One of the main things that those visiting Europe get concerned about at the end of their Schengen visa validity is if there is a way for them to extend their stay in Europe.
Whether you are a traveler who wishes to experience more of Europe, a business person who has some unforeseen business to do after the expiration of their visa, or a patient seeking medical treatment in one or more member states of the Schengen Zone that needs to continue their medical treatment, you will not be permitted to stay in Europe after the expiration of your Schengen visa, unless you extend it.
According to the Schengen rules, one can obtain a short-stay visa for Europe for a maximum of three months within a six-month period. However, for many foreigners 90 days are just not enough, especially for travelers who want to visit all of the 28 Schengen Member States, each of which is an interesting attraction with rich culture and traditions, making these travelers wish not to leave.
Though many believe that it is impossible to extend a short-stay Schengen visa, that is actually quite possible. It is very hard, but if you have a strong reason in which you base your application then you have quite a chance to get that visa extension. However, you can always check visa calculator for a maximum of three months within a six-month period.
Schengen Visa Validity
Before deciding to apply to extend your Schengen visa, know the validity of the visa you hold and the visa-type you hold. A short stay-stay Schengen visa can be either:
- Single entry – which means you will have a limited amount of days to remain in Schengen, and after you leave you have no right to go back
- Double-entryvisa applies for the same policy as above mentioned, however you are allowed to enter the Schengen Area twice, meaning that for the certain period of time permitted by your visa you can enter the Schengen Zone, leave and enter again without any problems. Once you are out of the country for the second time the visa expires.
- Multiple entry – which means you will be granted with a visa that permits you to enter any of the Schengen member states as many times as you wish, for as long that you do not surpass the 3 months limit within a six months period.
In all cases, you can apply for a visa extension, if you have a strong reason why you wish to remain.
Below in this article, you can find the ultimate guideline on how to extend a Schengen visa, the reasons under which the extension may be granted, as well as what the required documents are and how to apply for to extend a short-stay Schengen visa.
Schengen Visa Extension
Short-stay Schengen visa extensions are permitted by the regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EC) No. 810/2009 of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Journal of Laws of the EU of 2009 L243/1). However, you will have very low chances to get one, if you do not have a strong reason as the basis of you application.
According to the Schengen visa policy, acceptable reasons to extend a Schengen short-stay visa are only the following:
Late Entry
You can base your visa extension application on this reason, only if you have a single-entry short-stay visa. However, this is your best case to extend your visa. You can apply for this visa extension, if you have entered Schengen after you visa became valid. I.e. if your visa became valid on August 1, but you entered Schengen on August 15, you can apply for a two-week visa extension, and you are very likely to get it.
Humanitarian Reasons
The Schengen visa policy has made it possible to extend a short-stay Schengen visa in order to prevent or overcome hardship for third-country nationals. You will be granted with a short-stay visa extension based on humanitarian reasons if you need to stay in one of the member states to continue receiving medical treatment, to take part in the funeral after the sudden death of a family member, to give support to a person close to you who is going through some kind of hardship, etc.
Force Majeure
If something unexpected has occurred all of the sudden in your home country prior to your visa expiration, as a conflict or war, or even violent protests across the country, extreme weather conditions, no flight connections because of consecutive earthquakes or other reasons, then you have a good chance to get a Schengen short-stay visa extension. You will be granted with an extension of a few weeks, or until the situation in your home country changes. If the situation does not change, you will have to apply once again for a short-stay visa renewal, in order to remain in Schengen.
Important Personal Reasons
Risky, but you should still give it a try if you have no other chance. If you have some unfinished business in one of the Schengen Member States, an unplanned wedding (of yours of your relative) etc., then you may apply for the extension. The immigration authorities will then decide whether you should be granted with a visa extension or not.
Schengen Visa extension Application Process
If you wish to extend your visa and stay longer in the Schengen Zone, then start getting ready for your application which differs from a regular Schengen visa application. The very first thing you have to do is decide under which reason you wish to apply for a Schengen visa renewal. After figuring that out, then you can proceed to the other steps.
When to Apply for a Short-Stay Visa extension?
It is very important to apply on time, which is before the expiration of your visa. If you apply after your visa expires, even just a day later, then you will be deported for overstaying your visa, despite of your reasons. Therefore, take care to apply at least a week before your current Schengen short-stay visa expires.
Where to Apply to Extend a Schengen Visa?
It depends on the Member State you are currently residing. The main thing you have to know when it comes to the application country is that you will have to remain in that particular country until you get your visa extension, if you do. That is why you are strongly advised to apply at the immigration authorities (or their equal) in the country where you need to remain, and not another.
Schengen Visa Extension Requirements
After you figure out the reasons which will be the basis of your application, where and when to apply, move to the other step, which is gathering the required documents. Unlike when collecting the Schengen visa required documents, for a visa extension you need to submit quite fewer documents.
The list of documents you need when applying for a Schengen visa extension are as following:
- Passport, which must have the current visa under which you entered the Schengen
- Application form, for a short-stay Schengen visa extension
- One photo, which fulfills all the criteria andvisa photo requirements.
- Proof of Income, which shows you can financially maintain yourself during the period of time you have applied to get a visa extension for
- Travel Health Insurance – that covers the whole Schengen Area as well as the whole period which you have applied to extend your visa for
- Documents, which prove your situation, and the need to get a visa extension
After you collect these documents, schedule an interview appointment online at the immigration authorities (or their equal). In some of the member states, you may not have to schedule an interview, however try to check out if this applies to the country you are currently residing, or not.
If you need to schedule an interview, do it, and on the day of the interview show there on time with all of the required documents. The interview is crucial to get a visa extension, in the countries that apply it, since during it the interviewer will decide if you really need to extend your visa and the reasons you have presented are true, or you are just trying to remain a little longer in the country.
Processing Time for Visa Extension
Usually, your visa extension application can take a few days, up to a month to be processed by the relevant authorities. During this time, you are permitted to remain in the country where you submitted your application even after your visa expires, but not to travel to the other Schengen countries.
If you are granted with a visa you will be able to remain, while if you do not you will have one or two days to leave.
Schengen Short-Stay Visa Extension Fee
A Schengen visa extension fee is different from a normal Schengen visa fee, which you apply for prior to your trip towards the Schengen Area. Depending on the reasons of your application to extend your short-stay Schengen visa as well as if it is the first or second extension you are applying for, you may or may not have to pay a fee.
First Visa Extension Fee
If this is the first time you are applying for a Schengen short-stay visa extension, then you will not have to pay any fee if your application is based on the following reasons:
- humanitarian reasons
- majeure reasons
Whereas, you will have to pay a fee of 30 euros, if you have based your application in one of the following reasons:
- important personal reasons
- due to late entry
Second Visa Extension Fee
If you have already extended your visa once, but you really need to extend it once again, for whatever reasons, then you will have to pay a fee. The cost of the second Schengen visa extension fee depends on the age of the applicant as following:
- Minors need to pay a fee of 30 euros
- Adults have to pay a fee of 60 euros
Do not forget, that just as when applying for a regular Schengen visa, if your application is rejected, you will not get your money back.
Related information:
- Schengen Calculator
- Schengen Visa Types
- Schengen Visa Sticker
- Difference between Visa Validity and Duration of Stay
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FAQs
How do I extend my Schengen visa? ›
- Check requirements. Make sure you meet the requirements.
- Collect documents. You need these documents for the application. ...
- Apply. You must apply for extension of your Schengen visa or visa-exempt period at the IND desk. ...
- Pay for application. ...
- Decision on application.
Generally speaking, you cannot extend a Schengen Visa during your trip, apart from in exceptional circumstances. If you want to extend your trip you will have to exit the Schengen Area and apply for a new visa to return and continue your visit.
Can I extend my unused Schengen visa? ›Quick note: You can only apply for a Schengen Visa extension in the country you wish to stay. Meaning, if you want to extend your visa for countries like Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria, and so on. You'll need to travel to that country specifically and apply for your visa extension from there.
What is the Schengen area 90 180 day rule explained? ›What is the Schengen 90/180 rule? Under the terms of Schengen, non-EEA nationals cannot spend more than a total of 90 days within a total period of 180 days without a visa. Furthermore, once you've used up your quota of 90 days, you cannot return to Schengen until 90 more days have passed.
How to get 5 years Schengen visa? ›5-year MEV is granted to people that have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for at least two years within the previous three years. This visa permits you to enter 27 countries in Europe as many times as you wish, within five years, as soon as you do not violate the 90/180 days rule.
How to get 6 months Schengen visa? ›- Visa application form. ...
- Two recent photos. ...
- Valid passport. ...
- Roundtrip reservation or itinerary. ...
- Travel Health Insurance. ...
- Proof of accommodation. ...
- Letter of tour organizer. ...
- Proof of financial means.
You can stay 90 days in any 180-day period within the Schengen area. calculated individually for each of these states. For instance, after a 90-day stay in the Schengen area, the person can immediately travel to Croatia and stay for another 90 days there. The 180-day reference period is not fixed.
How long can a US citizen stay in Schengen? ›A U.S. citizen may remain in any Schengen country (or travel between various Schengen countries) as a tourist for up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa.
What happens if I overstay Schengen 90 days? ›First, let's understand the rule: The Schengen law states that you can't stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days. If you do, you're subject to a fine and possibly deportation and being banned from re-entering the Schengen Area.
Can I leave the Schengen area and return again with my Schengen visa? ›14 Can I leave the Schengen area and return again with my Schengen visa? Schengen visas may allow for a single-entry or multiple entries. With a single-entry visa you can enter the Schengen area only once. This is indicated on the visa sticker by "01".
Which country gives the longest Schengen visa? ›
If you want to go to a one-day conference in the Netherlands and a two-day conference in France, your purpose of travel is the same for both countries. Apply for a visa for France, because you will be staying there the longest.
How long does a visa extension take? ›US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recommends filing an application for extension at least 45 days before a visa expires. Once it has been submitted, the standard processing time is typically 3 – 6 months.
How strict is the 90-day Schengen rule? ›Your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days. It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps 'rolling'.
How can I stay in Europe for 6 months? ›You can stay up to 90 days within a 180-day period, which people consider a “six-month” period, but your visa is still valid for only 90 days. You will need a long-stay visa or residence permit to stay in Europe for more than six months.
How can the 90-day Schengen rule be avoided? ›Well, you can tour around different Schengen member states like France, Spain, or Germany and by the time you hit your 90-day limit, go and hop over to a non-Schengen European country like Croatia, Georgia, UK, North Macedonia, or Turkey to wait until you hit the 181st day so that you can come back to the Schengen Area ...
How do I get a 3 year multiple entry Schengen visa? ›The three-year multiple-entry visa is granted to applicants who have obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for one year within the past two years. The 90/180 days rule again applies.
Which Schengen long stay visa is easiest? ›- Luxembourg. Luxembourg, a hidden gem in northern Europe, had the lowest rejection rate in 2021. ...
- Slovakia. ...
- Lithuania. ...
- Czech Republic. ...
- Latvia. ...
- Finland. ...
- Hungary. ...
- Estonia.
Schengen visas allow to make one-entry, two-entries or multi-entries. With one-entry visa you can travel the Schengen area only once. It is indicated in your visa as “01”. With two-entries or multi-entries you can respectively travel to the Schengen area twice or several times during the visa validity period.
How do I get a multi year Schengen? ›- You must have a valid reason for why you want to enter the Schengen Area multiple times. ...
- You must have a clean Schengen Visa history, which means you've never overstayed or worked illegally within the Schengen area.
To apply for a Schengen visa in the United States go to the VFS Global application centre in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco or Washington D.C. You can only submit an application there if you live in the United States.
Do US citizens need Schengen visa? ›
With a valid U.S. passport, you can stay up to 90 days for tourism or business during any 180-day period. Do not overstay! You must wait an additional 90 days before applying to re-enter the Schengen area. To stay longer than 90 days, you must have a visa.
How do I get rid of Schengen ban? ›- You have been outside the EU for a consecutive period of half of your entry ban period or longer.
- You have not committed any serious offences in the period that you have been outside the Netherlands.
- You are not being prosecuted for a criminal offence at this time.
Visas. If you're going to work in Europe for a year, or if you want to stay in one country for the full year, you're going to need a visa. There are a ton of different visas, and each country has different entry criteria. Most countries offer sponsored work visas, familial visas, student visas, or retirement visas.
Can I reenter the US after 90 days? ›When traveling to the United States with the approved ESTA, you may only stay for up to 90 days at a time and there should be a reasonable amount of time between visits so that the CBP Officer does not think you are trying to live here. There is no set requirement for how long you must wait between visits.
How can a US permanent resident get a Schengen visa? ›- Visa application form – completely filled with the required information. ...
- A valid passport or Travel document. ...
- US residence permit. ...
- Photo – taken within the last three months. ...
- A cover letter. ...
- Round-trip Flight Itinerary.
In mid-to-late 2023, U.S. citizens and nationals of over 60 other countries will need an electronic travel authorization to visit much of Europe. Travelers to any Schengen-zone country will have to register with a European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
How do they know if you overstay Schengen? ›Immigration authorities have registered in their databases every person that enters and leaves, and if you overstay, even for just one day, it will be recorded. Authorities will also punish you whether your overstay beyond your Schengen Visa's validity was intentional or unintentional.
How do I fix my overstayed visa? ›If you're a visa holder and you remain in the United States past the “admit until date” listed on your Form I-94 (also called the “Arrival/Departure Record”), you are overstaying your visa. If this happens, you can get visa overstay forgiveness by applying for a waiver.
Can I return to the US if I overstay my visa? ›If you remain in the United States past the expiration date of your issued Form I-94, this is what's known as overstaying your visa. The consequence of doing so can be pretty serious including facing deportation and being barred from returning to the United States.
Can I extend my Schengen visa in Italy? ›No. You NECESSARILY MUST leave Italian territory before your visa expires. Visas cannot be extended, they only entitle you to enter national territory.
How long do you have to wait to reapply for Schengen visa? ›
Wait for 30 days until you re-apply for your Schengen visa
The good news is that you can re-apply for a visa. However, it is not possible to have two visa applications in process simultaneously. Therefore, it is recommended that you wait for at least one to two months before submitting a new Schengen visa application.
France rejected 21.1 per cent of the 652,331 applications it received. Denmark rejected 21.1 per cent of the 26,469 applications it received. Belgium rejected 20.4 per cent of the 50,796 applications it received.
Which Schengen country has lowest rejection rate? ›Estonia, Malta and Slovenia rejected the most number of Schengen visa applications from India, while Germany, Italy and Hungary accepted the most. Germany had the lowest rejection rate for Indians.
Can I spend more than 90 days in Schengen? ›If you stay more than 90 days in a 180-day period in the Schengen Area without a valid visa, you may be fined or banned from entering the Schengen Area.
Can you ask for a visa extension? ›If you want to extend your stay in the United States, you must file a request with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status before your authorized stay expires.
Why would a visa extension be denied? ›If the application is filed with USCIS after the expiration of status and/or there has been another violation of the terms of B-1 status (such as working without authorization), then the application for extension of status will be denied. e. the applicant is not in removal proceedings.
What happens if visa extension is denied? ›If your extension/change is denied, you will be given time to depart the United States and the stay won't be considered an overstay. The CBP officer at the port of entry has the final determination for admissibility.
How do I count my Schengen visa days? ›Staying for 90 days— means that as soon as you enter any country within the Schengen area, your 90-days clock starts. This counts for every country in the zone. For example, let's say you spend 30 days in Germany, then 30 days in France, and 30 days in Austria; you've spent 90 days in the Schengen zone.
How to live in Europe for 3 months? ›Using the Schengen Area
As many countries are in the EU, there is freedom of movement rules for their residents. This gets carried over temporarily for visitors. So, you can stay 90 days within a 180-day period, which means you can live in Europe for three months without having to get a visa.
It may take from a few days up to a month for the authorities to process your Schengen visa extension application. While your application is under process, you are legally permitted to stay in the country where you applied for Schengen visa but can't travel to other Schengen countries.
Can visa be extended online? ›
Extending your India Visa
While you cannot apply for an extension visa iVisa, all you have to do is fill out the online application form on the Indian Government Website (e-FRRO/FRO). You choose one of the payment options and wait to receive the visa extension certificate.
Meaning, Embassy officials will determine when you can reapply for your Schengen Visa. This can be anywhere between 1 - 6 months.
Can I come back to Schengen after 90 days? ›A non-EU national who stays in the Schengen area beyond 90 days (without a residence permit or long-stay visa) is illegally present, which can result in a re-entry ban to the Schengen area.
What happens if you overstay Schengen by 2 days? ›Authorities will also punish you whether your overstay beyond your Schengen Visa's validity was intentional or unintentional. You could receive a fine, immediate deportation or even get banned from entering the Schengen Area for a period.
Can you apply for visa extension by yourself? ›First, you can apply for visa extension form I-539 online. You can only apply online if you are filing for yourself and do not require legal representation or if you are applying as a family, you can apply online as individuals, but you'll have to pay the fee for each application.
Can I spend 90 days in each Schengen country? ›Your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days. It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps 'rolling'. To work out if your stay is within the 90 day limit, use the following steps.
How to get a 2 year Schengen visa? ›- Step 1: Collect All The Required Documents.
- Step 2: Fill In Your Schengen Visa Application Form.
- Step 3: Schedule Your Schengen Visa Appointment.
- Step 4: Attend Your Schengen Visa Appointment.
- Step 5: Wait For Your MEV Visa To Be Processed.
14 Can I leave the Schengen area and return again with my Schengen visa? Schengen visas may allow for a single-entry or multiple entries. With a single-entry visa you can enter the Schengen area only once. This is indicated on the visa sticker by "01".
Which Schengen country has highest rejection rate? ›Estonia, Malta and Slovenia rejected the most number of Schengen visa applications from India, while Germany, Italy and Hungary accepted the most. Estonia rejected the highest share of visas from India in 2022 - 56% of 1,986 applications. Malta had a 45% rejection rate, while Slovenia rejected 44.5% of 2,732 visas.