How To Define Your Main Destination For Schengen Visa
According to our experience most people often ask for "the Schengen visa".
What you need to know is that a Schengen visa is always issued by the Schengen country which is going to be your main destination when you are travelling.
It is crucial to understand if you want to avoid the costly mistakes, because if you come to submit your visa application at the German consulate, but it will turn out that your main destination is Austria, the visa officer will turn your application down.
When this happens you need to book an appointment with the consulate of the country where you are staying most of your journey time.
This may take a week or longer, and you may be left with not enough time to have your visa application processed.
We advise you not to book a holiday before you gather all the required information about your visa.
The examples below will help you understand how to identify what Schengen country is your main destination.
Let's say you are going to Germany for 3 days and after that coming back to the UK.
In this instance you are visiting one Schengen country, so it is your main destination, and you must apply for a Schengen visa at the German consulate.
If, let's say, you are visiting a few countries within one trip, and start with Germany, spend 3 days there, then go to Austria for 3 days, after that you spend 3 days in Italy and come back to the UK - you must apply for your visa with the German consulate.
This is because your are staying the same number of days in each of these Schengen countries, and in such cases you must apply for a Schengen visa at the consulate of the country you enter first, and in this case it is Germany.
Let us take one more example.
If your itinerary includes 3 days in Germany, then 4 days in Austria, and after that 3 days in Italy, your main destination in this case is Austria, because you are staying longer in this country.
To get your Schengen visa application accepted you must submit it at the Austria consulate.
If you require a Schengen visa to travel around Europe allow at least one month to have it done.
What you need to know is that a Schengen visa is always issued by the Schengen country which is going to be your main destination when you are travelling.
It is crucial to understand if you want to avoid the costly mistakes, because if you come to submit your visa application at the German consulate, but it will turn out that your main destination is Austria, the visa officer will turn your application down.
When this happens you need to book an appointment with the consulate of the country where you are staying most of your journey time.
This may take a week or longer, and you may be left with not enough time to have your visa application processed.
We advise you not to book a holiday before you gather all the required information about your visa.
The examples below will help you understand how to identify what Schengen country is your main destination.
Let's say you are going to Germany for 3 days and after that coming back to the UK.
In this instance you are visiting one Schengen country, so it is your main destination, and you must apply for a Schengen visa at the German consulate.
If, let's say, you are visiting a few countries within one trip, and start with Germany, spend 3 days there, then go to Austria for 3 days, after that you spend 3 days in Italy and come back to the UK - you must apply for your visa with the German consulate.
This is because your are staying the same number of days in each of these Schengen countries, and in such cases you must apply for a Schengen visa at the consulate of the country you enter first, and in this case it is Germany.
Let us take one more example.
If your itinerary includes 3 days in Germany, then 4 days in Austria, and after that 3 days in Italy, your main destination in this case is Austria, because you are staying longer in this country.
To get your Schengen visa application accepted you must submit it at the Austria consulate.
If you require a Schengen visa to travel around Europe allow at least one month to have it done.
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