days every six month period. There are three types of Uniform Schengen visas:
Single-entry visas : With a Single entry visa, you can enter a Schengen country only once and stay until the expiration of visa validity. If you leave before the expiration, you are not allowed to enter the country again, since the visa is considered to have expired once you leave the country.
Double-entry visa: With a Double entry visa, you can enter a Schengen country twice within the time of visa validity. If you enter the country twice, and the second time you leave before the expiration, you are not allowed to enter the country again, since the visa is considered to have expired once you leave the country for the second time.
Multiple-entry visa: The Multiple entry visa allows you to enter and leave the Schengen Zone as many times as you please as long as your visa is valid.
- Limited territorial validity visas (LTV)
The Limited Territorial Validity (LTV) visa allows its holder to travel only to the Schengen member country that has issued the visa. If i.e. France has issued you the visa, then you are permitted to stay only in France. You are not even allowed to transit from one country to another with the LTV visa. This visa is considered an exception to a Uniform Visa and is only issued for international obligations or humanitarian reasons in general.
There are 26 countries in the Schengen Area. These countries have agreed to abolish all internal borders and have a common visa policy, although there may be slight differences with respect to procedures and required documentation.
Some of the countries include:
- THE NETHERLANDS
Visit the Netherlands for a maximum of 90 days using your short-stay Schengen visa. The visa allows you to travel freely within the Netherlands and other Schengen countries within a 180-day period.
- FRANCE
Explore the beauty of France using a Schengen Visa. The visa allows you to travel freely within France and other Schengen countries within a 180-day period.
- ITALY
Discover the wonders of Italy, especially the ancient city of Rome with a Schengen visa. The visa allows you to travel freely within Italy and other Schengen countries within a 180-day period.
Note:
Every citizen of each country that is not part of the Schengen Area and whose country doesn’t have a Visa Facilitation Agreement with the EU needs a Schengen visa in order to enter any of the member countries.
To apply for your Schengen Visas.. kindly contact us.