You'll need to apply for a Schengen visa if you're traveling to Europe and entering the Schengen Area from a nation where you don't have a visa-free travel arrangement. A, B, C, and D are the four main Schengen Visa categories or Schengen Visa kinds.

A Uniform Schengen Visa, the most frequent Schengen Visa type, covers categories A, B, and C, giving you an airport transit visa and allowing you to stay in any Schengen Zone nation for up to 90 days in six months. If you're going to Europe for a brief holiday, you'll require this visa.

There are three different types of Schengen visas.

1. Apply for a Schengen visa or a transit visa at an airport.

Citizens of non-Schengen countries can transit through or wait for their connecting aircraft in the international zone of a Schengen country with a type A visa. It is required for travelers traveling from one non-Schengen country to another non-Schengen country and connecting flights in a Schengen country's airport. A type A visa holder is not permitted to enter the Schengen country in question.

2. Schengen visa type B

The type B visa, which is for trips of less than five days, has been superseded by a type "C" visa with the condition "transit."

3. Schengen visa type C

The brief stay The most frequent visa is the Schengen visa. It is issued by a Schengen country's visa services (embassies, consulates, and other designated foreign providers). It entitles the holder to stay or travel freely in the Schengen area for no more than 90 days every 180 days.

Citizens of some nations are required to have it. Read the Schengen visa entry requirements to see if you need a category C Schengen visa.

The short-stay category C Schengen visa may be used for the following purposes:

A single-entry visa (designated by the number "1" on the visa sticker) allows the holder to visit the Schengen area only once. If you leave the area, your visa's validity expires, even if the validity period hasn't yet expired. In a nutshell, any exit has to be considered final!

A double-entry visa (designated by the number "2" on the visa sticker) allows the holder to visit the Schengen area twice within the visa's validity period. During that time, you are free to leave and return to the Schengen area. Your visa will expire the second time you leave the area.

A multiple-entry visa (designated by the letters « MULT » on the visa sticker) permits the holder to enter and exit the country as often as they wish. Over 180 days, this authorization is valid for a maximum of 90 days.

4. Schengen visa type D or a national long-stay visa

The national visa is a Schengen category D long-stay visa. Any foreigner seeking to study, work, or live in a Schengen country for more than 90 days must have it (up to 1 year). It allows its bearer to travel and stay in the Schengen area outside of the original Schengen country for up to 90 days over 180 days and for the duration of their visa's validity.

The following are examples of travel reasons that may warrant obtaining a category D visa:

tourism or private visits

professional activities

to study, to take part in a training program or complete an internship

family reasons

The national visa, also known as a Type D visa, is given by the consular authorities of the Schengen country to which you are traveling in line with national law. As a result, it is required to contact the country's services to learn about the many conditions and formalities that must be completed. It can be awarded as a single or multiple-entry Long-stay visa under certain circumstances.

The following are examples of multiple-entry visas:

Schengen Visa with multiple entries for one year

If you have used three visas in the previous two years, you can apply for this Schengen Visa type. When applying for this Schengen Visa type, you must provide proof of previous visas and journeys to the Schengen Area. Each 180-day term allows you to enter for 90 days.

Schengen Visa with multiple entries for three years

Applicants who have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for one year within the previous two years are eligible for a three-year multiple-entry visa. The 90/180 rule is in effect.

Schengen Visa with multiple entries for five years

If you have received and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for at least two years in the last three years, you can apply for a five-year multiple-entry visa.

Schengen Visa Rule 90/180

The nature of the 90/180 rule is vital to know for multiple-entry visa holders. Most people believe the 180-day period begins when your visa is issued, but it begins when your visa is issued. This means you must calculate backward from the day you plan to re-enter the Schengen Area to ensure you haven't spent more than 90 days there in the previous 180 days.

Limited Territorial Visa

A Limited Territorial Visa is another sort of visa that only enables you to travel through one country. When a conventional visa to travel Europe is unavailable, these are usually only provided in unusual or emergencies.