General information on Schengen Visas

General information on Schengen visas

All Nigerian citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa before travelling to Germany. A Schengen visa can be issued for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. However, please be informed that a shorter validity may be granted depending on your purpose of visit. 

What is a short term visa?

A short term visa means that your period of stay in Germany is less than 90 days in 6 months = 3 months in a half-year's time.

You will then be issued a so-called "Schengen-visa" that allows you to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days in 6 months.

Persons granted a short-stay visa with no territorial restrictions (category “C” visa) by a Schengen country may, for the duration of the visa’s validity, stay and travel freely in the territory of any other Schengen country. Holders of such visas may also cross the Schengen area’s internal borders without undergoing identity checks. Air passengers with transit visas (category “A” visa) are entitled only to enter the international transit area at airports but not the Schengen area itself.

Third-country nationals with a national residence permit issued by a Schengen country may, for the duration of its validity, travel for up to 90 days per six-month period to any other Schengen country. This also applies to holders of a national visa (category “D” visa) issued by a Schengen country.

Category C (short term visa - for visits to Germany of up to 90 days)

According to the Schengen Agreement, a Schengen visa allows you to stay in the following countries up to 90 days within a period of 180 days: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. However, you always have to apply at the mission of the country which is your main destination.

Category A (Airport transit visa)

With effect from 1 May 2008, Nigerian citizens do not need an airport transit visa if they are in possession of a valid visa for an EU member state, a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area of 2 May 1992, Japan, Canada, Switzerland or the United States of America; or if after using the visa they return to Nigeria from any of these countries. In all other cases, Nigerian citizens transiting Germany are required to obtain an airport transit visa.

Schengen Visa

The Schengen Area is the area comprising 26 European countries that have abolished passport or any other type of border control in-between their common borders, also referred to as internal borders. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common Visa Policy. The Area is named after the Schengen Agreement. Countries in the Schengen Area have eliminated internal border controls with the other Schengen members, and strengthened external border controls with non-Schengen states. The Schengen area encourages the free movement of goods, information, money and people.

The Schengen Visa has made traveling between its 25 member countries (22 European Union states and 3 non-EU members) much easier and less bureaucratic. Traveling on a Schengen Visa means that the visa holder can travel to any (or all) member countries using one single visa, thus avoiding the hassle and expense of obtaining individual visas for each country.

The purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business. Upon the issuance of the visa, the visa holder is allowed to enter all member countries and travel freely throughout the Schengen area. It is strongly recommended to plan your journey within the timeframe of the Schengen Visa as extensions can be very difficult to obtain, thus forcing you to leave to stay in compliance with the Schengen rules and regulations.

A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in a 6 month period.

1.     Austria

2.     Belgium

3.     Czech Republic

4.     Denmark

5.     Estonia

6.     Finland

7.     France

8.     Germany

9.     Greece

10. Hungary

11.  Iceland

12.  Italy

13.  Latvia

14.  Lithuania

15  Luxembourg

16.  Malta

17.  Netherlands

18.  Norway

19.  Poland

20.  Portugal

21.  Slovakia

22.   Slovenia

23.   Spain

24.   Sweden

25.   Switzerland

The Schengen Visa holders are not allowed to live permanently or work in Europe. Schengen Visa holder only has the right to travel as a temporary visitor to the member countries.

For more information or you need help/assistant on the application, contact me. 

 deji.ayibiowu@gmail.com

+2347035272013