Schengen visa documents checklist and passport rules

Passport rules

• Valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area.
• Issued within the last 10 years.
• At least two blank pages.

These are the standard EU visa-code requirements. Airlines can also refuse boarding for a passport that does not meet the destination's rules, so check validity before you pay for a ticket.

Core documents

• Completed and signed application form, and passport photos in the required format.
• Travel medical insurance covering the whole Schengen area and the whole stay. Under the EU Visa Code the minimum cover is EUR 30,000, including emergency medical care and repatriation.
• Bank statements and proof of income that match the length of your trip.
• Proof of ties to home: employment letter, business registration, property or family documents.
• A realistic day-by-day itinerary.
• Accommodation for the whole stay, or an invitation letter with the host's details.
• Flight reservation showing travel in and out.

Where and when to apply

• Apply to the country where you will spend the most days. If equal, the country you enter first.
• You can usually apply up to six months before travel, and the latest is about 15 days before.
• The visa fee for adults is EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 12), according to the European Commission. Service charges at application centres are extra, so confirm current fees with the centre.

Mistakes that cost applicants a visa

• Documents that disagree with each other.
• Large sudden deposits with no explanation.
• Hotel bookings that stop before the trip ends.
• Insurance that starts late or ends early.
• Submitting anything forged. That is a refusal reason on its own.