All countries in Europe annually attract many tourists from all over the world. She is famous for her high standard of living, the development of countries, culture, art, a rich history and excellent service. To make a trip to any of the EU countries , a special visa is required - Schengen, and the whole of Europe is called the Schengen zone. One of the most attractive tourism destinations is the Schengen countries; the list of these states is replenished from year to year.
History
Over the past decades, the European Economic Community has sought to achieve the Four Freedoms - the movement within Europe of services, goods, capital and people. To achieve these goals, many treaties and agreements have been signed that govern the relations of European countries among themselves. In 1958, an agreement was signed on the creation of a European Customs Union, which greatly simplified the movement of goods and services within the zone, the movement of citizens was hampered by passport and visa controls - each incoming citizen had to submit documents and go through customs inspection. This caused some inconvenience and took a lot of time at each crossed border. To simplify the movement of citizens within Europe, the Schengen Agreement was concluded - it was signed in June 1985 on board the Princess Marie Astrid vessel near the Schengen village - hence the name of the agreement. This place was chosen because of its location - at the border crossing of three countries - Luxembourg, Germany and France. The agreement was signed by the heads of five states - Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. These states were the first to be called the "Schengen countries", their list is still growing. Gradually, all other EU members joined the current agreement. The essence of this agreement was to simplify the borders between the participating countries, abolish customs, passport and visa controls.
Countries
Most EU countries are Schengen countries. Their list changes from time to time. Currently, the Schengen zone includes 27 states: Austria, Hungary, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Spain, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Malta, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Finland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, Sweden and Estonia. The Schengen countries - the list of 2014 - are significantly different from the data of previous years. Of all the states that are part of the European Union, only the UK and Ireland refuse to sign the Schengen Agreement - to visit these states you need to get your own national visa, passport and customs control is preserved.
How to get Schengen
In order to obtain a Schengen visa, several conditions must be met - according to the rules, you need to apply for permission at the embassy of the country in which there will be the longest stay. If the trip is made to several countries and the stay is approximately the same in each, then the embassy of the country of entry into the EU should issue a visa. The embassy should provide maximum information about yourself, submit all documents and comply with all requirements. Forms of documents and filling out questionnaires can be found on the official websites of embassies. In case of refusal, it is possible to reapply after some time.
Visa Categories
There are several types of visas issued by Schengen countries. The 2014 list includes the following. Category A visa - airport. Issued in transit through Europe. Category B - a transit visa, which is valid for several entries to EU countries, the duration of stay cannot exceed 5 days. Category C - short-term, the period of stay for it cannot exceed 90 days, for six months. Category D includes national visas of various EU countries, the duration of stay on them allows you to stay in Europe for more than 90 days. The conditions for moving around the Schengen area are governed by the domestic law of the country that issued the visa. In some cases, countries issue visas marked LTV. This means that a citizen can only move within the country that issued the visa - but not throughout the Schengen area. Visas to Schengen countries are issued through embassies. Registration takes up to 30 days - depending on the category and country of residence. You can apply for permission to enter on your own, or seek help from travel agencies or intermediaries.
Documents for registration
One of the most inaccessible is considered permission to enter the Schengen countries. The list of documents required to obtain a visa is updated from time to time. Documents are required to apply to the embassy for permission to enter. First of all, a passport. Moreover, it must be valid for six months after the trip. Photos of the established sample and the completed application form are strictly based on the samples provided by the embassy. Certificate from the place of service or work - it must indicate all the contact numbers and address of the company, for non-working citizens, for example, students, a certificate from the educational institution is required. Be sure to confirm the financial viability - to submit a certificate on the purchase of foreign currency with the expectation of 50 euros per day per person, or to take a statement from a credit card or bank account. In cases of unemployed citizens, it is necessary to provide information on who pays for the trip and accommodation in the country. Be sure to need medical insurance, information about all family members - children, spouses, etc., marriage certificates and documents for children - along with photocopies. All additional documents requested by the embassy must be provided upon request.
Reasons for refusal
The countries participating in the Schengen Agreement impose rather stringent requirements on all arriving citizens. The most common reasons for refusal are: violation of a previously issued visa, the absence of some necessary documents, the availability of data on the crime committed, the provision of false information about yourself, insufficient financial security. Embassy staff may refuse to issue a visa because of doubts that a citizen will return after making a trip. In order to avoid this, it is recommended to confirm the presence of property and relatives in the homeland.