Swedish Consulate SFO, San Francisco- 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Sweden Schengen Visa
When you visit Sweden, you won’t be short of things to see and do. This Schengen country is full of interesting palaces and castles, cities with lots of restaurants, in which to sample the excellent food, and some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe with national parks, waterfalls, and islands. In this article learn more about how to apply for Sweden visa at the Swedish consulate in San Francisco, California, 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 SFO embassy.
Sweden Schengen Visa
In 2017, there were a total of 248,347 Sweden Schengen visa applications received worldwide. 24,598 (9.90%) of these were rejected. The Embassy of Sweden in Washington received 3,225 applications and rejected 91 (2.8%).
Applying for a Schengen Visa from the United States
If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need a visa to go to Sweden. However, if you are not a US citizen, but you permanently live in the US, you DO need a visa to be able to travel to Sweden.
You have to make sure you apply at the right Swedish embassy and consulate. The Consulate General of Sweden in San Francisco does not deal with visa applications, however, you can still apply from the United States. It is VFS Global that receives visa applications and you can apply through one of their offices which are located in New York, San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, and Houston. Therefore, if you live in California, you may submit your visa application to VFS Global’s office in San Francisco. Your visa application will be reviewed by the Embassy of Sweden in Washington.
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at VFS Global in San Francisco/the Embassy of Sweden in Washington
There are 2 types of visas that you can apply for and the one you need will depend on:
- The duration of your trip
- Your reason for going to Sweden
Schengen visa – for stays up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, conference, sports, visiting family/friends and airport transit
National visa – for stays over 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, residence etc. If you are applying for a National visa, you will also need a residence permit. You will hand your application into the Embassy in Washington, but it will be processed by the Swedish Migration Agency. For further information, go to the Swedish Migration Agency’s website.
When you apply for your visa, you can choose the number of times you wish to enter Sweden. For example:
- Single entry – you can enter one time only
- Double entry – you can enter twice
- Multiple entry – you can enter as many times as you like (before the visa expires)
Schengen Visa Application Process at VFS Global in San Francisco/the Embassy of Sweden in Washington
Your visa application will be processed within 15 days, but you still need to apply well in advance because some applications could take longer. You may submit your application up to 90 days before your trip, so don’t leave it too late! Applications older than 90 days will not be accepted and if you hand your application in less than 15 days before, there may not be enough time for it to be processed.
Rather than submitting your application in person, you may be eligible to send it by mail. Go to VFS Global’s website for more information and to see whether you qualify for this.
Step 1: Complete your application
The first thing you need to do is to complete your application form. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Know your visa type”:
Then, click on the category of visa you need, i.e. business/conference/sports 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 application form to download:
Please make sure that the application form is properly signed and bring this with you when attending your visa appointment. If there is anything missing, VFS will not accept it nor will it be submitted to the Embassy for processing.
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:
- Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
- Submit the appointment details, the visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
- Receive appointment confirmation in email
You can also make an appointment on your own by following the below steps:
- For Schengen visa applications, go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an appointment”:
- Next, create an account:
- Then, login:
You’ll then be able to book a suitable day and time for your appointment. Don’t forget to print your appointment letter because you need to take it with you when you attend your appointment.
For long-term visas, you need to schedule an appointment with the Swedish Embassy:
Step 3: Prepare your documents for submission to VFS Global in San Francisco/Embassy of Sweden in Washington
Before you start this step, spend time looking at the requirements on VFS Global’s website. For National visas, go to the Swedish Migration Agency’s website. If you submit an incomplete application, it may get rejected which is the last thing you want as it may delay or prevent your trip!
You must also provide originals as well as photocopies, so remember to this part too!
Documents include:
- Completed and signed the visa application form
- Appointment letter
- Passport – no older than 10 years, valid for 3 months after your trip and it must have 2 free pages
- Residence card or valid US visa including re-entry permit – valid for 3 months past your trip
- Passport-sized photo
- Verification of your professional status – an employer letter/last 3 pay slips OR a letter from school/university OR business license and tax return OR pension certificate
- Sufficient financial means – the last 3 bank statements
- Flight reservation
- Hotel reservation or other accommodation in Sweden, e.g. rental agreement, etc
- Schengen travel insurance with a minimum of €30,000 to cover medical costs, emergency treatment, and repatriation
- Birth certificate and/or certificate of marriage
- A parental consent form and parent’s ID (for minors)
- Details and proof of participation in any type of event
- Details of sponsorship
- FBI record check
- Contract of employment/enrollment letter/letter of invitation 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:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 4: Attend your visa interview
On the day of your appointment, remember the following things:
- Arrive at VFS Global in San Francisco, for Schengen visa applications, or the Swedish Embassy in Washington, for National visa applications, early. If you are late, you may have to make a new appointment
- Remember to take all your documents – if you forget anything your application will not be processed
- Dress appropriately – dressing too casually will not make a good impression and this should be your aim
When arriving at the visa application center, hand over your appointment letter at the reception desk. When it’s your turn, you will hand over your application and supporting documents for review. If the visa officer needs to clarify anything, he/she may ask you questions about the information you have provided. If this happens, simply answer the questions honestly.
- What do you know about the Schengen area?
- Have you ever traveled to Sweden before?
- Where are you planning on staying in Sweden?
- What will you do if your visa is denied?
- Do you have any children?
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. You can pay by credit or debit card only. VFS Global also charge a service fee of $33 plus $30 if you wish to have your passport mailed back to you. These fees won’t be refunded even if your application is rejected.
The Embassy accepts money orders or certified bank checks payable to the Embassy of Sweden.
For postal applications, you should provide 2 money orders or cashier’s checks:
- $65 payable to the Embassy of Sweden
- $63 payable to VFS Services USA Inc. ($33 service charge and $30 for return by mail)
| Type of Visa | Fee |
| Schengen Visa | $65 |
| For citizens of Albania, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Moldavia, Russia, and Ukraine | $40 |
For National visa fees, go to the Swedish Migration Agency’s website.
If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will need to provide a scan of your fingerprints and a photograph. However, if you have previously applied for a visa in the last 5 years and your biometric data is available from the Visa Information System (VIS), it can be reused.
Step 5: Receive your visa
Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress. 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 San Francisco OR your passport will be returned to you via courier.
There are 2 outcomes:
- Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
- Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason
Common rejection reasons include:
- Lack of funds – it appears that you are unable to afford your trip, so you must provide proof that you can
- Proof of employment in Sweden not included – if you are working in Sweden, you must provide a work contract
- You have applied for the incorrect visa – you must apply for the correct visa depending on the duration of your trip and your reason for traveling to Sweden (see above information)
- Proof of residence not included – you must provide proof of your legal right to stay in the US – a valid residence card or visa
Contact details for VFS Global in San Francisco, SFO
Address: 110 Sutter Street, Floor 05, San Francisco, CA 94104
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
It isn’t difficult to apply for your Sweden Schengen visa. All you need to do is to follow these steps:
- Complete your application
- Make an appointment
- Prepare your documents
- Attend your interview
- Receive your visa
Once you get your visa, you’ll be ready for your fantastic 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 Chicago, Illinois
How To Apply for Sweden Schengen Visa at Swedish Consulate in Houston, Texas
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
