DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL AROUND EUROPE?

If you are a non-EEA national and you plan to travel to Europe, you may need to apply for a Schengen Visa.

The Schengen Visa Scheme is a scheme that allows those wishing to visit certain countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) to travel using only one visa. At the moment there are 15 countries who have signed the Schengen agreement and who make up the Schengen space.

THE COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHENGEN AGREEMENT:

The 15 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Please note that Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and United Kingdom are NOT part of the Schengen agreement.

WHEN TO APPLY FOR SCHENGEN VISA:

If you require a Schengen Visa you need to apply several weeks before travel. If you are coming towards the end of your time in the UK, it can be very difficult to get a visa, as the Embassies require a minimum period of valid leave to remain in the UK of at least 3 months beyond the return date from your trip.

We recommend that you begin the application process at least eight weeks before you intend to travel.

WHERE TO APPLY FOR SCHENGEN VISA:

All depends on the place(s) you want to visit. If you plan to visit only one country in the Schengen space then you have to apply at the Embassy or Consulate of that particular country.

If you plan to visit two or more countries within the Schengen space then you should apply at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your main destination, defined by the length of stay.

If you plan to visit several countries in the Schengen space but you do not have a main destination (equal length of stay in each country), then you need to apply to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you will visit first.