What about the Schengen visa for Britain and Europe?

First of all, to apply for a Schengen visa in the UK, you need to meet the following two conditions:

1. The journey should end within 3 months before the expiration of the UK visa. For example, your UK visa will expire on September 30th, so you must return to the UK before June 30th. If this time is not enough, you can't successfully apply for a Schengen visa.

2. Personal financial guarantee, providing bank statements for nearly three months. The amount in the account is calculated according to the number of days you went. For example, if I go to Europe 10, I must have at least 500 euros in my account in March, and the daily amount will be listed on the Schengen visa websites of various countries. For details, please refer to the red scarf article "Schengen visa information of popular tourist countries in Europe".

General required materials

1. Two ID photos within three months.

2. The Schengen visa application form can be filled in online or at the visa center.

3 existing passports and their photocopies (including old passports and their photocopies)

4. A valid UK visa and its photocopy.

5. Three-month bank statement and its copy.

6. Hotel reservation certificate

7. Travel insurance should cover the whole trip.

8. Student letters sent within three months

9. Certificate of transportation between Schengen countries (including cars, boats and air tickets).

10. Travel plan, even if you go to a country.

Here are some websites for booking hotels, buying insurance and transportation.

hotel

Hotel reservation is included in the application materials, so everyone should make a reservation in advance and get the reservation certificate. If more than one person lives in a room, everyone's name needs to be on the reservation certificate. Even if the system does not automatically display everyone's name when booking, everyone should contact the hotel to make it up, otherwise it will not be used as proof of accommodation. Hotel reservations must be specific to every night in Schengen. If you stay on the train or other means of transportation that night, you must buy a train ticket in advance and show your train ticket certificate. The more detailed the transportation and accommodation certificates during the trip, the easier it is to apply for a visa. People usually book hotels in Booking.com, Hotels.com and Expedia.co.uk.

insurance

Travel insurance needs to cover the whole trip. The most convenient way is to buy online, and recommend several websites with the most users: the two largest ones in Britain are Money Supermarket and Confused.com, which can directly compare the insurance of each family. Just insure it. Travel insurance on this website is cheaper and trustworthy. Many people buy insurance at the post office. Secondly, major supermarkets in Britain also provide travel insurance, which can be bought by the way when shopping. The insurance bought online will be sent directly to your mailbox, and you can print it out when you submit your visa. If you buy any family insurance, you must buy something that can be paid to British residents. We international students are all British residents, so we recommend reading the article "Matters needing attention in buying travel insurance in Britain" with red scarf.

traffic

The quickest way to go to Europe is by plane, but there is another experience by train and cruise. Skyscanner is a website for inquiring and comparing low-priced air tickets. Secondly, you can also book tickets directly from low-cost airlines. If there is a preferential period, you can buy a round-trip ticket to Europe for tens of pounds. EasyJet, Ryanair, Flybe and Jet2 have no flights in London, but there are flights in Manchester City, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The air tickets of these flights are relatively low, so they are all small planes, and there is no food or water to provide. You need to get your own boarding pass, and you have to pay extra for boarding if you don't take a taxi. It is also convenient to travel around Europe by train. There are two choices: intercity and Eurail. Students who go to Greece should pay attention that Greece can't go by train, because several Balkan countries in the middle don't belong to the Schengen area of the European Union. I recommend reading "Play around Europe and teach you how to buy a train ticket".

Finally, talk about visa reservation and waiting time!

Every year, Easter, summer vacation and Christmas belong to the peak season of European tourism. If you want to travel during this time, you should arrange your travel plan in advance. You can usually make an appointment three months before you travel. If it is too early, the visa center will have no time to make an appointment. It is said that the more popular Schengen countries, such as France, Italy and Greece, have higher requirements for the materials provided by the applicants and higher refusal rates. If you are afraid of DIY problems, you can find an officially recognized intermediary to help you apply. I can help you review the materials, send them, make an appointment, and they will also help you with the materials after the visa comes down, but the fingerprint still needs to be pressed by the applicant himself. Agency fees do not include visa application fees. A detailed list of certification agencies can be found on the visa pages of various Schengen countries, for example, click here to inquire about France.

But it's not as complicated as everyone thinks. Now almost all Schengen visas are outsourced to VFS Global, except France, which is still handled by TLScontact. You can click here to view the visa pages of popular European countries, which have all the application information and appointment methods. Some countries have visa centers in London, Manchester City and Edinburgh, and there are geographical restrictions. For example, Scots can't come to London to apply for a Schengen visa. Be sure to read the information on the visa pages of various countries in detail to avoid making an appointment mistake and not allowing participation. If you can't attend because of an appointment, remember to tell the visa center to cancel your time slot and provide opportunities for others.

Make an appointment on the selected day online, print out an appointment letter and submit the materials to the embassy or visa center on time. On the day of visa submission, in addition to paying visa fees and materials, your fingerprints will be collected on the spot. Generally, the results can be produced within 3 working days at the earliest, and 5-7 working days is normal, but it depends on the popularity of each country and your personality. It is normal for some students, friends and colleagues to hand in the signing materials, but the signing time is different. If the visa is eventually refused and shared by some students, you can still apply for a Schengen visa again without any influence.

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