Schengen Visa
Workshop
Sven Hartwig
Head of the Visa Section
German Embassy Manila
The Schengen Agreement
• What does it mean ?
• abolishes borders between the 26 member states
• any person may cross the border without being subjected
to border checks
• control on the external borders has been extended
Which countries are not party to the
Schengen Agreement ?
• UK
• Ireland
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Romania
• Cyprus
Internal borders: Examples
internal border (near Kufstein, between
Germany and Austria): the traffic island
marks the spot, where a control post
once stood
the border between the Netherlands and
Belgium is clearly marked between
Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog
External borders: Examples
The Ceuta border fence (barrier
between Morocco and Spain by Ceuta,
a city in the North African coast)
Passport control at an external
Schengen border in Finland
The Visa Code
• Entered into force on 5. October 2009
• Main aim: to set up common standards for the whole visa
procedure
→ application
→ issuing
→ extension
→ annulment
→ revocation
→ etcetera
• Applied by all concerned authorities (Schengen Embassies,
Immigration and Aliens authorities)
Requirements to enter the Schengen States
Art. 5 Paragraph 1 Schengen Borders Code
• valid document to cross the border
• valid visa if required
• proof of means of support and the conditions of the planned
visit
• has not been reported as a person not to be permitted entry
• no threat to public policy, national security of the
international relations of any of the Contracting Parties.
Basic requirements for Schengen visa
applications
The mission must ensure that
• the purpose of the trip to Germany is plausible and
comprehensible
• the applicant is able to finance his/her living and travel
costs
• the visa holder is prepared to leave the Schengen area
before the visa expires
• the applicant has travel health insurance with a minimum
coverage of 30,000 euro
• Visa fee: €60
Schengen visa categories and periods of
validity
• Generally, a short-stay visa can be issued for up to three
months within a six-month period
• A visa may be issued for one, two or multiple entries
• The period of validity shall not exceed five years
Contact data of the Visa Section
• Phone: (0063 2) 702 3001
• Fax no.: (0063 2) 702 3015
• Visa-Fax: 0049-(0) 30 1817 67170
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Website: www.manila.diplo.de