2.2 General information about the Schengen Short Stay Visa procedure

 

WHAT IS A SCHENGEN SHORT STAY VISA?

It is an authorisation issued by one of the Member States of the Schengen Area with a view to transit through or an intended stay in the territory of the Member States of duration of no more than 90 days (short stay) in any 180 day period.

 

The processing of visa applications is based on the VISA CODE Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009, last amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 of 20 June 2019. Information given below is also based on this Regulation.

 

WHICH COUNTRIES ISSUE SCHENGEN VISA?

There are currently 29 European countries in the Schengen Area, 25 of which are Member States of the European Union (below with *). These 29 countries share a common legal framework and there are no checks on the borders between them.

The countries issuing Schengen visas are: Austria*, Belgium*, Bulgaria*, Croatia*, the Czech Republic*, Denmark*, Estonia*, Finland*, France*, Germany*, Greece*, Hungary*, Iceland, Italy*, Latvia*, Liechtenstein, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Malta*, the Netherlands*, Norway, Poland*, Portugal*, Romania*, Slovakia*, Slovenia*, Spain*, Sweden* and Switzerland.

More information on the Schengen Area can be obtained visiting the following website: www.ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/index_en.htm

 

SCHENGEN VISA

UNIFORM VISA: the holder of a uniform visa is allowed to travel to the States mentioned above for a period not exceeding 90 days during any 180-day period. In order to calculate the period of allowed stay the applicant can consult the short stay calculator available on the website of the Directorate-General for Home Affairs of the European Commission.

VISA WITH LIMITED TERRITORIAL VALIDITY: the holder of a visa with limited territorial validity is allowed to travel to the State(s) indicated on the visa sticker but not to any of the other Schengen States.

Please note that long stay visas are issued according to the national regulations of each Member State. All relevant information can be obtained from the Diplomatic or Consular Missions of the Member States. Useful information can also be obtained via the EU Immigration Portal

www.ec.europa.eu/immigration/

 

VALIDITY OF PASSPORTS

The applicant shall present a valid travel document (passport) the validity of which extends at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States (or, in the case of several visits, after the last intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States). It shall contain at least two blank pages and shall have been issued within the previous 10 years.

 

HOW MANY TIMES CAN I USE MY SCHENGEN VISA?

On the visa sticker the “number of entries” is indicated: “1”, “2” or "MULT". The holder of a multiple entry visa ("MULT") may enter the Schengen area unlimited number of times during the validity of the visa while respecting the rules on duration of stay.

 

WHO CAN APPLY FOR A SCHENGEN VISA IN IRAN?

Iranian nationals and nationals of other countries legally residing in Iran can apply.

 

WHICH MEMBER STATE IS COMPETENT FOR EXAMINING AND DECIDING ON MY VISA APPLICATION?

The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa shall be:

  1. the Member State whose territory constitutes the sole destination of the visit(s).
  2. if the visit includes more than one destination, or if there are several separate visits within 2 months, the Member State whose territory constitutes the main destination of the visit(s) in terms of the length or purpose of stay.
  3. if no main destination can be determined, the Member State whose external border the applicant intends to cross first in order to enter the territory of the Member States.

For more information regarding the competent consulate of the Member State (if there are more than one) and information regarding possible commercial intermediates and external service providers, please visit the web pages of the Member States.

WHAT TO DO IF A SCHENGEN COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE AN EMBASSY/CONSULATE IN IRAN?

If a Schengen country does not have an Embassy/Consulate in Iran, or if the present Embassy/Consulate is not issuing visas, a Schengen visa application may be submitted to the Schengen state which "represents" this country for visa matters.

Please note that applications can be submitted to an external service provider. You are encouraged to check the websites of relevant Schengen countries in order to know where you can lodge your application.

 

VISA FEE

Applicants shall pay a visa fee of EUR 80 (+ administration fees set by the VFS Global visa outsourching company).

Children from the age of six years and below the age of 12 years shall pay a visa fee of EUR 40 (+ administration fees set by the VFS Global visa outsourching company).

 

Nationals from countries with a visa facilitation agreement (as per February 2020: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and holders of non-biometric passports from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine), shall pay a visa fee of EUR 35.

 

HOW LONG BEFORE THE START OF THE INTENDED VISIT SHOULD I APPLY?

It is advisable to lodge the application as early as possible and at least 4 weeks before the intended visit. Please note that applications can be lodged no more than six months before the start of the intended visit (nine months for seafarers).

Holders of a multiple-entry visa may lodge the application before the expiry of the visa valid for a period of at least six months.

 

DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT FOR SUBMITTING MY APPLICATION?

Applicants may be required to obtain an appointment for the lodging of an application. You are invited to check the websites of the Member States.

 

WHAT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE ATTACHED TO MY APPLICATION?

Each applicant must submit a completed and signed application form, and present a set of supporting documents. Check the website of the Member States for the application form and supporting documents. You can find the list of supporting documents on the VFS Global website. Application form is available here.

Please note that during the examination of your application the consular post may in individual cases request additional documents and you may be called for an interview.

 

TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE

Applicants for one or two entries must also prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance, covering emergency medical, hospitalisation and repatriation (including in case of death). The minimum cover should be of 30,000 EUR. This insurance must be valid for the entire Schengen area and throughout the duration of the stay.

Applicants for a uniform visa for more than two entries (multiple entries) shall be in possession of travel medical insurance covering their stays; at the time of application, they need to prove that they have a travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit, and sign the related statement in the application form.

We hereby inform our client, that the consular sections of the Member States only accept travel and medical insurance certificates issued by the following insurance companies:

Iranian Insurance Provider

Iran Insurance

Karafarin Insurance

Kosar Insurance

Parsian Insurance

Pasargad Insurance

Saman Insurance

 

BIOMETRICS COLLECTION

All Schengen visa applicants in Iran have to appear in person in order to provide biometric data (fingerprints and digital photography).

The photograph can be digitally taken at the time of the application or scanned from a recent one, if conform to ICAO standards[2].

For subsequent applications (within 5 years), the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS.

In case of reasonable doubt regarding the identity of the applicant, the consulate will collect again fingerprints within the 5 year-period specified above. Furthermore, the applicant may request that they be collected if, at the time when the application is lodged, it cannot be immediately confirmed that the fingerprints were collected within this 5 years period.

Visa applicants' biometric data can be collected by Schengen States' consulates and external service providers but not commercial intermediaries (e.g. travel agencies).

 

WHO IS WAIVED FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO GIVE FINGERPRINTS?

The following applicants shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints:

[Please note that applicants falling under category (b) must still appear personally at a consulate or external service provider]

  1. children under the age of 12;
  2. persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible. If the fingerprinting of fewer than 10 fingers is possible, the maximum number of fingerprints shall be taken. However, should the impossibility be temporary, the applicant shall be required to give the fingerprints at the following application. The competent authorities shall be entitled to ask for further clarification of the grounds for the temporary impossibility.
  3. heads of State or government and members of a national government (Ministers and Ministers of State only) with accompanying spouses, and the members of their official delegation when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organisations for an official purpose;

This list is mandatory and exhaustive. Holders of diplomatic passports are not exempted as such from the fingerprinting requirement. They may be exempted if they are members of the official delegation of heads of State/ members of a national government invited for an official purpose.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE CONSULATE TO DECIDE ON MY APPLICATION?

Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application. The visa process takes approximately 3 weeks including the delivery of the decision.

This period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed.

 

WHICH THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS ARE SUBJECT TO PRIOR CONSULTATION DURING THE PROCEDURE?

A Member State may require the central authorities of other Member States to consult its central authorities during the examination of visa applications lodged by nationals of specific third countries or specific categories.

 

WHAT CAN I DO IF THE VISA IS REFUSED?

Applicants who have been refused a visa receive a standard refusal form with reasons of the refusal. They have the right to appeal, following the procedure and respecting the time limit indicated in the standard form. Appeals are made against the Member State that has taken the decision, in according with its national legislation.

 

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I HAVE TO TAKE WITH ME WHEN I TRAVEL ON A SCHENGEN VISA?

Mere possession of a Schengen visa does not garantee an automatic right to enter the Schengen Area.

At the external border, visa holders may be requested to produce documents justifying the purpose and conditions of their intended stay; that they have sufficient means of subsistence, both for the period of the intended stay and for the return to their country of origin or transit to a third state into which they are certain to be admitted, or are in a position to acquire such means lawfully. For full information see – Information Sheet to Visa holders

 

FAMILY MEMBERS OF EU/EEA NATIONALS AND SWISS NATIONALS

If you are a family member of an EU/Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway or Swiss national, you shall benefit from a simplified and accelerated visa procedure, including exemption from the visa fee, as long as you meet the following criteria:

  1. You are a family member (this includes a spouse, registered partner, child who is under 21 or a depending family member) of an EU/Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway or Swiss national (or of his/her spouse/registered partner); AND
  1. That EU/Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway or Swiss national is residing in another Member State than that of which he/she is a national or travelling there to take up residence; AND
  1. You are accompanying the EU/Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway or Swiss national or planning to join him/her for residence.

The visa should be applied for at the Embassy/Consulate of the country of future residence of the EU/Iceland/Liechtenstein/Norway or Swiss national, not at the Embassy of his/her country of origin.

If you think you qualify for visa facilitation you will need to show proof that you meet these criteria when you submit your visa application.

 

For other queries please refer to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)