Planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip around the beautiful cities of Europe? If you’re travelling for more than three months, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa. With only a few insurers meeting the strict medical requirements, it can be hard finding the right policy to cover you. We're here to help make sure your insurance is up to scratch.
What is the Schengen area?
The Schengen area is made up of 26 European countries which have no internal border controls. This means you can explore and move freely between these countries, without the fuss of passport and document checks, making it a whole lot easier for travellers. The added bonus, you only need one visa - a Schengen Visa.
The 26 Schengen countries:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Do i need a Schengen Visa?
As you can imagine, this region has become a popular destination for not only Australians but travellers all over the world to visit. Whether you need a visa or not will depend upon your country of residence and details of your trip:
- Australian residents can travel within the Schengen countries for up to 90 days for every half a year without having to buy a visa. However, if you’re staying for longer than this time, working or studying in a particular country, you will need to check the visa requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate.
- Residents of other countries such as Fiji, China and Thailand must have the Schengen visa regardless of their length of stay.
Single-entry or Multiple-entry Visa?
Take your time when choosing what type of visa to get for your trip. If you get it wrong, you could find yourself stuck outside of the Schengen area and banned from going back in - eeek!
A Single-entry visa allows you to stay within the Schengen area for the specific number of days stated on your visa. Once you've left, you can't return, even if you have not used up all of your days.
A Double-entry visa works in a similar way to the single-entry however, you have a second chance to revisit if you leave. Again, make sure you're not over-staying the time period on your visa.
A Multiple-entry visa lets you come and go as you please. As long as you are abiding by the 90-day travel rule in every 180 days, there are no restrictions on how many times you can re-enter. For the spontaneous travellers out there, this visa is the one for you.
Schengen visa insurance requirements
It’s crucial to find the right travel insurance when applying for a Schengen visa. If your policy doesn’t cover all necessary bases, your visa could be declined and your whole trip ruined...
Your policy should have:
- Minimum medical coverage of €30,000 (euros) - including medical evacuation back to your home, repatriation of remains if you pass away during your trip and emergency hospital treatment.
- Coverage to all the Schengen countries.
- Medical insurance for the whole duration of your journey to the Schengen area.
How to apply for a Schengen visa
Once you've compared insurers and purchased your Schengen-approved policy, it's time to gather your documents and apply for the visa itself. You will need:
Schengen Visa Application Form
This may seem a little obvious, but it's worth double and triple-checking your visa application form to make sure all fields have been answered and signed. Any missing or incorrect information can really slow down the whole process!
Passport
Your passport must be less than 10 years old and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.
Insurance Certificate
You must provide a copy of your travel insurance, with at least €30,000 of medical coverage. Make sure this includes repatriation of remains back to your home if you were to pass away overseas, as well as cover for emergency medical and hospital treatment in case you become ill or injured during your trip.
Itinerary
Your itinerary must show your travel dates and flights reservations, that you will be travelling on when arriving and departing into the Schengen region. You need to show the purpose of your trip whether it be visiting friends or family, attending a business conference, or simply being a tourist. Tickets to events, trip reservations and invitations from your loved ones can all be submitted with your application form.
Financial Documents
A copy of your bank statement and/or sponsorship letter will need to be provided as evidence that you can support yourself financially throughout your trip. Your sponsor must also submit a copy of their bank statement from the last 3 months.
Photos
2 x photos taken less than 3 months ago. The specifications are very similar to a passport photo - 35x45mm sized, neutral facial expression, in colour and centred.
Proof of Visa Payment
Keep a copy of your visa fee to lodge with your application form. The fee will vary upon the traveller's age.
Proof of Accommodation
Where you're planning to stay during your trip, such as hotel or hostel bookings, an invite from your sponsor or host, or pre-paid tour arrangements.
Schengen Top tips
- Check your medical coverage! Most travel insurance includes unlimited medical cover for evacuation back home or hospital treatment and expenses. However, many don’t meet the €30,000 requirement for repatriation of remains. If this is the case, it's unlikely you'll receive a Schengen visa and your policy won't cover the cancellation costs if your visa is refused.
- Travelling with medical conditions? Keep a copy of your travel insurance including any medical coverage from your insurer, which states your pre-existing conditions and medical information.
- Protect your trip. Travel insurance is not compulsory for Australian residents if you're visiting the Schengen area for less than 90 days however, it's always useful in case unexpected events ruin your plans.
- Ask for a letter from your insurer. You might need to present a letter from your insurer when applying for a Schengen visa to confirm your cover meets the relevant criteria. Check your insurer can provide this letter and give them a few days notice to make you have this on time.
schengen visa faqs
You will need to apply for your visa at least 15 days before your departure date but the earliest you can apply is 3 months before your trip. Start preparing your documents as soon as possible so you have everything ready to submit with your Schengen visa application.
No. Travel insurance doesn’t usually cover for failure to obtain the relevant visa or travel documents so it's important to make sure your travel insurance meets the medical standards and your application form has been filled out correctly.
The Consulate should reply within 10 working days of your visa being lodged. Bear in mind, in some extraneous situations, processing time can take up to two months so it pays to be organised.
Unfortunately, it’s up to you to do the hard work! Travel insurers can only give information on their policies, they won’t sign or review legal documentation to ensure their policy meets your needs. If in doubt, contact the relevant embassy for any specific questions you may have.
Depending upon your type of visa, you will be allowed just the one entry or multiple entries into the Schengen area. Make sure you choose the visa which is suited to your needs. If you purchase a single-entry visa and leave, you won’t be able to return on the same visa.
Do not fear! You can appeal the refusal decision. The reason for denial will be stated on your notification, along with how to appeal so you can amend your application accordingly and resubmit your application.
The visa costs approximately €60 for adults and €35 for children under the age of 12. Depending upon your reason for travel, you may be able to get the visa fee waived. Check with the consulate where you will be applying for further information.
Eugene Wylde
Eugene is the king of insurance! Having spent more than ten years raising awareness on the importance of holiday protection, he is a self-confessed insurance geek extraordinaire when it comes to the world of travel cover. Eugene loves helping people save time, worry and loads of money with the right policy at the right price. His ideal holiday is any one where he has a pina colada in his hand. Salut!
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