What important funds, accommodation, invitation, insurance, onward-travel or passport evidence may be required?
For a short Schengen visit, a third-country national may be asked to show a valid border-crossing passport issued within the previous ten years and normally valid at least three months beyond planned departure, a visa if required, the purpose and conditions of the visit, sufficient means for the stay and return or lawful acquisition of those means, and no applicable refusal/security ground. Tourism/private-visit examples in the Borders Code include a host invitation or lodging document, travel itinerary and return or round-trip ticket. A visa applicant additionally supplies purpose, accommodation, means and intended-departure evidence; where the Visa Code requires travel medical insurance, it covers repatriation, urgent care and emergency hospital treatment or death, with minimum EUR 30,000 coverage. Exact supporting documents depend on the traveller’s nationality, itinerary and whether a visa is required.
See recorded sources
- Current Schengen Borders Code art6(1)(a)-(e), passport, purpose, means and security
Article 6 Entry conditions for third-country nationals 1. For intended stays on the territory of the Member States of a duration of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, which entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay, the entry conditions for third-country nationals shall be the following: (a) they are in possession of a valid travel document entitling the holder to cross the border satisfying the following criteria: (i) its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States. In a justified case of emergency, this obligation may be waived; (ii) it shall have been issued within the previous 10 years; (b) they are in possession of a valid visa, if required pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 ( 8 ), except where they hold a valid residence permit or a valid long-stay visa; (c) they justify the purpose and conditions of the intended stay, and they have sufficient means of subsistence, both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to their country of origin or transit to a third country into which they are certain to be admitted, or are in a position to acquire such means lawfully; (d) they are not persons for whom an alert has been issued in the SIS for the purposes of refusing entry; (e) they are not considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Member States
- Current Schengen Borders Code Annex I(c), host/lodging, itinerary and return evidence
ANNEX I Supporting documents to verify the fulfilment of entry conditions The documentary evidence referred to in Article 6(3) may include the following: (a) for business trips: (i) an invitation from a firm or an authority to attend meetings, conferences or events connected with trade, industry or work; (ii) other documents which show the existence of trade relations or relations for work purposes; (iii) entry tickets for fairs and congresses if attending one; (b) for journeys undertaken for the purposes of study or other types of training: (i) a certificate of enrolment at a teaching institute for the purposes of attending vocational or theoretical courses in the framework of basic and further training; (ii) student cards or certificates for the courses attended; (c) for journeys undertaken for the purposes of tourism or for private reasons: (i) supporting documents as regards lodging: — an invitation from the host if staying with one; — a supporting document from the establishment providing lodging or any other appropriate document indicating the accommodation envisaged; (ii) supporting documents as regards the itinerary: — confirmation of the booking of an organised trip or any other appropriate document indicating the envisaged travel plans; (iii) supporting documents as regards return: — a return or round-trip ticket;
- Current Visa Code art14(1), visa purpose, lodging, means and return evidence
Article 14 Supporting documents 1. When applying for a uniform visa, the applicant shall present: (a) documents indicating the purpose of the journey; (b) documents in relation to accommodation, or proof of sufficient means to cover his accommodation; (c) documents indicating that the applicant possesses sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to his country of origin or residence, or for the transit to a third country into which he is certain to be admitted, or that he is in a position to acquire such means lawfully, in accordance with Article 5(1)(c) and (3) of the Schengen Borders Code; (d) information enabling an assessment of the applicant’s intention to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.
- Current Visa Code art15(1)-(3), travel medical insurance
Article 15 Travel medical insurance 1. Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States. ▼M5 2. Applicants for a multiple-entry visa shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit. ▼B In addition, such applicants shall sign the statement, set out in the application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays. 3. The insurance shall be valid throughout the territory of the Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30 000 .
