Swedish Consulate Houston – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Sweden Schengen Visa

Sweden is a fabulous Schengen country with lots to see and do. While there are cities and towns to explore, like Stockholm and Uppsala, it’s the countryside that will amaze you the most. With 30 national parks, with trails that are signposted, there are plenty of opportunities for hiking through the stunning wilderness! In this article learn more about how to apply for Sweden visa at the Swedish consulate in Houston, Texas, Sweden visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Sweden visa application center, flight itinerary for Sweden visa, hotel bookings for Sweden visa, Schengen travel insurance for Sweden visa application, and Sweden Visa Application Process at the Houston embassy.

Sweden Schengen Visa

In 2017, there were a total of 248,347 Sweden Schengen visa applications received. 9.90% of these were denied. The Embassy of Sweden in Washington processed 3,225 applications and rejected 91 (2.8%) of them.

Applying for a Schengen Visa from the United States

If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need a visa to be able to enter and stay in Sweden, however, if you are a non-US citizen you DO need to apply for a Sweden visa. In order to apply for your visa in the United States, you must live in the US on a permanent basis and you need to prove that you have a legal right to remain in the United States.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Swedish embassy and consulate. The consulate in Houston does not deal with visa applications, instead if you live in Southern Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, you may submit your application to VFS Global in Houston. It is the Embassy of Sweden in Washington that makes the final decision about your visa.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at VFS Global in Houston/the Embassy of Sweden in Washington

There are 2 types of visas that you can apply for. The one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and why you wish to go to Sweden:

1. Schengen visa – this is for a maximum of 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, conference, sports, visiting family/friends and airport transit. These visas are issued as single, double, or multiple entry
2. National visa – this is a long-stay visa for over 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, residence etc. They are issued as single or multiple entry. If you are applying for this type of visa, you need to get a visitor’s permit. Your application can be submitted to the Embassy in Washington, but they will forward your documents to the Swedish Migration Agency for processing. For further information, go to the Swedish Migration Agency’s website for details on how to apply

Schengen Visa Application Process at VFS Global in Houston/Embassy of Sweden in Washington

Once the embassy receives your application from VFS Global, they will notify you of a decision within 15 days. You can apply up to 3 months ahead of your trip, however, if your application is handed in over 90 days ahead, it won’t be accepted. The embassy will not provide a decision on the same day, so don’t leave it too late.

Usually, you have to apply in person, but you may have the option of applying by mail. See VFS Global’s website for more information and to see whether you qualify to do this.

Step 1: Complete your application

Applications for Schengen visas are made through VFS Global in Houston. Go to their website and click on: “Know your visa type”:

Then, click on the category of visa you need, i.e. tourism, business etc:

On the next page, click on: “Documents required” and you’ll find the link for the application form. Download the form, so you can print and complete it:

For long-stay National visas, go the website of the Swedish Migration Agency and you will find the relevant form to download:

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:

1. For Schengen visa applications, go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an appointment”:
2. Next, create an account:
3. Then, log in:

You’ll then be able to book a suitable day and time for your appointment.

Remember to print your appointment letter because you need to take it with you when you attend your appointment at VFS Global in Houston.

For long-term visas, you need to contact the Swedish Embassy and schedule an appointment through their office.

Step 3: Prepare your documents for submission to VFS Global in Houston/Embassy of Sweden in Washington

It is your responsibility to provide all the required documents for your visa application. If you submit your application with anything missing, it may not be accepted. It’s a good idea to check VFS Global’s website for the documents required for each type of Schengen visa before you begin. For National visas, go to the Swedish Migration Agency’s website.

You must also provide originals as well as photocopies, so remember to this part too!

Documents include:

1. Completed and signed visa application form
2. Passport – valid for 3 months after your return to the US, issued within the last 10 years and must have 2 blank pages for visa
3. Residence card or valid US visa including re-entry permit
4. Passport-sized photo
5. Verification of employment status – employer letter/last 3 pay slips OR a letter from school/university OR business license and tax return OR proof of pension income
6. Sufficient financial means – 3 x bank statements
   
7. Flight reservation
8. Proof of hotel reservation or other accommodation
9. Schengen travel insurance with a minimum of €30,000 to cover medical costs, emergency treatment, and repatriation
10. Birth certificate/Marriage certificate
11. Parent’s consent form and parent’s ID (for minors)
12. Confirmation of sponsorship/event
13. FBI record check
14. Work contract/enrollment letter/invitation letter etc.

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 visa interview

If you have scheduled an appointment, go to VFS Global in Houston (Schengen visa applications) or the Swedish Embassy in Washington (National visa applications). Remember the following things:

1. Don’t forget anything – you must submit a completed application form, appointment letter as well as ALL of your supporting documents (including photocopies). If you fail to comply with the requirements, your application could be rejected
2. Arrive early – if you are late, you may have to reschedule your appointment and this could delay your travel plans
3. Dress smartly – if you turn up in shorts and a t-shirt, this will not make a good impression in front of the visa staff

The visa officer will look at your application and if he/she needs to clarify anything, they may ask you more questions. They are trying to obtain all the facts in order to make a fair decision about your application, so remain calm, smile and answer the questions truthfully.

Typical questions include:

1. Will you be seeking employment in Sweden?
2. Do you know anyone in the Schengen area?
3. What do you know about Sweden?
4. What will you do if your visa is rejected?
5. What did you say you do in the US?

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 application by credit or debit card. Cash or personal checks are not accepted. This fee is non-refundable even if your application is rejected. There is also an additional service fee of $33 payable to VFS Global. Plus, if you wish to have your passport mailed to you, VFS Global charge $30 for this service.

The Embassy accepts money orders or certified bank checks. These should be payable to the Embassy of Sweden.

For postal applications, you should provide 2 money orders or cashier’s checks:

1. $65 payable to the Embassy of Sweden
2. $63 payable to VFS Services USA Inc. ($33 service charge and $30 for return by mail)

If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will need to provide biometric data which is a scan of your fingerprints and a photograph. However, if you have given this data already, it can be reused as long as it is within 5 years.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have handed your application over to be processed, you can track it. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on the “Track your application” tab:

Key in your reference number and date of birth and click on: “Submit”:

If a decision has been reached, you can collect your passport from VFS Global’s office in Houston or you can have it returned to you by mail.

There are 2 outcomes:

1. Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason

Common rejection reasons include:

1. Invalid passport – if your passport is invalid in any way (see above requirements), you must get a new one before applying for your visa
2. Marriage certificate missing – when applying for a visa, you may have to prove family relations, for example, if you wish to visit Sweden to join your spouse who is an EU citizen. In this case, you would need to provide your marriage certificate
3. Employment status has not been confirmed – you must confirm your employment status whether you are employed, self-employed, retired or a student (see above requirements)
4. You have a criminal background – if you have been involved in any criminal activities in the past, the embassy will reject your application because they consider you a threat to the security and public of Sweden

Contact details for VFS Global in Houston

Address: 2425 West Loop S, Suite 330, Houston, TX 77002

Email: Sweden.usa@vfsglobal.com

Telephone: 347-329-2738 – Call center is open Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 3.00 pm (submission of applications)

Monday to Friday, 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm (collection of passports)

Contact details for the Embassy of Sweden in Washington DC

Address: 2900 K Street NW, Washington DC 20007

Email: ambassaden.washington@gov.se

Telephone: +1 202 467 2600

Fax: +1 202 467 2699

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5.00 pm

Passport hours: 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm

Visa phone hours: Monday and Thursday, 11.00 am to 12.00 pm

Conclusion

Just follow these 5 steps when you apply for your Sweden Schengen visa:

1. Complete your application
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your interview
5. Receive your visa

Then, all you need to do is get excited about your upcoming trip to Sweden!

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.

See Also

How To Apply for Sweden Schengen Visa at Swedish Consulate in NYC, New York

How To Apply for Sweden Schengen Visa at Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC

Worldwide Visa Requirements