Visa Travel Itinerary

Since the formation of the European Economic Community following WWII, the free movement of persons was a core part of the European project. From the beginning, citizens of EEC member states could  travel visa-free from one-member state to another with only a passport or national ID card. Nevertheless, it was still a headache to travel around Europe. Nationals of EEC member states were still subjected to systematic identity controls at a vast network of patrolled borders. And it was even worse for tourists. Many folks who wished to travel to Europe would have to obtain travel visas for every country they planned to visit. I can just imagine the piles of paperwork (and anxiety feeling that comes with it, for me at least), visa fees and other expenses kept a lot of people from even thinking of traveling to Europe. On June 14, 1985, the breakthrough came when five of the ten members of the EU at the time decided to make an agreement of their own in order to bypass th...

Travel insurance policies prove to be of benefit when you are travelling overseas .  Schengen countries also mandate a valid travel insurance policy   before you are allowed to travel to such countries. Besides providing a comprehensive cover against medical costs, travel insurance in India and abroad also covers other travel-related contingencies which incur financial loss. However, when people tend to buy travel insurance online, they might delay the purchase till the very end. This is wrong. Ideally, you should invest in travel insurance policies well in advance after you book your trip. Do you know why? The reasons why Advance booking of Travel Insurance is Beneficial – 1. You get coverage against trip cancellations Despite carefully planning for your trip, there are certain instances which might force you to cancel the trip altogether. For instance, if a fellow family member falls severely ill, you might have to cancel your trip. When the trip is canc...

Visas Are required to enter the Schengen Area: U.S. citizens with valid passports intending to travel within the Schengen Area for three months or less can apply to enter without a visa. Otherwise,  travelers may need to apply for a Schengen short stay visa,  which allows the holder to travel within the Schengen Area for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.   The requirements for entry into the Schengen Countries: •             A valid passport, issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months (recommended 6 months) beyond the traveler’s intended departure date from the Schengen Area. •             Any applicable visas and supporting documents. •             Proof of adequate financial resources for the duration of the stay, and any relevant information regardin...

Schengen embassies do have a minimum coverage requirement for a travel insurance to be considered valid for travel. Here are the minimum coverage requirements for the Schengen travel insurance: ·           A medical coverage of at least €30,000 or no less than $50,000 ·           A validity period that covers the entire duration of stay within the Schengen area ·           A repatriation coverage for medical emergencies or death These required coverages are really very basic which is probably one of the reasons why travellers do not see purchasing a travel insurance as a good enough investment. However, since this is a requirement, there is no other choice but to get one. On the contrary,  many travel insurance providershave thought of giving better travel insurance coverage for the same fee.  Doing this gives insurance prov...

In order to get an approved Schengen visa,  all applicants are required to get the correct Schengentravel insurance coverage.   According to the Schengen visa rule enacted in 2010, all uniform visa applicants must prove possession of adequate and active travel medical insurance. This valid travel medical insurance must cover any expenses connected to medical emergencies that require hospitalization, urgent treatment, and/or repatriation while staying within the Schengen area. Despite the clarity and directness of this Schengen visa rule, many still ask whether having a travel insurance is an option or not. To avoid any confusion or errors while applying for a Schengen visa, this article shall discuss the different facets of the Schengen travel insurance coverage. Expect that after reading this article, you will be enlightened of the many advantages of having travel insurance as well as the coverage of such an insurance. Before proceeding to the Schengen travel i...

For applicants from African and Asian countries, the process of applying and getting a visa can be quite stressful. In the last couple of years, I have been through pretty much every type of visa process for Europe. I’ve applied for a Schengen student visa,  two Schengen tourist visas , a national long-term visa and a working permit. I’ve also spent considerable time hosting friends and family and hence these tips might be of use to you, particularly if your citizenship requires a visa to travel to the Schengen region. •             Apply to the embassy of the country where you will be spending maximum time in. Not the country where you think you would like to apply. •             Give yourself enough time between your visa appointment and the date of departure. Keep at least six weeks, so that in case you do not hear a response or get rejected, you have enoug...

No one wants to receive a letter that says, “REJECTED”. But it happens more often than not. The first time my sister visited me in Europe, her  Schengen visa got rejected too . Shit happens. You still have hope. The hope is something called the “remonstrance process’ which is something impossible to find information for. It’s like this top-secret process that apparently no one wants to talk about. Take a deep breath. And do what I tell you- Step 1: Find the local embassy or consulate contact to see what their contact email is. Make sure you find the embassy that rejected you. This means you have to write the local embassy (such as New Delhi embassy/Bangkok embassy, etc.) that finally checked your visa application. Not the VFS centre that merely “processed” the application. Step 2: Write an email at this address with a hand-signed letter explaining why you should get this visa. Think of this as a second cover letter. For Indian passport holders or ot...