Planning to travel soon? Well, while there are many things that you need to arrange, one of the most daunting yet necessary ones is to apply for a visa. If you are specifically taking a trip to someplace in Europe (except the UK), then Schengen Visa is what you need to apply for! The embassy that you need to apply from is dependent on where you will be travelling first, and while each has a different procedure for application, these can sometimes be extremely confusing! However, do not panic! Here are some tips for you to follow which will help you navigate this process!
The first thing you should do is to get an appointment. You have to choose where to get the appointment, based on your country of entry. The other major thing that you should keep in mind while booking the appointment is to keep three weeks (15 working days) between the day you leave for your trip and the day you apply for your visa. Furthermore, a lot of places, which receive a large number of tourists, are usually all booked up. So do check early! In case, you feel you are too late, don’t panic. Keep checking the appointment slots- when people cancel, previous ones open up. You might get lucky!
The second thing that you should do is to make a proper itinerary for your Schengen trip. Unfortunately, unlike some places such as the UK or the USA, which give you a visa for a significant amount of time and as long as your trip ends before the expiry date of the visa, it is okay- Schengen in contrast tends to give a date to date, although exceptions are possible. Therefore, an itinerary is mandatory. Therefore, be sure to show your address proofs/ hotel proofs for each place that you visit. Flight and train tickets, especially from your home country to the place you are visiting are important. While they do request internal tickets and means of commute as well, if you would rather buy it on the spot, just mention in your cover letter that you will take local buses and tickets. Make this sentence bold so that it is prominent.
There is nothing like a visa office to bury you in paperwork. But ironically enough, this is the secret: the more documents you give, the more likely you are to get your visa. You would do well to return the favour! To do this, take the checklist very seriously. Try and get all your documents together according to it. Other than your travel details, get your bank statements stamped by the bank before submitting, your ITRs and your sponsor’s bank accounts and cover letters if any. Make sure to get your passport photo required for Schengen beforehand. If you have a host, make sure to request them for sponsor letters and address proofs/ salary slips and add them to your application as well. In each sponsor letter, make sure to mention the details of their financing you.
Here is the other thing: visa offices also can sense the tension and cater to you with generous facilities- one of which is the premium lounge. While these are definitely up to individual choice and useful, they sometimes cost money. Therefore, if you are on a budget, don’t feel compelled simply because you are tensed. Follow the list provided to you, to the core, and you will be able to manage!
Good Luck!
