Schengen Visa Checklist — What to Prepare
Everything a Schengen short-stay visa application (up to 90 days in any 180) actually needs: the harmonised application form, passport that passes the 10-year rule, the 35 × 45 mm photo, €30,000 travel medical insurance, and the right consulate. Print this and tick it off. Verified against the EU Commission's Schengen visa pages, September 2026.
Yes, a photo is required — 35 × 45 mm
Unlike the UK visitor visa (where photos stay home), a Schengen application requires one recent photo in the ICAO-style format: 35 × 45 mm, a plain light background, taken within the last 6 months. That's the same spec across all 29 Schengen states. Make it in ten minutes with our free Schengen visa photo tool → and see the photo validity rules before you reuse an old one.
The five things everyone needs
- The harmonised application form — filled, signed, and signed again at the end if you fill it by hand. Every applicant signs individually; children are signed by a parent or guardian.
- A passport that passes three tests — issued within the last 10 years (the "10-year rule" that catches renewals from some countries), valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area, and with at least two blank pages. Old passports with previous visas and stamps are welcome as supporting evidence.
- One photo, 35 × 45 mm — recent, plain light background, neutral expression. See the full spec.
- Travel medical insurance — minimum €30,000 coverage for medical emergencies and repatriation, valid in all Schengen states for your entire stay. The two most common failures: a policy capped below €30,000, and one that covers only the first destination country.
- The visa fee, paid — €90 for adults (see the full table below; some nationalities pay less by agreement).
Fees at a glance (EU harmonised)
| Applicant | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €90 | Standard short-stay visa |
| Child 6–11 years | €45 | Half fee |
| Child under 6 | Free | Still files a full application |
| Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus | €35 | Visa facilitation agreements |
| Cabo Verde | €67.50 | Facilitation agreement |
Fees are charged in local currency at the consulate's rate. Many consulates outsource submissions to visa centres (VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS…), which add a service fee on top — and some add optional paid appointments. The €90 is the legal maximum for the visa itself; the queue-jumping upsells are not.
Where to apply — the main-destination rule
| Your trip | Apply at the consulate of |
|---|---|
| One country only | That country. |
| Several countries, unequal stays | The country where you spend the longest time — not your landing airport. |
| Equal stays | The country of first entry. |
Applying at the wrong consulate is a classic rejection-without-refund. As a rule you also apply at the consulate responsible for where you legally live, not wherever the queue is shortest.
Supporting documents by traveller type
| Your trip | Prepare |
|---|---|
| Tourism | Travel itinerary (reservations are fine — see below), accommodation bookings for every night, proof of funds (bank statements; each country sets its own reference amount), employment or study proof, leave approval. |
| Visiting family or friends | Invitation letter from your host; some countries require a formal sponsor declaration (e.g. Germany's Verpflichtungserklärung), their residence status, and proof they can host you. Accommodation letters replace hotel bookings where you'll stay with them. |
| Business | Invitation from the hosting company stating purpose and duration, who covers costs, plus your employer's letter confirming the trip and your employment. |
| Children / minors | Birth certificate. If travelling without one or both parents: signed consent from the absent parent(s) — in several countries notarised or legalised. Fee is €45 (6–11) or free (under 6), but the file is not smaller. |
Flight tickets: reserve, don't buy
- Reservations beat purchases. Consulates want to see a plausible itinerary, and a paid refundable ticket is the most expensive way to provide one. A flight reservation or booking-hold for application purposes is the accepted norm; buy the real ticket after the visa is granted. (This is the opposite of the UK checklist, where gov.uk tells you not to submit bookings at all.)
- Accommodation for every night — free-cancellation bookings are the standard play; be ready to explain any address gaps.
- Cover letter — one page: who you are, why you're going, dates, who pays, ties to home. Not required by the letter of the law, but it frames the whole file.
Rules people miss
- Timing — you can lodge up to 6 months before travel (seafarers: 9), and no later than 15 calendar days before it. Decisions usually come within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 in complex cases.
- The 90/180 rule — 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, not per visit. Overstays snowball into future rejections; the EU publishes an official short-stay calculator.
- Certified translations — documents not in the consulate's language often need sworn translations; check the consulate's checklist, not a forum.
- Insurance starts day zero — cover from your departure date, plus a buffer either side if you might shift flights.
Before you book the appointment — 60-second check
- ✅ Passport issued within 10 years, valid 3+ months past departure, 2+ blank pages
- ✅ Application form filled and signed
- ✅ One 35 × 45 mm photo, recent, light background
- ✅ Insurance ≥ €30,000, all Schengen states, whole stay
- ✅ €90 (or reduced) fee + visa-centre service fee budgeted
- ✅ Right consulate: longest stay → first entry only if equal
- ✅ Itinerary reservations (not bought tickets) + accommodation each night
- ✅ Funds, employment/study proof, invitation or sponsor letter if applicable
- ✅ Minors: birth certificate + consent from absent parents
Consulates and outsourced centres vary: the consulate's own document list for your nationality always wins over any checklist — including this one. Fee table and process verified against the EU Commission, September 2026. Also on this site: the US visa interview checklist, background colour rules, and the print-sheet tool to lay your photo out for the booth.