Schengen Visas are granted to foreigners across all nations. This will allow the individual to travel to schengen countries. There are 26 European countries that are included in schengen area that anyone with schengen visa can travel freely across these 26 countries.
However, not all European countries are part of schengen zone. Countries like UK, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia are not schengen countries.
Schengen Visas mainly are of 3 types- National Visa, Uniform Schengen Visa and Limited Territorial Validity Visa.
Based on your requirement and the documents submitted at the time of application will allow Visa officer at the Embassy to issue you an appropriate visa.
Again there are number of visa types that are categorized under the above three main visa types. They could be business visa, tourist visa or visiting visa, transit visa, work visa and student visa. These visas in turn are demarcated by Alphabets.
Let’s see,
Uniform Schengen Visa Type (USV)
If you need visa for short duration of stay then you should opt for Uniform Schengen Visa which gives Visa type A. Visa A is also generally issued in cases where someone need during airport transfers when you are travelling via schengen country airports.
Visa type C will allow an individual to fulfill the requirement for Transit Visa and also gives you 90 days to 6 months valid visa to travel within schengen regions. This will suit individual who goes on a holiday.
Visa type B is given to individual who just travels for less than a week. Mostly for 5 days or less are issued with B Visa. Anyone willing to travel from schengen to non-schengen region by car can be issued with this kind of visa.
In cases where individual needs visa for travelling on purpose of education or work they are issue with visa type D. However in cases for visa C you are allowed to travel in schengen zone only once. Visa D multiple entries are permitted for visa with a period of 1 year, 3 years and 5 years.
Limited Territorial Validity Visa Type (LTV)
LTV types of visas are only issued for the individual permitting only to travel in that particular schengen country. The schengen country that issues LTV type visa permits entry into only their country. This valid will not be valid in any other schengen country except the issuing country.
Limited Territorial visa is an exception for uniform schengen visa type as it only allows individuals on humanitarian grounds and on laws of international obligation.
National Visa Type
D visa type comes under National Visa it is issued to individuals who need to study, work or already residing permanent residents in schengen countries.
If you are an individual staying in anyone of the schengen countries for a particular period of time and willing to travel back any time soon, you might be granted this visa with multi entry visa stamp. This visa also allows you to travel to other schengen countries too.
To obtain multiple entry visas, you have to meet their criteria fulfilling the requirement. Mostly students travelling to any one of the schengen countries for study purpose and enrolled in fulltime education in any one of their universities are eligible. Or you may be a working professional or an individual under medical emergency.
Before you apply for any sort of visa ensure you carry proper documents like valid passport, proof of stay like where you are going to stay when you land in schengen country, itinerary and insurances. Approach the embassy of schengen country which you think you will be staying most of your time.