Requirements for a Schengen Short Stay Visa
What are the Basic Schengen Visa Requirements?
The Schengen Visa allows travelers to visit multiple European countries without internal border checks.
Once you receive a visa from any Schengen country, you can freely travel across the rest of the member states
without applying for separate visas.
What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area was established by the Schengen Agreement of 1985 to eliminate border controls
for travelers moving between participating countries.
List of Schengen Countries
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Mandatory Schengen Visa Requirements
- Visa Application Form: Available online or in PDF format.
- Passport: Must be valid for at least 90 days beyond your return date with at least 2 blank pages. Old passports can also be submitted as supporting documents.
- Biometric Photographs: Recent passport-sized photos with light background and 75–80% face coverage.
- Cover Letter: Should include trip duration, destinations, accommodation details, purpose of visit, and signed assurance of returning to Nepal.
- Flight Reservation: Return flight booking or itinerary with clear travel dates and flight numbers. Actual tickets are not required before visa approval.
- Hotel Reservation: Proof of accommodation for the entire stay. If staying with friends, relatives, or sponsors, an invitation letter with contact details is sufficient.
- Travel Insurance: Coverage of at least €30,000 to cover medical and emergency expenses during your trip.
Additional Required Documents
From Schengen Country
- Invitation form (country-specific)
- Copy of sponsor’s passport, ID card, or residence permit
- Employment letter with salary slips for the last 3 months
- Bank statement of the last 3 months
From Nepal
- Bank statement for the past 6 months
- Land ownership certificate (Lalpurja) with translation and property valuation (if applicable)
- Proof of fixed deposits (if applicable)
- Proof of share investments (if applicable)
- Relationship certificate with family members in Nepal and with the sponsor abroad (if applicable)
Note: Original documents are not always required but are strongly recommended when lodging your application.
Submission of all documents does not guarantee visa approval.
If Documents are Not in English
Any non-English or non-Welsh documents must be submitted with a certified translation, including:
- Confirmation of accuracy from the translator
- Date of translation
- Translator’s full name and signature
- Translator’s contact details
For Applicants Under 18 Years Old
Additional documents are required to avoid delays:
- Birth certificate or legal adoption/guardianship papers
- If traveling alone or with someone other than parents, a signed letter from parents confirming travel and accommodation details
- Copy of parents’ or guardians’ passport biographical page (signature and passport number included). If unavailable, another official document with their signature must be provided.