If you want to spend your holiday with your loved ones and share amazing memories, here’s your entire guide on applying for a Schengen Visitor or Family Visa as a family or as a group.
A group or family trip to Europe is an excellent way to discover magnificent sites with some of your favorite people.
However, applying for a Schengen Family Visa is an important step that you must take in order to have an amazing vacation experience and build memories that you will talk about for years.
Who Is Eligible to Apply for Family Schengen Visa?
In order to visit family or friends who live in or are citizens of the Schengen region, nationals of a third country who are not eligible for visa-free travel or visas on arrival may apply for a Schengen Visitor or Family Visa.
What Documentation Is Necessary to Apply for a Schengen Family Visa?
It is important to understand that each application will typically require the same required documents, such as a valid visa, visa pictures, etc., before describing the various required documents for each purpose. For every application, the necessary documents will remain the same, but you will need to provide extra documents for other objectives.
- Visa Application: A completed application for a Schengen visa with all the necessary data. A visa application cost of €80 for adults and €40 for children between the ages of six and 18 is additionally required. Children less than six receive entry free.
- Two Photographs: Two recent (within three months) photographs that are exactly the same.
- An active passport.
- Invitation letter: A copy of email or invite letter from a friend or family member.
- A copy of their residency permit is also required if they are not citizens. Flight plans and reservations.
- Travel insurance: for the Schengen area. You must present a document verifying that you have urgent health insurance with no less than €30,000 in coverage, covering transportation in the event of death
- Travel Itinerary: Your travel schedule outlining your travel arrangements.
- sources of support: You will need to provide evidence that you have the resources necessary to support yourself throughout your visit to the Schengen Area.
- The minimal requirement varies from nation to nation. You can accomplish this by submitting bank account statements, a letter of sponsorship from a friend or relative pledging to cover your stay or a combination of the two.
- Evidence of accommodations: This could be a reservation for a friend’s or relative’s apartment, a hotel or hostel, or a rental agreement.
- Proof of Family Relatives
- Employment status.
- If employed:
- Proof of Employment contract,
- Leave permission letter from the employer
- ITR (Income Tax Return)
- If self-employed:
- A proof of your business license,
- latest 6 months Company’s bank statement
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
- If a student:
- Proof of enrollment &
- NOC (No objection certificate) from your college or university
- If employed:
- Minor travelers:
- A copy of your Birth certificate
- if minor travelling alone, should submit NOC by both parents / guardians
- Copies of parents passports or ID
How to Get a Family Visa for the Schengen Area?
- Decide which Schengen country you’ll visit the most while on vacation. You will submit an application for a Schengen Visitor Visa to that country’s consulate.
- Select “Visiting Family or Friends” as your trip’s objective.
- Determine the number of “Entries” to the Schengen area you require.
- Gather your Basic Required Documents as well as the documents required for a Schengen Visa for Visiting Family or Friends.
- Complete the application. You may need to use an online application site or manually complete a paper application depending on which Schengen country you are in.
- Pay the application money for a Schengen Visitor Visa. A service fee will probably need to be included with your visa application. The visa fee, which you will probably pay in person at your ensuing interview appointment at a Visa Application Center, is a distinct expense from this one.
- Please submit your application.
- Set up a time for the interview. Interviews are held in person at a Visa Application Center connected to the consulate of the nation you are applying to, at the embassy or consulate of the country you are applying to, or both.
When Should You Apply for a Schengen Visa to Visit Family, Friends, or Relatives in Europe?
You must apply for a Schengen Visa for Visiting Family or Friends at least 15 calendar days before your planned journey to the EU.
The Schengen nations have a set of guidelines about when you should file your application, both early and late. While two weeks is the absolute latest, you can apply for a Schengen Visitor or Family Visa three months before your travel.
Where Can You Apply for Schengen Family Visa?
You should apply for the Visiting Family or Friends Schengen Visa at the consulate or embassy of the country you are traveling to in the Schengen region, or at a Visa Registration Center affiliated with the nation’s consulate.
If you want to visit numerous Schengen countries, you should apply at the embassy, consulate, or Visa Registration Office for the country where you are going to spend the most time. If you want to spend an equal amount of time in each of the countries, you must apply at the embassy, consulate, or Visa Registration Office of the country in which you will arrive first.
How Long Does a Schengen Visitor or Family Visa Take?
A response to your Schengen Visitor Visa application for Visiting Family or Friends will take at least 15 calendar days. Around the world, the processing period for a Schengen visa is about two weeks.
However, depending on your circumstances, your application may take longer to process. In some circumstances, embassies will process a visa in 30 days, while in others, you may have to wait 60 calendar days.
How long does the Schengen Family Visa Valid?
The duration of your Schengen Family Visa for traveling with family or friends in Europe is determined by the consulate or embassy that issued it to you. A Schengen Visiting Family visa with a maximum period of 90 days per 6 months is available.
The total number of days you are permitted to stay in the Schengen Area, on the other hand, is mentioned on the Schengen visa sticker affixed to your passport. If you intend to stay in Europe for more than 90 days, you must obtain a tourist’s resident permit.
What are the necessities for children to travel?
A birth certificate, copies of both parent’s passports or other forms of identification, and notarized notices of commencement are also required if you are taking children to see family members. If the youngster is traveling alone, these must also be supplied.
A family vacation in Europe and the Schengen Area is an excellent way to build wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
Yes, trying to get a Schengen Visitor or Family Visa as a member of a family or group can be intimidating and stressful. provided you know exactly what procedures to follow when applying for you and your children, your Schengen Visa request procedure will be simple and straightforward.