Getting a Schengen Visa Can be Difficult
If you ever applied for a Schengen Visa you know how difficult it can be to obtain the permission to visit a country of the Schengen Zone. The Schengen Zone consists of most members of the European Union, plus Swiss, Norway and Iceland. The United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria and Romania are not part of the zone.
Applying for the visa means that you have to provide a lot of information, and the right information. The application process and the criteria you need to satisfy vary for different visa types:
Transit Visa
Visitors Visa
Business Visa
You Have to Get it Right the First Time
Otherwise you may be entered into a database of persons, whose visa application has been declined. And these data are exchanged between many countries. If you mess up with your application for a Schengen Visa, it may turn out that you get also problems when visiting the US or Canada.
The embassies have a lot of leeway to approve or decline your visa request. You need to convince them that you have the money to pay for your stay, or somebody who is going to pay for you. They want to be sure that you will return home, if you apply for a nonresident visa. This makes it very important how you talk to them. It is not enough to satisfy all their criteria, they also need to believe you.
Two more formal requirements for a Schengen Visa are a travel insurance policy by an approved insurance company, and a return flight ticket. I have seen time and again, that German embassies ask for a flight ticket, before they give the visa. But if you offer them a flight reservation, for which no ticket is yet issued, they will accept it. You can tell them, that you cannot buy a ticket, before you can be sure that you will actually travel.
The insurance policy must be submitted with the Schengen visa application. But if you provide proof to the insurance companies, that your visa application has been denied, almost all of them will cancel the policy without a penalty. Please check that out, before you buy any insurance policy.
Be Truthful and Believable
The bottom line is: Provide all information requested for the Schengen Visa application correctly. Try to convince the embassy staff that you do not intent to overstay your visa. Tell them how you will pay for your living, while you are in their country. Provide prove of a travel insurance and return flight reservation. Be aware that they will check to find out if you cheated.
Get Professional Advice
This article is for informational purposes, only. It does not constitute professional advice at all. I am not allowed to give specific advice on how to apply successfully for any visa, and you should always check for advice from a qualified lawyer.
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