The Schengen States have created a list of the required documents for each purpose of entry in this territory, and these requirements are approximately the same for a stay in each of them.

In this article, you can find a checklist of the generally required documents to obtain a Schengen Visa, as well as the specific required documents for the tourist visa type. Besides, you will also find a short brief for each requirement and their specifications, plus some generally asked or worrisome questions.

Schengen Area

It signifies a zone where 26 European countries, abolished their internal borders, for the free and unrestricted movement of people, in harmony with common rules for controlling external borders and fighting criminality by strengthening the common judicial system and police cooperation.

Schengen Area covers most of the EU countries, except the UK, Ireland and the countries that are soon to be part of Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus. Although not members of the EU, countries like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein are also part of the Schengen zone.

The external borders of the Schengen Zone reach a distance of 50,000 km long, where 80% of it is comprised of water and 20% of the land. The area counts hundreds of airports and maritime ports, many land crossing points, an area of 4,312,099 km2, and a population of 419,392,429 citizens.

The list of countries part of the Schengen visa-free zone are:
1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Czech Republic
4. Denmark
5. Estonia
6. Finland
7. France
8. Germany
9. Greece
10. Hungary
11. Iceland
12. Italy
13. Latvia
14. Liechtenstein
15. Lithuania
16. Luxembourg
17. Malta
18. Netherlands
19. Norway
20. Poland
21. Portugal
22. Slovakia
23. Slovenia
24. Spain
25. Sweden
26. Switzerland

Who Needs and Who Doesn’t Need a Schengen Visa to Travel to Europe?

While there are categories and nationals of countries that are privileged with entering the Schengen visa-free zone, there are also other categories and nationals, which have to go through all the process of meeting requirements and attending interviews, to obtain a visa that grants them with the permission to enter the Schengen Area.
Schengen Visa Key Information

Visa Type: Standard Visa

The validity of Passport: 6 Months

Quantity of Photos: 2

Size of Photos: Passport Size

Processing Time: 14-28 Working Days

Schengen Visa Fees in Pakistan: 60 Euros (€)

Bank Statement: 6 Months:

Minimum Account Balance Required Should be enough to cover your expenses, if you are travelling with family than should cover expenses of the whole family

Some Generic FAQ’s:

Schengen Visa Application Centers in Pakistan?

Every Schengen country has different Visa Centers, most of them use the VFS services, however, others process the visas directly in the Islamabad Embassy. Please check the pages of the specific countries on this site to get the exact information about Visa Centers.

Schengen Visa from Pakistan Tracking?

You can track the Schengen visa application status easily. Please visit the page of the country you want to visit, to get accurate information.
Schengen Visa Rejection Appeal from Pakistan
You will need to contact on the helpline numbers or the email addresses given on the site to submit the appeal. Please visit the page of the country you want to visit, to get accurate information.

Where do you apply?

You cannot choose which Mission of a Schengen country to apply. You must apply at the mission of the country where your longest stay will be or it is difficult to determine (e.g. cruises, bus tours) you must apply at the mission of your first point of entry into the Schengen area. Sufficient proof has to be submitted about the stay in the Schengen Territory.

When to Apply for a Tourist Schengen Visa?

Submit your Tourist Schengen Visa application at least 15 calendar days before your planned journey to the Schengen Area. This is the latest you can file your application. On the other hand, the earliest you can apply for a Tourist visa to the Schengen Zone is three months before your trip.
The best time to apply for the visa s to apply before the heavy vacations and tourist season that is May, June and July which is a popular time among people to visit Europe.

How long does it take to receive the visa?

It is advisable to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa at least 2 weeks before 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 traveller’s request. Depending on the situation, proceeding time might take up to two months if there is something extraordinary with the individual case or any unusual political situation is on the go.

How much bank balance is required for the Schengen visa?

Tickets for travelling within the Schengen area (if applicable) Proof of civil status – the birth certificate will suffice. Bank statement these needs to show a minimum balance of €3000 over the last 6 months.

Can I extend a Tourist Schengen Visa?

A Tourist Schengen visa can be extended only in some very specific occasions, as:
• Late Entry
• Humanitarian Reasons
• Force Majeure
• Important Personal Reasons
However, remember that the chances to extend your Schengen visa are very low. To get a tourist visa extension for any of the reasons given above, your application needs very strong arguments.

How long is the visa valid for?

The tourist visa is commonly valid for stays no more than 90 days. If you will be travelling a lot and not only in one Schengen country it’s recommendable to fill in the “multiple entries” gap in the application form. This way you will be able to enter and leave Schengen Zone as you please for the amount of time allowed on your visa issued.

When will I need an affidavit Support?

Affidavit of Support is needed in case one does not have a bank account or does not own enough funds to be taking care of their expenses during this travel, one must ask the visiting friends or relatives to sign an “official affidavit of support” at the corresponding office in his/her place of residence. Make sure you carry the original document when applying for the visa.

What does it mean by “Main Schengen Destination”?

• When visiting only one Schengen state, submit your application at the embassy/consulate/ visa centre of that country.
• When visiting more than two Schengen states, submit your application at the embassy/consulate/ visa centre of the country:
• In which you will be spending more days or the country in which you will step in first since you plan to spend an equal amount of days in each.
After the visa refusal, what should we do?

SCHENGEN VISA REQUIREMENTS

Who needs a visa and to which country can one travel?
Pakistani National and certain foreigners resident in Pakistan require a visa to enter the Schengen territory. This visa grants in general free mobility within the Schengen Territory for visitor’s/ business/tourist stays of a maximum of 90 days per 180 days of the year.

Categories of visas (depending on length and purpose of stay):

Airport transit visas: required by the nationals of certain countries.
Short stay visa (“Schengen”) visa (1-90 days, one or multiple entries)
Long stay visa: Visas for visits exceeding 90 days are national visas and are issued by member states under national legislation.
Transit visa (1-5 days, single or double entry): is issued for travel from a non-Schengen state to another non-Schengen state or across the area through a Schengen state territory.

Documentation to be submitted:

Clearly and filled in and signed Common Schengen Application Form, (available from consular websites, or consular offices.) in two sets (one original, one copy)(Form No. 119031)

Family details –Appendix to your application an original Family Registration Certificate issued by NADRA, attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Machine Readable Passport, which must be valid for a period of at least 3 months beyond the applicant’s last day of stay in the Schengen states. Please ensure that the passport has 2 blank pages to affix visa.

Three recent passports sized photographs in colour. Photographs should be taken within the last 6 months, no side pose, no hat, no veil, no Photoshop
Property document when applicable, with 2 copies, English translation if available
Family registration records from NADRA.

Electronic Pakistani ID-Card

2 copies of Nikah Nama if you are married as well as English translation thereof
Proof of employment which mentions how long the applicant has been employed by his/her employer. English translation must be provided.

Granted leave of absence from his/her work for the relevant number of days. English translation must be provided.

If the applicant runs his own business, he/she must present proof of registration of the business with the relevant authorities and English translation of these documents. Tax papers for the previous 2 years Payment tax/registration of the company must also be provided.

Proof of employment: (e.g. letter from the company stating continuing employment after a period of leave and duration of vacation etc), plus recent payslips
If the applicant is a student: letter from school/college/university confirming admission or attendance.

Copies of all previous visas

All previous passports of the applicant should be submitted, along with the current, valid one.

A personal interview with the applicant may be requested. The visa of the final Country of destination (if applicable) must be obtained before applying for a Schengen visa.

Round trip air – ticket and itinerary with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from Schengen state Some Schengen authorities accept the itinerary when applying for the visa but request the original air-ticket when the visa is collected (please check).

Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of stay, e.g.: (min. amount required is different in each country – please check with the appropriate consular authority)

Bank and credit statements for last 6 months in addition to the previous year.

Salary slips-3 months prior

Tax receipt of foreign exchange purchased bearing the applicant’s name.

Traveller’s cheques. For credit cards, recent credit card statement. Cash will not be accepted as proof of foreign exchange.

Travel/health/accident insurance: A minimum medical coverage of Rupees equivalent Euro 30.000,00. Applicants must present insurance policy that states policy number, name of insured person, validity and schedule benefits. The insurance must cover medical attention, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation for medical reasons on the spot.

Accommodation: confirmed hotel booking is requested (hotel reservation is not necessarily proof of confirmation. For some countries, the birth certificate is requested.

If the applicant is staying with a sponsor, an invitation letter from the host is required. The signature of the host, on the invitation, has to be attested by a competent Greek authority (e.g. KEP or Police authority).

For business: an official business invitation letter from the company of your main travel destination in a Schengen state as well as from the Pakistani employer stating the purpose of the visit must be presented. Recommendation letter from the Chamber of Commerce. Recent correspondence between you and your Schengen business partner.

Tax papers for the previous 2 years. Proof of registration of the business with the relevant authorities.

For conferences should be submitted: proof of registration and payment. Invitation from the business partner in Schengen Country should be also sent directly to the Embassy.
Bank statement covering the last six months, Also, applicants are required to submit a bank statement for the previous year. The applicants should present their bank statement as well as the company’s bank statement.

Certified parental consent, by both parents for children under 18 travelling alone. If the child travels with only one parent, the other parent must produce the notarized/certified consent.

If only one parent has guardianship of the minor, the court judgements (NADRA) confirming this must be presented. Certain consular authorities require that both parents sign in the presence of a consular official.

The Schengen State’s Consular offices reserve the right to request further documentation if deemed necessary
Please refer also to the Harmonized list of supporting documents to be presented by Schengen visa applicants in Pakistan, according to the purpose of travel.

Procedural Advice and Legal Notice:

There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued and no rights can be derived from the information obtained in the general Schengen visa information. Visa applications will be rejected if application forms are not fully completed and signed and are not accompanied by the above-required documents.

Procedure:

It is the responsibility of the applicant to take note of the visa application requirements and to apply in time well before making travel arrangements.

All appointments for visas should be arranged by e-mail, only. For this purpose, no other means of communication (by phone, etc) is accepted.

In the e-mail, it has to be mentioned how many visa applications will be submitted at the appointment asked (e.g. for a four-member family, it has to be mentioned that an appointment for four persons has to be arranged). Failure to mention the exact number of applicants per appointment gives the right to the Embassy to refuse to accept applications beyond its capacity, during a specific working day.

Entry into the Schengen territory:

The possession of a visa is only one of the conditions for entry into the territory of the Schengen state. Should the Schengen State’s border authority refuse entry, no claim for reimbursement of the visa fee or airline ticket can be submitted. The border police at your Schengen destination may request the presentation of sufficient funds, a letter of invitation, hotel reservation and proof of medical insurance. Failure to present said funds/documents may result in entry being refused.

For organized groups arrangements should be made well in advance with the relevant issuing authority. Some Schengen/EU Countries requires if a Pakistani is married to a Schengen national, proof that the wedding is valid in the national law.

Visa processing fees are not reimbursable if a visa is rejected

LIST OF INSURANCE COMPANIES IN PAKISTAN THAT CAN ISSUE TRAVELLING INSURANCE FOR SCHENGEN VISAS APPLICANTS

1. Adamjee Insurance
2. AIG
3. Asia Insurance Co Ltd
4. Askari General Insurance Company Ltd
5. CICL (Century Insurance Company Ltd)
6. East-West Insurance Company Ltd
7. EFU General
8. Habib Insurance
9. IGI
10. Jubilee General Insurance
11. PICIC (Pakistan Industrial Credit Investment Corporation)
12. Premier Insurance Limited
13. Shaheen Insurance
14. SPI Insurance Company Ltd (formerly Saudi Pak)
15. TPL Direct Insurance Ltd
16. UBL Insurers Ltd
17. UIC

NB: You are required to contract full Schengen travel insurance, covering – for a minimum amount of 30 000 euros – any medical, hospitalization and repatriation costs, as well as associated care expenses which might occur during any single trip into the Schengen states.

Travel Health Insurance.

You need to provide evidence that you have purchased health insurance that covers medical emergencies with a minimum of €30,000, for your whole period of stay. (source)

Tips for Schengen Visa

Tip 1:
getting the Schengen visa for the first time is one of the difficult things, I would advise to make a short, clear and understandable itinerary according to your financial situation and budget. don’t include too many countries in the first application, plan a trip for only one Schengen country or two and when you have the visa, you can later change your plan if you want to visit more countries.

Tip 2:

Ahead of time, legally, you can apply for a Schengen visa three months before your travel date. try to apply in low season, so the embassy/consulate has enough time to study your application. May, June and July are very busy months for European embassies around the world because that’s the time when more applications are received than average.

Tip 3:

you are going for tourism then first try to genuinely visit other popular tourist countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Turkey etc. that will make it clear that you are a genuine tourist and usually travel out of your country for tourism purposes.

Tip 4:

but not least, keep your financial records clear and clean. for example, if you are employed then keep your salary slips with you and also credit your salary in your bank account through proper channels such as a bank cheque from the company credited into your account. if you have savings in your account other than your salary then do explain this in your covering letter to the embassy so they can better understand your financial situation.

Although the information on this website has been prepared with the utmost care; we cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.

Khurram Zahid

The post How to Apply for Schengen Visa from Pakistan? A Complete Guide for 2020 appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Keeping in mind the interest of kids as well as people of all ages and the ways they can be pleased easily, here are some of the amazing destinations to explore now.

Buy schengen visa travel insurance

The London City, England

The London City is surely one of the most amazing cities in the world. London is a playful city with a large number of glorious parks and playground destinations in and around the city. It has plenty to entertain kids as well as the elders in the family thread.

A wide range of museums and sports venues are also a charm to surprise the teens with different likes and dislikes. From changing of guards to the tower of London, there is a lot of historical heritage that the city brings to life, every single day.

If any of your family members like to explore the history, London is probably the best place to visit. Most of the museums here offer free entry.

The famous English writer Samuel Johnson once said that “You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” It has been more than 2 hundred years since he said these words, but it is true until today.

Life in London is revitalizing and worth liking. Thou one visit to London is not enough but even if you cannot go there again (as there is much more else in the world to explore as well), you must visit this place at least once in your life. And for sure it is a perfect destination for a family trip.

In this city, both past and present can be witnessed with all its charm. From the Tate Modern to the Towers of London, all are worth seeing live. The Royals are still respected there and so do is the love for the arctic monkey and the Adele.

Related Read: 5 Most Traveled Destinations from Pakistan that Require Travel Insurance

Amsterdam, Netherlands

If you have had any trip to Amsterdam all alone, you have to forget about it now. There is much more than coffee shops and the club night at the Amsterdam that is worth watching with the family. The destination is perfectly ideal to have a trip with kids and family.

Visiting the city by cycle or by boat is probably the best idea to start with. The Van Gogh museum is a place you must not miss however you will need to buy the tickets in advance to make sure that you are not standing in lines for long before you enter the amazing place.

If you have kids of mid-primary school and above that, the Anne Frank House is one of the best options to offer you an unforgettable insight into the horrors of the war.  Even if any of your family members do not like food and are not willing to eat chips or cupcake, the Dutch food will make them eat like crazy. It is also said that  Amsterdam is one of the easiest going family city destination in Europe.

Efteling would be a great place to have a side trip, in case you have got some extra time. And if you are at Amsterdam, Holland theme park is not a place to miss.  This is a city of Netherlands and you can enjoy the amazing Indonesian cuisine in the full moonlight.

You can ride a bike around the maze of canals that are built in the memory of the holocaust, described through the eyes of Anne Frank and much more that you can witness in the city.

Copenhagen, Denmark

This place might not be soothing to your fairytale imaginations that come with a happy ending. However, you can find some other fascinating turns.

Tivoli is one of the most exciting amusement parks in the Copenhagen and is there at the time of Hans Christian Andersen. The park presents a number of surprising rides, funfair booths, flower gardens and amazing dining venues for families and couples.

Another plus point for Copenhagen is that it is compact so you can easily take your family from one place to another.  Mostly tourist gets attracted towards Copenhagen for three reasons; a visit of Little Mermaid statue at the Langelinie Pier, to shop the antiques along the Stroget and to see the frolic at the Tivoli Gardens.

However, this is not the point where the fun stops. There are many museums and parks with the royal palaces and are huddled around Indre Bay. There is a gallery in the Holmen by Islands Brygge, the beer near Frederiksberg Park and the dining Michelin-style in the Pilestraede. If you are planning to visit the Copenhagen be sure that you are taking maximum time out to enjoy the city at its full.

Salzburg, Austria

You are always ready to enjoy the high beat and loud music and if you are thinking of going to Vienna, better would be to skip thinking about it and go to Salzburg.

This is might be the best place in Europe for music lovers. You can have amazing horse drawn rides with your family and can have a complete tour of old town just in 25 minutes.

Another amazing place to see with your family is the Hellbrunn Palace. The Palace has a 17th-century villa whose garden is amazingly designed by Markus Sittikus Von Hohenems and Price Archbishop.

For the kids who love to be in water or play water games, a tour of water game filled state can bring you the exciting time for soaking your siblings and enjoy the family time.

Related Read: 11 Tips for Vacation Travelling with Family

Rome, Italy

Who does not know the ancient history of Rome and what makes it the most amazing and enchanting place to visit, at least once in a lifetime. When you are planning to spend a family time, somewhere in Europe, you must plan for Rome, right now.

The place is a capital of ancient history and brings your eyes the stunning beauty of nature and some fantastic cuisine to sooth all your taste buds. The visit to Colosseum in Rome will bring some good thinking to your kids and will surely help them to witness, understand and learn the history in a better way.

Rome is the city of seven hills and has enjoyed amazing mythic beginning. Spending a day at the Colosseum, if end up with an afternoon at the café on the Piazza Navona with the big pasta plate at the Trattoria, is a pure delight.

Rome is known well for its history and structures like Pantheon and the Roman Forum with dozens of churches are the amazing historic gem that is worth watching.

It is also a perfect place for art enthusiastic people as they can visit the Vatican museum. While foodies can enjoy the splendid Italian food to surprise their taste buds.

Considering to visit one of these locations, at least once in your lifetime is a must while you are planning to spend some quality time with your family and make them enjoy the best of it.

Khurram Zahid

The post Top 5 European Destinations for Pakistanis for Family Vacation appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

What is Schengen Visa:
Schengen Visa is a type of Visa that is issued to those who wish to travel to countries that fall under the Schengen Agreement which includes multiple countries falling under the European Union as well as Europe in general. These countries have come together and made it easy for travelers to get a unified Visa that lets you enter any of these countries during your trip without the need of separately getting Visas for each of them. This makes it easier for the travelers and has helped immensely boost the tourism in these exotic destinations as well. The name Schengen comes from a village in southern Luxembourg where this agreement was signed. Currently the number of states that come under the said agreement are 26 and you can view the complete list here.

There are different types of Schengen Visas, however in this article we will be covering two main types i.e Tourist and Business Schengen Visas.

How to Apply for Schengen Visa from Pakistan:

To apply for Schengen Visa from Pakistan, you’ll need to submit the following documents so these should be kept handy:

* Two sets of the latest available Schengen Visa application form completely filled. One original, one copy.
* Family registration certificate as issued by NADRA and attested by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
* Machine readable passport with at least 2 blank pages. Should be valid until 3 months of the last day of the applicant’s stay.
* 3 recent color passport sized photographs with no editing whatsoever in a neutral pose.
* Property document if applicable. With 2 copies. English translation preferred.
* National ID Card
* If married, 2 copies of Nikahnama as well as its English translation.
* Proof of employment that mentions duration of current employment. English Translation mandatory.
* Application of leave that has been approved for the duration of the trip. Must be in English.
* If on a business trip, applicant should provide proof of registration of the business with the relevant authority. Tax papers from the past 2 years showing tax payment and registration of the business. English translations required.
* If employed then recent pay slips along with proof of employment i.e a letter from the company stating that the leave is approved for the duration of your trip and your employment shall continue after it.
* Copies of all previous Visas (this could be helpful if you have a good travel history as it makes Visa approval likely however not guaranteed)
* All previous passports including current, valid one.
* Round trip air ticket and itinerary with dates and flight numbers along with the entry and exit states. Can also ask for original air tickets at the time of Visa collection.
* Valid proof of sufficient funds covering the duration of the stay. Please note that each country has different minimum requirements hence funds should be according to the country where you plan to stay longest.
* Last but not the least, a travel insurance policy for the duration of travel is mandatory to apply for a Schengen Visa from Pakistan. It should provide coverage for upto 30,000 Euros/ 50,000 US Dollars. The applicant should present an insurance policy that states the policy number, validity, name of insured person and benefits. The policy should cover emergency hospital treatment, medical attention and repatriation for medical services on spot. This is a very vital part of the things required to apply Visa as travel insurance is mandatory for a Schengen Visa. Even if you’re travelling to a non-Schengen country, it’s highly advised that you opt for a suitable travel insurance as medical facilities are extremely expensive abroad and could cost you a lot of money. Smartchoice.pk has a travel insurance policy calculator that lets you search, compare and purchase a travel insurance policy in a few clicks. You can also read our write up on best practices to maintain and possible pitfalls to avoid while getting a travel insurance policy.

How and Where to Apply:
At this stage you should have your complete required documents as mentioned above ready and then proceed with applying for your Schengen Visa. For this you do not have a choice to apply at the consular mission of any country but to approach the consulate of the country you intend to stay in for the longest period of time.  It usually takes 15 days to process the Visa so plan to apply in advance accordingly from your date of departure.

Things To Keep Note Of:
Even if you follow all of the above instructions there’s no guarantee that you will be granted the visa. It’s also pertinent to mention that even if you’re granted the Visa you should keep all the other documents in hand as well because the border police can ask for extra evidence before granting entry into the country of stay. Also make sure the visa application form is submitted correctly and by you personally. Getting appointment with the consulate should be done by email as it’s the most appropriate way to do so.

That’s it folks. By following the above mentioned routine you can apply for a Schengen Visa to travel abroad with your loved ones and friends to your favorite destinations. Bon voyage!

Khurram Zahid

The post Guide To Applying Schengen Visa From Pakistan appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.