Schengen Visa

About Schengen Visa

• It is an official document mandatory for some non-Europeans to travel to all the 27 countries which are part of the Schengen area.
• Once granted, this visa allows the traveller to cross the borders of the other member-states without going through identity checks at the border.
• The Schengen visas allow visitors to travel freely in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.
• The visas do not give the right to work.

What is the Schengen Area?

• It is a group of 27 European nations that have abolished their internal borders, for the free and unrestricted movement of people.
• Members of this area include 23 of the 27 EU member states (except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania) and all members of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
• Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway are not in the EU but are inside of the Schengen Area.
• Being part of this area means that countries:
  • Do not carry out checks at their internal borders, except in cases of specific threats;
  • Carry out harmonized controls at their external borders, based on clearly defined criteria.

Q1: What is the European Free Trade Association?

It is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1960 by the Stockholm Convention. Its objective is to promote free trade and economic integration between its members within Europe and globally.

Source: Indian nationals can now apply for multiple-entry Schengen visa with longer validity