Schengen Visa: What do tourists need to know when traveling to Europe?

The New Year holidays are approaching, which means it’s time to plan a trip. One of the most popular destinations for New Year and Christmas is Europe, which attracts tourists from all over the world with beautifully decorated city streets, colorful fairs, winter festivals and festivities that at first glance immerse in the atmosphere of fairy tales and magic.

Experienced tourists know that in order to freely stay on the territory of many European countries, a special Schengen visa is required, which gives its holders a number of other opportunities. Details in our article.

How did the Schengen visa come about?

A Schengen visa is a special document that allows you to move freely within the Schengen area, which includes most European countries. It opens doors for tourism, business, study or visits to relatives.

The visa is named after the Schengen Agreement signed in 1985 in the small village of Schengen, located in Luxembourg. The initiators were five countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany, which thus laid the foundation for future cooperation.

The first steps towards the implementation of the agreement were made ten years after its signing in 1995. The Schengen area was formed on the basis of the terms of this document. By the end of 1995, two more countries, Spain and Portugal, joined the founders, thereby expanding the borders of the free movement zone.

Over time, the number of member states has continued to increase, with 27 countries now in the Schengen area.

• Austria
• Belgium
• Hungary
• Germany
• Greece
• Denmark
• Iceland
• Spain
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Lichtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Finland
• France
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Switzerland
• Sweden
• Estonia

Documents and conditions

To obtain a Schengen visa, the following documents must be provided:

• Completed application form.
• A valid passport and copies of previous visas.
• Photograph that meets the requirements.
• Insurance covering the entire period of stay.
• Documents confirming financial viability.
• Hotel reservation or invitation from a private person.
• Round-trip flights or other transport document.

It is important to consider the requirements of the specific country at whose embassy the visa will be issued, as additional documents or certificates may be required.

Application process

• Collection of necessary documents.
• Register for an interview at the consulate or visa center.
• Submission of the application and documents in person.
• Payment of consular fee.
• Waiting for a visa decision.

The processing time for an application is usually several days to two weeks, but in some cases additional time may be required.

A few tips from IFC:

• Carefully check the completeness of the documents.
• Book your tickets and hotel in advance confirming your intention to return.
• Have a clear travel plan.
• Submit documents to the embassy of the country, which is the main purpose of the trip or the first on the itinerary.

The process of obtaining a Schengen visa requires accuracy and knowledge of the basic rules. But do not worry in advance, because with the right approach and a full package of documents, the chances of obtaining a visa are very high. You can entrust this to professionals.


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