Europe Visitor Visa FAQ
Does the Schengen Agreement / Schengen Visa include all EU countries?
No not all EU countries are part of the Schengen Agreement. Most notably Britain and Ireland ARE NOT part of the Schengen agreement and therefore a resident permit for these countries does not enable you to travel to the Schengen area. You would still require a Schengen visa even as a resident of the UK or Ireland. The Schengen Agreement is a specific agreement between 24 European countries.
Do I need a Schengen Visa?
Almost all nationalities outside of Europe except Australia, Canada, Japan New Zealand, and South Korea require a Schengen Visa to visit France.
If you are from one of the following countries you will need to apply at the embassy in person
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Burundi, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran , Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar, N. Korea, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Travel Document holders (1951 Convention), Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe (for France only).
Does the Schengen Agreement include new countries that have joined the EU?
Although there have been a number of new countries including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic who have recently joined the EU, these countries have NOT yet joined the Schengen Agreement. As a result a Schengen Visa issued by a Schengen Country such as France will NOT currently cover these new EU members and a visa from these new members will NOT cover you for travel to the Schengen countries.
I want to visit several countries - what Schengen Visa should I get?
If you intend to visit several of the Schengen countries without having one main destination, you should apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the first Schengen country on your travel itinerary that requires you to have a visa.
How long is the Schengen Visa valid for?
Each embassy has its own stance on how long a visa will be issued for. Some are issued for the specific dates that you are travelling (usually single entry), others may be multiple-entry, some are valid from the day you apply while others are valid from the date of expected first entry.