How does the Schengen Visa work?

[jonsmaradona]

One of the best options for travelers throughout the European Union is the opportunity to use a Schengen Visa. If you hold a Schengen Visa, you can freely travel throughout the Schengen Region—an area that includes most of the EU—without the requirement of individual country visas or other complicated forms or permissions. Even better, you can visit an additional nineteen countries outside of the Schengen Region that accept the Schengen Visa for travel, and you can stay in a participating country for a period of up to three months before an additional visa would be required.

If you’re looking to make the most of your next opportunity to go abroad in Europe, this could be a great option for you! If you’re curious about how the Schengen Visa works, read on for the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions…and get excited about the adventure that awaits you! In the simplest terms, a Schengen Visa is a short-term visa that allows a person to travel to, through, and from any of the locations within the Schengen Region and cooperating countries. Schengen Visa holders are allowed to stay in these participating areas for up to 90 days for purposes including research, study, or tourism. The residents of some countries are required to hold a Schengen Visa in order to enter any country within the Schengen Region, while others (like the United States) are currently exempt.

In order to meet the Schengen Visa requirements, you will need to be able to demonstrate that you are traveling to Europe for one or more reasons from a qualified list. These can range from tourism and sightseeing, to visiting family and friends, to short-term study abroad courses or research-based programs abroad. Once you’ve been issued a Schengen Visa, you will present it along with your passport, and for many countries, with proof of your financial means and evidence of your intention to leave the Schengen Region through a return flight or other travel arrangements. But with the Schengen Visa in-hand, you will satisfy visa status for all internal borders covered within the Schengen Region, even if there are slight variations with respect to entry procedures from place to place.