The complete document checklist for UK applicants. What you need, why you need it, and how we check it.
Most Schengen visa applications require the same core set of documents. The exact list varies slightly by country and purpose of travel. We send a tailored checklist once we know your itinerary — including any extras your specific destination requires.
Nine documents cover almost every standard UK application. Each card lists what the document must actually show — and the single mistake that most often causes problems with it.
Issued within the last 10 years. Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended return date. Must have at least 2 blank pages for the visa sticker.
Completed fully, signed by the applicant, and dated within 15 days of your appointment. Every field must be answered — leave nothing blank. If a question does not apply, mark it N/A.
Two recent colour photographs, 35×45mm, white background, face centred, taken within the last 6 months. Check the exact specification for your destination before printing.
Minimum €30,000 medical cover. Must be valid across all Schengen countries for the entire trip duration — ideally a few days either side to cover delays and missed connections.
Hotel bookings, rental confirmation, or a host invitation letter covering every night of your stay. Must align exactly with your flight dates — no gaps.
3 months of bank statements showing regular income and a stable balance. The benchmark is roughly £90 per person per day. An original bank letter is required alongside the statements.
Round-trip flight reservation and a day-by-day schedule that is consistent with your accommodation bookings. A provisional booking is acceptable — you do not need to have purchased flights.
Employed: payslips and an employer letter confirming role, salary and approved leave. Self-employed: business registration and bank statements. Retired: pension statements. Student: enrolment letter.
Optional but strongly recommended. A short letter explaining the purpose of your visit, the dates, and the itinerary. It ties every other document together and gives the officer context.
You must apply to the consulate of the Schengen country where you will spend the longest part of your stay. If two countries share equal nights, apply through the one you enter first. Getting this wrong means starting over with a new appointment and new fees.
| Your situation | The rule | Apply through |
|---|---|---|
| Visiting one country only | Single destination | That country |
|
Visiting multiple countries, one has the longest stay
e.g. 2 nights Paris, 8 nights Rome
|
Longest stay takes precedence | Italy (8 nights) |
|
Two countries, equal nights
e.g. 5 nights Barcelona, 5 nights Berlin
|
Equal stay → first point of entry | Spain (entered first) |
|
Multiple countries, split itinerary, longest stay in one
e.g. 10 nights across Europe, most in Prague
|
Country with most nights | Czech Republic |
| Transit only (airport, no entry) | Airport Transit Visa rules apply — not a standard Schengen visa | Country of transit |
Each consulate sets its own appointment centre, photograph specification and fee — so the country you nominate affects your whole checklist. See all 29 Schengen countries →
First-time applicants must attend in person at a VFS Global or TLScontact centre in the UK to give biometrics (fingerprints and a digital photograph). Appointments must be booked in advance and are often the longest wait in the process.
Use the VFS Global or TLScontact portal for your destination country. Slots fill weeks ahead — book as soon as your travel dates are confirmed. We can do this on your behalf.
Arrive with originals and one clear copy of every document. Some centres require documents in a specific order. Bring the appointment confirmation email and a valid photo ID.
Fingerprints and a digital photograph are captured at the centre. This takes 10–20 minutes. You will leave your passport with the centre — do not plan travel requiring it until the visa is returned.
The Schengen visa fee (currently €90 for adults, €45 for children 6–11) is paid at the appointment centre, not to us. VFS/TLS also charge a service fee on top.
Standard processing is 15 calendar days. Apply at least 6 weeks before travel to allow time to reapply if needed. Some consulates process faster; none guarantee a turnaround.
The core nine documents apply to all applicants. Select your travel purpose below to see what else the consulate will expect.
Most refusals are preventable. These are the eight reasons we see most often — and how to avoid them.
Reason 01
Bank statements showing too little balance, or funds that were deposited shortly before applying rather than accumulated over time.
Reason 02
Insurance, flights and hotel bookings that don't share the same travel dates — even one day's mismatch can fail an application.
Reason 03
Applying to France when the longest stay is in Italy. The correct consulate won't accept a file already submitted elsewhere.
Reason 04
No cover letter, no day-by-day itinerary, or a stated purpose that the other documents don't back up.
Reason 05
Cover below €30,000, limited to one country only, or with dates that don't span the entire trip including travel days.
Reason 06
Consulates must be satisfied you intend to return. Without a job, property, family or other ties, this can be hard to demonstrate.
Reason 07
The application form asks about previous refusals directly. Not disclosing one is treated as misrepresentation, which is a more serious ground than the original refusal.
Reason 08
Missing signature, blank fields left empty rather than marked N/A, or a name that does not match the passport exactly.
Send us your itinerary and we will send back a document list written for your specific country and applicant type — and flag anything that could cause a refusal before you apply.
The six questions about requirements we are asked most often. More on the full FAQ page.
Yes. British citizens need a Schengen visa for every short stay in the Schengen area, including holidays and business trips of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The only exception is travel to Ireland, which is outside the Schengen area.
There is no fixed legal figure, but consulates expect evidence that you can support yourself for the length of your stay. A common benchmark is roughly £90 per person per day, held consistently over the previous three months rather than deposited just before you apply.
At least €30,000 of medical cover is the standard requirement, valid for the whole Schengen area and covering your entire stay from arrival to departure, plus a few days either side to cover delays.
Every traveller, including infants, needs their own visa and their own passport. Children also need a birth certificate, and if they are travelling without both parents, consent documentation from any parent who is not travelling.
You receive a written explanation, and you can usually apply again after addressing the reason given. Read the refusal letter carefully, because the stated ground is the only basis on which a fresh application will be assessed. If a refusal was caused by an error in a document we prepared, we correct it and resubmit at no further charge.
Not for a first application. First-time applicants normally give biometrics in person at a VFS Global or TLScontact centre in the UK, which requires a booked appointment. Some embassies offer repeat-applicant schemes, but the initial visit is almost always in person.
Tell us the destination and we will send the document list for that country.
When you submit an enquiry we collect the name, email address, telephone number, destination and any travel details you provide. This is used only to answer your enquiry and to prepare your application.
We share your details only with the authorities and appointment centres required to process your visa, for example VFS Global, TLScontact and the relevant consulate. We do not sell your data.
We retain enquiry records for as long as needed to support your application and to meet our legal obligations, after which they are deleted.
You can ask us what we hold about you, ask for it to be corrected, or ask for it to be deleted. Email info@travelade.co.uk and we will action it.
Travelade Limited provides visa consultancy services: advice, document preparation, appointment booking and application submission. We are not a government body, embassy or consulate.
A visa decision is made solely by the foreign authority. We cannot guarantee that a visa will be granted, and no part of our service should be read as a promise that it will be.
Our service fee is quoted before you pay and covers the services listed for your package. Government visa fees, appointment centre fees and insurance premiums are separate and are not marked up.
Information you provide must be accurate and complete. Applications are prepared on the basis of what you tell us, and missing or incorrect information can lead to refusal.
Travelade Limited, registered in England & Wales, Company Reg No. 17205750, registered office at 14 Pheasant Rise, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 1NT.
Our fee covers the work listed in your package. Once that work is done, the fee is non-refundable, because it has been spent on your application.
If we are unable to provide a service you have paid for, for example we cannot find an appointment we promised, or we cancel your package for any reason, we refund the undelivered part of our service fee in full.
A refusal is a decision made by the consulate, not by us. Where a refusal is caused by an error in a document or form we prepared, we will correct that error and resubmit at no further charge.
Visa fees, VFS appointment fees and insurance premiums paid to third parties cannot be refunded by us, as we do not hold them. Those refunds follow the third party's own policy.
Email info@travelade.co.uk with your reference and we will respond within three working days.
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