There are two popular misconceptions about a Schegen visa among Pakistanis. First, this visa allows you entry into the entire European continent and the second, it is a tourist or visit visa. As stated earlier, these are misconceptions.
What is a Schengen Visa?
You need a Schegen visa to enter these European countries:
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia and Slovakia.
These 26 countries are also called Schengen states. As you can see, these do not include Great Britain, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Serbia, and others.
You may also like:
- How to Renew Pakistani Passport?
- UK Student Visa from Pakistan: A Detailed Guide
- How to Apply for a Canadian Visa From Pakistan
- How To Apply For a Pakistani Passport
Once you’ve obtained a Schengen visa, you can visit any or all of these countries. For example, you can fly into Germany and later drive to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic etc. with one visa.
Now to the question, what do you need a Schengen visa for?
If you are visiting any one or more of the above countries (Schengen states) for the following purposes, you would need to apply for a Schengen visa from Pakistan:
- Tourism
- Business
- Visiting friends/family members
- Short-term study
- Medical
- Official visit
- Transit
- Cultural and sports events
There is one more bit of information you need to know about the Schengen visa. It can be issued as:
- Single-entry visa
- Double-entry visa
- Multiple-entry visa
Now, how to apply for a Schengen visa from Pakistan, its requirements and the rest.
Schengen Visa Requirements from Pakistan
These requirements are pretty much the same as the requirements for the national visas of many other countries. For example, you will be asked for:
- Valid Passport – Your passport must have been issued in the last 10 years and should be valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the Schengen country.
- Return airline ticket
- Proof of accommodation
- Sufficient funds
- Invitation letter
- Travel insurance
- Online submission of visa application
- Provide fingerprints
- Submit documents with the authorized visa application centers
However, the following are some of the more specific or detailed requirements for a Schengen visa depending upon your purpose of visit.
Visit/Tourism
You would be required to submit the following documents (some of them have already been mentioned above):
- Passport
- Passport photo (1)
- Travel itinerary
- Return airline tickets
- Travel medical insurance for the entire stay. Minimum coverage of €30,000
- Bank statement of the last six months
- Copy of CNIC
- Nikah Nama/marriage registration certificate in English issued by NADRA
- Letter of employment/permission for leave from employer, etc
- Copies of property documents in English (if you own property)
Business
You would be required to submit the following documents (some of them have already been mentioned above):
- Passport
- Passport photo (1)
- Return airline tickets
- Travel medical insurance for the entire stay. Minimum coverage of €30,000
- Bank statement of the last six months
- Copy of CNIC
- Official invitation letter from the company in a Schengen state you are visiting for business purposes
- If you are being sponsored by the company in a Schengen state, that company will have to fill out a sponsorship form
- Letter from the Pakistani company (stating your purpose of visit, business activities in the Schengen state, etc.)
- If you have business dealing with a company in a Schengen state, the evidence of such a relationship in the form of documentary evidence (correspondence, copies of invoices, etc.)
- If you own a company in Pakistan, submit its certificate of registration
- If you own property in Pakistan, its documents translated into English
- Sports: If you are visiting a Schengen state for sports related activities, submit on your sport federation’s official letterhead, your CNIC number, your national ranking, names and positions of people accompanying you (if any)
What NOT to Do When Submitting Documents?
You must submit all the required documents in a clear, readable A4 format paper. Stapled, glued and pinned documents are not acceptable. If you have a document which is not in an A4 format, you can submit its copy in an A4 format.
If you are submitting original documents like birth certificates and/or Nikkah Nama, you will have to submit them in original along with their A4 copy. All documents must be translated into English.
Note: If you do not submit all the required documents, your application can be denied.
Once you enter a Schengen state, the border official can ask you:
- The purpose of your visit
- How long you intend to stay in that country
- Whether you have enough money to support yourself during your entire stay
- Return ticket
Duration: A Schengen visa is issued for no more than 90 days in any 180 days period. This clearly means if you intend to visit any of the Schengen states for the above mentioned purposes for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a national visa of that country and not a Schengen visa.
Where to Apply for a Schengen Visa?
As mentioned above, there are 26 Schengen states. So, which country’s embassy do you contact for a Schengen visa? The country which is your main destination. This would also be the country where you will be staying the longest.
But what if you’ll be spending an equal amount of time in multiple countries? In this case, you should seek a Schengen visa from a country’s embassy or consulate where you will be landing first.
When to Apply: Dos and Don’ts?
There is no one correct answer here but as a general rule apply at least 4 weeks before you plan on traveling. You can also submit your application up to six months in advance. However, it is strongly recommended that you do not buy your airline tickets before you get a Schenegen visa.
Schengen Visa Fee from Pakistan
At the time of writing, this is the applicable fee:
| Fee Type | Applicant Age |
| Visa fee – €80 | Adults |
| Visa fee – €0 (Zero) | Child less than 6 years of age |
| Visa fee – €40 | Child 6 years but less than 12 years old |
| Visa application center (VFS Global) fee | €30 (or equivalent of PKR paid in cash) |
Visa Application Processing Time
It takes about 15 working days (or longer – as many as 45 calendar days) to process your application. This is after the embassy or consulate has received your application.
What Happens Next?
Once your application is processed, VFS Global will contact you via email or telephone. You can then visit the center to pick up your passport.
If your application is approved, a visa is granted, you’ll see a sticker in your passport. However, if your visa is denied, you’ll receive a written explanation along with your passport. If you do not agree with the decision, you can always file an appeal against it. The deadline for filing an appeal is three weeks from the date you received your decision.
For further information, contact these professionals listed on OLX Pakistan.
Happy travels.
You may also like to read:
Going Abroad? Do You Know How Much Currency You Can Carry With You?
Leave a Reply