Schengen Area
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across 29 European countries
A Schengen Type C visa allows short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. Unlike the U.S. process, you apply to one specific country — the one where you spend the most nights, or your first entry point if nights are equal — and the decision is documentary. Your file matters more than an interview.
Which country to apply to
Main destination
Where you spend the most nights. If equal, the country you enter first.
The 90/180 rule
90 days in any rolling 180-day window
Counted backwards from any day you are in the area — not per calendar year.
How early to apply
Up to 6 months before travel
Apply at least 15 days before, and ideally 4–6 weeks ahead.
Required insurance
Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover
Must be valid across the whole Schengen Area for your full stay.
Decision basis
Your documents
Some consulates interview; most decide on the file you submit.
Applying to the wrong country is a standard rejection reason. The rule is main destination by number of nights; if two countries are equal, apply to whichever you enter first. Some countries outsource the process to VFS or a partner consulate in Addis Ababa.
Fill in the country's application form — France, for example, requires a France-Visas reference number before you can book — and reserve your biometrics appointment. Keep the purpose and dates on the form identical to your bookings.
Schengen decisions are documentary. Your file must show the trip is real, funded, insured, and that you will leave. Reservations must match the dates on your form exactly, and bank statements should show a steady, explainable balance rather than a sudden deposit.
You submit the file, give fingerprints and a photo, and pay the visa fee. Biometrics are reused for 59 months, so a repeat applicant may not need to give them again. Some consulates ask short questions about your trip at the counter.
Standard processing is 15 calendar days from the date the file is accepted, extendable to 45 where additional scrutiny is needed. You collect your passport at the visa centre or receive it by courier. A refusal comes with a written reason and a right of appeal — unlike the U.S. 214(b).
| # | Item | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schengen visa fee (adult) | EUR 90 (indicative) | At the appointmentReduced for children aged 6–11; free under 6. Confirm on the country's portal. |
| 2 | Visa centre service fee | Varies by centre | At the appointmentCharged by VFS or the equivalent partner, separate from the visa fee. |
| 3 | Travel medical insurance | Depends on trip length | Before the appointmentMinimum EUR 30,000 cover across the Schengen Area. |
Amounts are indicative and change. Confirm every fee on the official page before paying.
The officer approved your visa and kept your passport to print it. The status on CEAC moves to 'Issued' once printing is done.
What to do
Unlike a U.S. refusal, a Schengen refusal comes on a standard form with ticked reason codes — for example, the purpose of stay was not justified, means of subsistence were not shown, or the intention to leave could not be established. You have a right of appeal, stated on the letter.
What to do
No. Nobody outside the consulate can influence a decision, and anyone promising approval for a fee is either lying or planning to submit false documents in your name. You carry the consequences of anything filed under your name, including a permanent fraud finding. Legitimate help looks like coaching and document review, not guarantees.
Warnings
There is no magic number. What matters is that the amount covers your stated plan and that its history makes sense. A steady balance built over months is far stronger than a large deposit that appeared a week before the interview — the second pattern is well known to officers and actively hurts you.
Money
Clean, neat, and comfortable — business casual is a safe choice. Officers are not scoring your outfit, and an expensive suit does not help. Being visibly uncomfortable does not help either.
Interview day
The one where you will spend the most nights. If two countries are equal, apply to the one you enter first. Applying to a country you barely visit because its appointments are easier is a recognised refusal reason.
Schengen
On any day you are in the Schengen Area, count back 180 days: the days you spent inside that window must not exceed 90. It is a rolling calculation, not a calendar-year allowance, and days in every Schengen country count together.
Schengen
Yes. Schengen refusals come with ticked reason codes and a stated right of appeal, with a deadline and the authority to appeal to. You can either appeal or reapply with the specific gap fixed — but reapplying with the same file will produce the same reasons.
Schengen
It is one of the most damaging things you can do. In the U.S., an overstay generally voids your visa automatically and, past certain thresholds, triggers multi-year bars on returning. In the Schengen Area it can produce an entry ban across all member states. Leave before the date on your I-94 or visa sticker.
Warnings
Content reviewed 2026-08
