Schengen Visa Guide: Documents and Application
What Is a Schengen Visa?
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows travellers visiting countries within the Schengen Area to stay for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes. With a single Schengen visa, you can travel freely to member countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece. There are no customs checks when travelling between countries within the Schengen Area.
Which Countries Are in the Schengen Area?
Much of Europe belongs to the Schengen Area, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. You must submit your application to the consulate of the country where you will stay the longest or the country you will enter first.
Required Documents for a Schengen Visa
- A valid passport (valid for at least 3 months after the end of your trip)
- A biometric photograph
- Bank statements and proof of income
- Social Security Institution (SGK) records and an employer letter for employees; a tax registration certificate and trade registry documents for business owners
- Hotel reservation and flight reservation
- Travel medical insurance covering all Schengen countries, with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000
Fingerprint Requirement
Under the rules adopted by Schengen countries, all applicants must provide fingerprints when submitting their application. Applicants who have already provided fingerprints do not need to provide them again for 5 years.
Details That Can Improve Your Chances of Visa Approval
- Taking out travel medical insurance for a longer period increases your chances of obtaining a longer-term visa
- Having sufficient funds in your bank account strengthens your application
- Travel dates must be consistent across all documents
- Company letters must be stamped and printed on company letterhead
- If you are applying for a visa for the first time, it is important to apply to the country you intend to visit
If You Have Never Had a Visa Before
Not having held a visa before does not mean that you cannot obtain one. Even without a previous visa, your application may be approved with a properly prepared application file. We also offer application file improvement support for applicants who have previously received a refusal.
Schengen Visa Applications with AIG Turizm
AIG Turizm, a Class A travel agency affiliated with TÜRSAB, manages your application on your behalf through contracted visa application centres, including iDATA, VFS Global, Kosmos, AS Vize, BLS and TLS. Your documents are checked by two separate visa specialists, your forms are completed correctly, and your application is tracked from start to finish.
For your Schengen visa application, you can contact our visa advisory team on 0216 330 80 90 or 0553 237 92 87.
For support with document preparation, application forms, appointment arrangements and application tracking for your Schengen visa, please visit our visa consultancy services page.
