What is Schengen?
A Schengen visa is an entry permit for non-EU nationals to make a short, temporary visit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period to one or several countries in the Schengen area. Turkish citizens planning to take short travels to countries in the Schengen Area for business, tourism, visiting family and friends, or other purposes, are advised to learn about each step of the process prior to submitting an application.
Schengen Member States: 29 member countries: 25 EU Member States and 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Difference between Schengen and national visas:
A Schengen visa is an authorisation issued by a Schengen State that allows travellers to enter the Schengen area for:
- intended short stays in or transit through the territory of a Schengen State (short stay visa)
- transit through the international transit areas of airports of the Schengen States (airport transit visa)
Short stays are stays of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period. Your visa indicates how long you can stay.
Other types of visas are governed by the national law of Member States.
Every Schengen State decides who enters its territory. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you provide the correct information in the visa application and when entering the Schengen Area.
Schengen visa application is a transparent process governed by European law: no arbitrary process, no visa refusal for political reasons.
The EU stands ready to reengage into the visa liberalisation dialogue in order to help Türkiye fulfil the last six remaining benchmarks and to revalidate the 66 benchmarks already completed. Currently, Türkiye is the only candidate country which does not benefit from visa free travel. The EU has offered to relaunch the visa liberalisation dialogue.
In 2024, a record-breaking 1.1 million Schengen visas were issued in Türkiye.
The EU stands ready to reengage into the visa liberalisation dialogue in order to help Türkiye fulfil the last six remaining benchmarks and to revalidate the 66 benchmarks already completed. Currently, Türkiye is the only candidate country which does not benefit from visa free travel. The EU has offered to relaunch the visa liberalisation dialogue.
Follow these steps
Make your visa process smooth by applying for a visa correctly and by the rules. You must fulfill all the listed requirements to ensure a smooth process, save time and money.
Your visa application is your personal responsibility. You are personally responsible for your visa application file. You must have your documents in good order and apply for the country you plan to visit or spend the most time in.
Submit a complete file. Possible negative consequences of fraudulent and abusive behaviour in visa application process (including submitted documents) are cancellation of appointment time slots and refusals of visa applications, and, in case you enter the Schengen Area with such a visa, fines, cancellation of visa, entry ban.
Apply by yourself and get and appointment directly with the Embassy/Consulate or the trusted Official External Service Providers in case a Schengen state makes use of such a provider as most Schengen States do (see the table below). You have to apply to the Schengen State you plan to visit or spend the most time in.
Only Embassies/Consulates of countries that are members of the Schengen Area can process visa applications. The Delegation of the European Union does not receive or process visa applications.
AUTHORISED EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS IN TÜRKİYE
|
Provider |
Schengen States |
|---|---|
|
iDATA |
Germany, Italy |
|
VFS GLOBAL |
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland |
|
AS-Visa |
Hungary |
|
BLS |
Spain, Slovakia |
|
Kosmos Visa Services |
Greece |
Please note that Romania and Portugal do not work with any external service provider. Every visa applicant should upload their own visa application file on the Romanian official national visa website: https://eviza.mae.ro/ or at the Portuguese Embassy website: https://ancara.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/tr/
You do not need a travel agency or any other actor aside from the authorised external service providers listed above. Intermediaries are not Official External Service Providers authorised by Schengen States, and are not associated in any way with Embassies or Consulates. Using their services does not increase your chances of getting a Schengen visa! Even if you decide to go through an intermediator, you have to check your file at every step of the process.
Lodging an appeal against a negative decision might be subject to a fee. Reapplication is also possible, but it is important to carefully consider the reasons for the previous denial and take the necessary steps to address the reasons for refusal.
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Before you apply
Quick Reminders
- Apply to the correct country.
- Ensure that all the documents you provide are correct.
- Submit all required documents in single application.
- Provide proof of genuine travel arrangements.
- Verify your invitation details.
- Provide complete employment and/or income details.
- Provide proof of financial means.
- Personally verify your documents.
- Check your passport's validity.
Tip: You don’t need intermediaries/travel agencies. Applying through authorised service providers or directly via Embassies/Consulates is enough – and safer.
Dos and Don’ts for Applicants
DOS
✅ You should apply to the correct country
You must apply to the Official External Service Provider or to the Embassy or Consulate of the Schengen country you plan to visit. If you plan to visit more than one Schengen country, you have to apply to the Embassy or Consulate or the external service provider of the country that is your main destination with purpose of stay, or longest intended stay. Make sure that you really apply to the external service provider of the Schengen country you plan to visit. They are referenced on the Embassy or Consulate’s website.
✅ You should apply in due time
Applications shall be lodged, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the intended visit. Begin planning your application up to 6 months in advance of your intended visit.
✅ Ensure that all the documents you provide are correct
You have to make sure that all the details in your documents are consistent, and correspond to your real plans in the Schengen Area.
✅ You should submit all required documents in a single application
You have to complete all necessary forms and provide accurate documentation. Consult the checklist on website of the Embassy or Consulate.
✅ You should provide proof of genuine travel arrangements
You have to provide genuine hotel reservations and flight reservations that match your actual travel plans. It is strongly advised to make bookings that can be cancelled or changed without extra cost.
✅ You should verify your invitation details
If invited, you have to ensure the inviter’s contact information is correct.
✅ You should provide complete employment and/or income details
You have to clearly state your workplace and/or income source.
✅ You should provide proof of financial means
You have to submit bank statements showing sufficient funds for your trip, no older than three months.
✅ Personally verify your documents
Check your documents personally before submission to ensure their accuracy. Duly sign your application form.
✅ Check your passport's validity
Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned return from the Schengen Area.
DONT'S
❌ You must not seek a Schengen visa from the country that is not your primary destination
You must apply through the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you will spend the most time. If you spend equal amounts of time in several countries, apply to the country of first entry.
❌ Follow the rules and avoid mistakes
Visa applicants who do not follow the rules may have their visa application refused, visa revoked, be denied entry at the border, or unable to benefit from Schengen visa for some time.
❌ Do not pay extra fees
The cost of a Schengen visa is at present €90 for adults and maximum €45 for children aged 6-12. There is no visa application fee for children aged 0 to 6. In addition, a service fee is applied by the Official External Service Provider, which collects applications on behalf of Embassy or Consulate. Other intermediaries ask for extra fees, sometimes significant ones. Using their services does not increase your chances of getting a Schengen visa! They do not have better access to the Embassies/Consulates. You don’t need to pay for these extra fees. Using such agencies is at your own risk.
Do not engage with fraudulent travel agencies which offer you false promises of receiving a Schengen visa against exorbitant additional fees.
❌ Do not block appointment time-slots that you will not use
Only book one appointment: don’t book any time slots for appointments that you will not use.
❌ After receiving a visa, do not overstay your visa duration
Your Schengen visa indicates the length of your allowed stay in the Schengen Area. This allowed stay is maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period. If you exceed this period, your stay becomes irregular. For instance, if you received a multiple entry Schengen visa of a long duration (1, 2 or 5 years), you can visit the Schengen Area multiple times provided that you do not stay more than 90 days in each period of 180 days.
The information provided is for general guidance only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not guarantee visa approval.
