Schengen Visa from UK – 5 Easy Steps to Apply from United Kingdom

If you’re planning on visiting the Schengen area, you won’t be disappointed. There are 26 countries full of exciting things to see and do. Head to Iceland for its stunning landscape or Greece for the hundreds of beautiful sandy beaches – perfect for spending time in the sun. Or why not spend time exploring the modern cities of Germany, Italy or Spain or explore the countryside in Poland or France. Whatever you do and wherever you go, you’ll be in for one treat after another! In this article learn more about how to apply for Schengen visa from UK for UK residents, British citizens, United Kingdom passport holders, visa appointment booking, Processing time at the UK visa application center, flight itinerary for Schengen visa, hotel bookings for Schengen visa, Schengen travel medical insurance and Schengen Visa Application Process in the United Kingdom.

Schengen Visas

In 2017, there were 264,979 Schengen visa applications received by the embassies and consulates located in the United Kingdom. 3,644 (1.4%) of these were rejected.

Applying for a Schengen Visa from the United Kingdom         

If you are planning on traveling to a Schengen country and you currently reside in the UK, you may or may not need to apply for a visa. There are 62 countries and territories whose citizens can travel to the Schengen area without obtaining a visa for a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period:

There are 22 EU Member States and 4 non-EU countries included in the Schengen area, so if you are not from a country that has visa-exempt status, but you currently live in the United Kingdom on a permanent basis, you will need to apply for Schengen visa.

You can do this easily from the UK as long as you can provide proof that you have a legal right to stay. Moreover, your residence permit must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your departure from the Schengen area. In addition, if you are not currently a resident of the UK, you can only apply for a Schengen visa from your own country.

Where to Apply for Schengen Visa in the UK

You will apply for your Schengen visa at the embassy or consulate of the country you are planning to visit. However, please be aware of the following regulations:

1. If you plan to visit only 1 Schengen country – you must apply at that country’s embassy or consulate in the UK. For example, if you are going to Spain only, you would apply for your visa at the Spanish Embassy in London
2. If you plan to visit more than 1 Schengen country – you must apply at the embassy or consulate of the country where you will spend the most time. For example, if you are planning on going to Italy for 3 days and Germany for 2 weeks, you would apply at the German Embassy in London
3. If you plan to visit more than 1 Schengen country and spend the same amount of time in each – you must apply at the embassy or consulate of the country you will enter first. For example, if you plan to visit, Italy, France and Belgium for 3 days each, you would apply at the Consulate General of Italy in London
4. If you plan to stay in the Schengen area for over 90 days – you must apply for a residence permit (Long stay visa), not a Schengen visa. For more information, refer to the respective embassy or consulate’s website

In order to find out which embassy or consulate you need to deal with, the Imperial College has a handy list of Schengen countries and contact information for the embassies and consulates located in the UK.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered

There are different types of visas you can apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for traveling to the Schengen area:

1. Schengen visa type A: Airport Transit visa – if you are transiting through the international zone of a Schengen country while you wait for your connecting flight
2. Schengen visa type C: Short-stay visa – for stays up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, or visiting family/friends. This visa may be issued for one, two or multiple entries
3. National visa type D: Long-stay visa – for stays exceeding 90 days for the purposes of employment, business, study, research, family unification, residence etc. This visa is issued for one or multiple entries

How to Apply for Schengen Visa from the UK

Your visa application will take around 15 days to be processed, so you should apply at least 15 days prior to your travel dates. However, this is not a guarantee because it could take longer to process depending on the type of visa you are applying for and your nationality. You can apply up to 3 months ahead of time, so don’t leave it too late.

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Schengen visa:

Step 1: Complete your application

The first thing to do is to complete your application form. You will be able to find this on the website of the embassy or consulate general you are dealing with. There are two ways to complete your form:

1. Use the embassy or consulate’s website to complete your form online
2. Download the application form from their website

Step 2: Make an appointment 

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below. Depending on the embassy or consulate you will either:

1. Use their online booking system to book a convenient day and time
2. Contact them by phone or email to make your appointment

In some cases, visa applications have been outsourced to third-party companies such as VFS Global and TLS Contact, but the website of the embassy or consulate will tell you whether you need to book your appointment directly with them.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

All of the Schengen embassies and consulates in the UK have specific requirements for what documents you need to provide, so it’s advisable to check what these are before you begin this step.

Common documents include:

1. A valid passport or travel document – must have been issued within the previous 10 years, have 2 free pages, and it must have at least 3 months remaining after your exit from the Schengen Area
2. A valid UK residence permit or other form of identity card. The UK residency permit must be endorsed in the actual passport (or on a new biometric ID card)
3. Visa application form filled out completely and signed
4. 1 x photo – it must be glued on the application form and it must meet certain specifications
5. A cover letter explaining the purpose of the visit to the Schengen area
6. Round trip flight/travel reservations or other proof of intended transport. Note that few Schengen Embassies in UK require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the visa application.
7. A complete itinerary for the entire duration of travel and for all countries to be visited
8. Schengen Travel Medical Insurance – for medical emergency and repatriation in the Schengen area for a minimum cover of €30,000
9. Hotel reservations or proof of participation in group travel
10. A recent statement of UK current account or travelers checks showing sufficient funds in the Schengen area (a minimum of £55 per person per day). Documents must not be older than 1 month
11. Reference letter of employment in the UK – must confirm salary, hire date, position, and dates of vacation (employees)
12. A recent letter (less than 3 months old) confirming professional activity, starting date, business registration, revenues from a solicitor/accountant/bank manager/local Chamber of Commerce and VAT certificate (self-employed)
13. An official recent letter from a school, college or university within the UK (less than 3 months old) – confirming the type of studies, details of the course and attendance record (Students)
14. Pension statement for the last 6 months (Retirees)
15. A recent (less than 3 months old) confirmation of employment letter from your spouse’s employer confirming position held within the company and starting date. Spouse’s valid passport, an officially translated marriage certificate (if unemployed and married to a UK citizen)

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment, go to the relevant embassy or consulate. Remember the following things:

1. Arrive early – if you are late, you may have to reschedule your appointment and this could delay your travel plans
2. Don’t forget your documents – if you submit an incomplete application, your application may be rescheduled or, at the very least, you will be sent home and your application will not be processed until you can provide everything that is required
3. Dress smartly – every little thing helps to make a good impression in front of the visa officer

The visa officer will examine your application and if they need any further information from you they may ask you additional questions. If they do this, simply answer politely and honestly.

Typical questions include:

1. Why do you wish to travel to the Schengen area?
2. How will you pay for this trip?
3. Will you be meeting anyone in the country you are visiting?
4. What is your job in the UK?
5. What will you do when you return to the UK

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa. There are a number of payment options available, including cash and debit/credit card, but you should check with the respective embassy or consulate. Please note, if your application is rejected this fee will NOT be refunded to you.

You may also have to provide biometric data which is a scan of your fingerprints and a digital photograph.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your visa application, you may have the opportunity to track its progress, so you should check with the embassy or consulate you are dealing with as to whether this option is available to you. Otherwise, you will be notified when a decision has been reached and you can either collect your passport from the visa office or you may be able to have it returned to you by mail.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – you will find your Schengen visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been refused for a reason. You can usually appeal the decision

Common rejection reasons include:

1. Missing documents – if you do not provide all the required documents, the embassy or consulate may reject your application. This is why it is a good idea to check what these requirements are before you submit your application
2. Travel insurance not valid – you must have the correct travel insurance for the specified amount and the required risks covered
3. Invalid passport – if your passport is not valid in any way (see above requirements), you must obtain a new one before applying for your visa
4. Lack of funds – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide, i.e. bank statements etc., must prove this

Conclusion

There are just 5 easy steps to apply for your Schengen visa from the UK

1. Complete your application online or download it
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

Once you get your visa, you can look forward to your exciting trip!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.