Visa Information
Schengen Visa Application Guidelines
Every person wishes to apply for a visa in order to visit a Schengen
member country is obliged to apply in person, gather all the mandatory
documents at first and foremost accordingly to the rules and regulations, make
an appointment in advance. The person that will be applying for a visa has to
make sure he/she holds a valid passport apropos a passport that has been issued
no longer than ten years ago and has a period of six month until its expiration
date.
* Book an appointment
It is important to book an appointment approximately 15 days prior to your
departure since that is the approximate time an Embassy/Consulate needs to
complete the visa issuing procedures (sometimes it may take even longer).
Tip: You can apply up to 12 weeks before you
travel.
* Read the instructions carefully and check if you meet the requirements
Every Schengen member country has its own requirements regarding the
documents needed to obtain the certain type of visa. Make sure you can gather
them all.
* Fill out the application form (download)
The application form is a collection of numerous personal data on the
individual applying for the Schengen Visa. Make sure you fill out every
required gap.
* Attach a recent photograph (Requirements)
A recent photograph of the individual is required to be attached to the
application form accordingly to the guidelines/ format, background etc.
* Attach the mandatory documents regarding the appropriate Embassy/
Consulate
Apart from the application form; attach the other required documents as
asked by the Embassy/Consulate.
Note: Documents required maybe different in
your country, so please see the details on the website of your local France
Consulate.
* Submit the application documents and attend the interview in person.
During the interview you will be asked personal questions about your
whereabouts, the intended trip and other travel details. Make sure your answers
are firm and correct.
How long does it take to receive the visa?
It is advisable to apply for a Schengen Business Visa at least 2 weeks
prior to the planned trip. The Embassy Consulate will then reply in 10 working
days as common (or less as usually occurs), the time taken to proceed all the
documentation and the travelers request. Depending on the situation, proceeding
time might take up to two months if there is something extraordinary with the
individual case or any political situation is on the go.