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 Prague 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.