Everything you need to know about Schengen visa 2024

2024-09-24 2024-09-24T12:02:33Z

Arab Weather - The Schengen Area consists of 29 countries , making it the largest area in the world with freedom of movement without internal borders, where individuals can travel from one country to another without the need for border controls.

Schengen Area Countries

The Schengen Area consists of the following 27 countries:

Member States of the European Union

Spain
Estonia
Germany
Croatia Italy
Portugal
Belgium
Bologna
Czech Republic
Denmark
Slovenia
Sweden
France
Finland
Latvia
Luxembourg
Lithuania
Malta
Hungary
Austria
Holland
Greece

Non-EU countries

Iceland
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
Norway

Schengen visa

A Schengen visa is a permit that allows its holder to enter and stay in the Schengen Area and the European Union for short periods of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, not everyone can travel to Europe easily without obtaining this visa.

Who needs a Schengen visa?

Currently, citizens of 104 countries around the world need a Schengen visa to travel to Europe. Here is the list of countries whose citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa for the year 2024:

Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burma/Myanmar
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Comoros
Congo
Cote d'Ivoire
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
dominican republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
financial
Mauritania
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
- Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
north korea
Oman
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
The Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Syria
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Who can travel to Europe without a visa?

Passport holders from countries not included in the above list can travel to the Schengen Area without a visa, being allowed to stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

What is a Schengen transit visa?

A Schengen transit visa is a special type of permit that allows travelers to transit through a Schengen member state to reach a destination country outside the Schengen area. Holders of this visa are required not to leave the transit area of the airport during their journey.

Who needs a transit visa?

Passport holders from the following countries need to obtain a transit visa for all Schengen countries, whether or not they will leave the transit area of the airport:

Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Ghana
Iran
Iraq
Nigeria
Pakistan
Somalia
Sri Lanka

There are also several other countries whose citizens need a transit visa when passing through airports of specific Schengen countries. Each Schengen member state has its own list of countries whose citizens are required to obtain an airport transit visa.

For comprehensive and up-to-date information on application requirements, you can visit SchengenVisaInfo.com.

Citizens who do not need a Schengen visa

Citizens who do not need a Schengen visa to travel to EU countries are as follows:
Citizens of EU member states (such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain).
Citizens of member states of the European Economic Area (e.g. Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland).
Citizens of Switzerland.
Citizens of countries that partially apply the Schengen Agreement (such as Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia).
And citizens of some other countries that have signed special agreements with the Schengen Area countries.

When should I apply for a Schengen visa?

You must apply for a Schengen visa at least 15 days before your travel date, and no later than 6 months before your trip.

Schengen visa processing time

It usually takes 15 to 30 days to process a Schengen visa application, but in some cases, it may take up to 60 days.

Place of application

The Schengen visa application is submitted at the embassy or consulate of the country where you intend to stay the longest. If there is no diplomatic representation of that country in your country, you can submit the application through an embassy representing the interests of the country you wish to visit.

Schengen visa fees

The standard fee for a Schengen visa is 80 euros for adults and 40 euros for children between 6 and 12 years old. Some categories such as students and children under 6 years old are exempt from the fee.

Basic documents required

The most important required documents:

Valid passport.
Two personal photos.
Travel medical insurance.
Proof of financial support (such as a bank statement).
Proof of accommodation (such as a hotel reservation).
Book a flight.
Application form completed and signed.

Types of Schengen visas

Short-term visa (C): Valid for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Transit Visa (A): Valid for transit through airports only.

A Schengen visa allows entry for a limited period, and the length of stay allowed varies between different countries. Usually, the permitted period of stay is 90 days within a period of 180 days. Visitors who intend to stay for longer than this period must obtain a special visa.

How do I get a Schengen visa?

To obtain a Schengen visa, travelers must apply at the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country they intend to visit, and the visa application requires the submission of a set of required documents.

For more information, you can visit the following website: Schengen.News

Do I need to apply for ETIAS?

If you are from a Schengen visa-required country, you will not be required to apply for an ETIAS. However, from 2025, applying for an ETIAS will become mandatory for citizens of foreign countries who can enter the Schengen area without a visa.