VISA TYPES
Schengen
Visa: what is it?
If you’re
traveling to Europe and entering the Schengen Area from a country without a
visa-free travel arrangement, you’ll need to get a visa. These come in four
main Schengen visa category or Schengen visa types A, B, C, and D.
The most
common Schengen visa type, a Uniform Schengen Visa, covers category A and C,
providing you with your airport transit visa and allowing you to stay in any
country in the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days in a six-month period. This will
be the visa you need if traveling to Europe for a short vacation.
Category B
relates to journeys lasting fewer than five days, while Category D is for
longer stays to work or study.
Visa type C
and Visa type D can be single, double, or multiple-entry visas, with the former
only allowing you to enter the Schengen Area once, while the others allow you
to leave and then return while the visa is valid. Multiple entry visas can be
valid for one, three, or five years.
Another type
of visa is a Limited Territorial Visa that only allows you to travel through
one country. These are generally only issued in peculiar or emergency cases
when a standard visa to visit Europe is unobtainable.
Category D
national visas permit you to study, work, or even permanently reside in one of
the Schengen countries.