Schengen Visa Types

Tourist Schengen visa:

  • Tourist Schengen visa is a permission to visit any country within the Schengen Area for pleasure or to visit friends or family who have residence in any of the Schengen countries. The holder of the Tourist Schengen visa can stay in the Schengen Area for the number of days indicated on the visa, which cannot exceed 90 days in the period of 6 months. During the stay with the granted visa, the holder may not engage in any gainful activity, unless the issued visa states otherwise.
  • Business Schengen visa:
    The holder of this type of visa is allowed to do business in the country of destination. Any restrictions to his/her business activities will be stated on the visa.
  • Student Schengen visa:
    The holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay and study in the country which granted the permission for enrolment, issued by the school. The holder of this visa is not permitted a permanent residence and involves certain restrictions.
  • Working Schengen visa:
    The holder of this visa is allowed to stay and work in the selected country within the Schengen Area. EU citizens and the citizens of the USA, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland may apply for a residence/ working visa upon their entry in the Schengen Area. The citizens of the aforementioned countries do not require a visa to enter the Schengen Area.
  • Transit Schengen visa
    This type of visa is issued as either
    • An A-type Transit Visa for the airport transit in the Schengen Area. The holder of the visa is not allowed to leave the so-called transit area at the airport, or
    • A B-type Transit Visa valid for 5 days, which allows the holder to travel through the Schengen Area on his/her way to the final destination outside the Schengen Area.

Depending on the purpose of the travel, the Schengen visa may be issued as:

  • Type A – transit visa for airport transit
  • Type B – transit visa valid for 5 days
  • Type C – visa for a short stay in any of the Schengen Area countries. The duration of the allowed visit is indicated on the visa. Depending on the purpose of the travel, this visa may be:
    • Single entry. Only one entry is allowed in any of the countries within the Schengen Area. After leaving the Schengen Area, re-entry is not allowed even if the visa is still valid.
    • Double entry. This visa entitles the holder to two entries into the Schengen Area and its validity is indicated on the visa. After the second exit from the Schengen Area, re-entry is not allowed even if the visa is still valid.
    • Multiple entry. This visa does not restrict the number of entries into the Schengen Area. However, its validity is limited to 90 days within six months. The day of the first entry into the Schengen Area counts as the first day of the validity of the visa. In case of shorter stays and re-entries into the Schengen Area, the total number of days of the stay are summed up until the maximum of 90 days is reached.
  • Limited territorial validity visa: the holder of this type of visa may travel only to the specific Schengen Area country or countries indicated when applying for the visa. This type of visa is issued in special cases, such as for humanitarian purposes.
  • Type D – this is a national visa issued in special cases for the purposes of study, stay or work in a Schengen Area country. This visa may be:
    • a single-entry visa – for the persons who need not stay in the Schengen country after the specific period, or
    • a multiple-entry visa, which allows the holder repeated re-entries into the Schengen country which issued the visa. This type of visa is granted in the following cases:
      • for studying in the duration of up to one year, with the possibility of extension;
      • for pedagogical work or research, as well as to the closest family members;
      • to experts travelling to engage in professional activity;
      • in emergency cases, such as medical conditions, which are limited to a specific period of time.