The Schengen Area is the area comprising 26 European countries that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their common borders, also referred to as internal borders. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The Area is named after the Schengen Agreement.
Entry conditions for third-country nationals
A Schengen visa or a visa exemption does not, in and of itself, entitle a traveller to enter the Schengen Area. The Schengen Borders Code lists requirements which third-country nationals must meet to be allowed into the Schengen Area. For this purpose, a third-country national is a person who does not enjoy the right of free movement.
The entry requirements for third country nationals who intend to stay in the Schengen Area for not more than 90 days in any 180 day period are as follows:
He/she is in possession of a valid travel document or documents authorising them to cross the border; the acceptance of travel documents for this purpose remains within the domain of the member states
The travel document must be valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area and must have been issued within the previous 10 years
The traveller either possesses a valid visa (if required) or a valid residence permit
The traveller can justify the purpose and conditions of the intended stay and has sufficient means of subsistence, both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his or her country of origin or transit to a third country into which the traveller is certain to be admitted, or is in a position to acquire such means lawfully
The Schengen Information System does not contain an alert for refusal of entry concerning the traveller
The traveller is not considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Schengen states.
Schengen Visa Fee
In accordance with the guidelines of the European Union, any Schengen visa application has to be accompanied by a payment of visa fees. The fees (Processing + Visa) are to be paid on the day the application is being submitted. They are not refundable whether a visa is granted or refused.
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