Like most countries, when applying for Schengen visa, you cannot just walk in and submit your documents. You will need to make a prior Schengen visa appointment.
Depending on how your destination country in Schengen has regulated visa submission in your country of residence, you will have to file your Schengen visa application at one of the following:
- Their embassy
- One of their consulates
- A visa center to which the embassy of your destination country has outsourced visa submission
- The embassy / consulate of another Schengen state to which the embassy of your destination country has outsourced visa submission
By your “destination country”, we mean the country where you need to lodge your application, according to the Schengen rules.
These rules are as follows:
- If you are going to visit only one Schengen country, file your application at the embassy / consulate / visa center of that country
- If you are going to visit more
than two Schengen countries, file your application:
- At the embassy / consulate / visa center of the country where you will spend most days, if you will be spending unequal amount of days in each
- At the embassy / consulate / visa center of the country where you will step first, if you will be spending an equal amount of days in each
Due to the time that the Schengen embassies/consulates worldwide need to process a Schengen visa, you have an appointed period within which you can file your visa application.
The allowed period to apply for a Schengen visa is as following:
- The earliest you can file a visa application: three months before you start your planned trip.
- The latest you can file a visa application: at most 15 working days before you intend to travel.
- The recommended time to file a visa application: at least three weeks before your trip.