Travel in the modern world is more popular than ever. The Schengen countries welcome tourists. To cross the border, you need a Schengen visa, before the trip you need to find out about the validity of such a visa and other nuances.
The Schengen visa originated in the mid 80s of the last century. This happened as a result of the signing of a special Schengen agreement by several countries. In the list of countries, you can see just under 30 member states of the Schengen area.
Types of visas
There are three types of such visas, each of which has certain characteristics and a specific duration of the Schengen visa. A type A transit document is necessary so that a tourist can stay in the airport building of a Schengen country, provided that he arrives in it in transit. In other words, if a flight, for example, from Austria to America, involves a transfer in a Schengen country, then this document will be issued only for a while, while the tourist is waiting for the second flight in the controlled part of the air harbor.
Type C implies a short-term stay in a foreign country, namely no more than 90 days in 6 months. Issued to journalists, as well as for visiting relatives, treatment, participation in competitions and business meetings.
Type D assumes a long-term stay in a foreign country, namely more than three months in six months. It can be issued under really weighty tourist circumstances, which will need to be explained at the consulate and confirmed with documents.
Dates of validity
The term of a Schengen visa in the first case is several hours, from flight to flight. During this time, the tourist is prohibited from leaving the airport. He will be in the controlled area.
Category C document can be issued for a period of days to 5 years. Despite this, the tourist is allowed to stay in the country for a total of no more than 3 months within six months.
Type D document can be issued for a long-term stay in the country. This is permissible if a person has certain family circumstances, he studies in this state, or has real estate in it.
The processing time for a Schengen visa can vary from 5 to 10 working days. It should be noted that consulates and embassies are closed on national holidays. Category D is issued longer than others due to the fact that a person will need to prove the need for a long-term stay.
