By now you may have heard about the new buzzword in international travel – the Schengen Visa – and you probably have wondered what it is all about and even asked why it needs to concern you.

The Schengen visa is a “visitor visa” which is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe.

The Schengen visa takes its name from the Schengen area, which includes 25 European countries. The countries include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, and Estonia. Other countries within the Schengen area are Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, and Iceland. In addition, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands are included. Furthermore, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland are part of the Schengen area. The area is named after the Schengen Agreement of 1985 made near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg which abolished borders among the member states.

Some countries like the United Kingdom and Ireland are part of the European Union but do not belong to the Schengen area while others like Norway and Iceland, are not part of the European Union, but are part of the Schengen area following a cooperation agreement signed with the Schengen States.

The Schengen Visa, as their website says, has made travelling between these countries much easier and less bureaucratic. Travelling 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. This is particularly beneficial for persons who wish to visit several European countries on the same trip.

Note, however, that the purpose of the visit must be leisure, tourism, or business and that is why it only allows a traveller a maximum of 90 days within this area in 6 months. We strongly recommend that you plan your journey within the time frame of the Schengen Visa. You can extend it if you want but this can be very difficult to obtain.

There are 3 categories of the Schengen Visa:

1. Short-stay Schengen Visa

The short-stay visa is the most common Schengen visa. It entitles travellers, subject to the visa requirement, to enter the territories of the 25 Schengen States to pay a continuous visit or several visits within the stipulated 90-day period in any half-year from the date of first entry. The authorities can issue the short-stay visa for either a single entry or multiple entries and it has a period of validity not exceeding 5 years.

The single-entry visa allows one uninterrupted stay for up to a maximum of 90 days. Usually, the authorities add a grace period of 15 days to the authorised stay for visa holders who wish to extend their visit.

The multiple-entry visa allows several stays on the territory of one or several Schengen States, provided that the total length of the visits does not exceed 90 days in any half-year from the date of first entry. The stay may be continuous or spread over several periods within the validity of the visa. Travellers providing sufficient guarantees can receive multiple-entry visas with a period of validity between 6 months and 5 years.

2. Schengen Transit Visa

The transit visa allows travellers who are going from one non-Schengen State to another non-Schengen State to pass through the territories of the Schengen States. This visa may be issued for one or several transits. The length of the authorised stay will correspond to the time necessary for the transit.

3. Airport Transit Visa (ATV)

Certain travellers need an airport transit visa to pass through the international transit area of airports during a stop-over or transfer. This is between two stages of an international flight without entering the national territory of the country concerned. The requirement to have such a visa is an exception to the general right to transit without a visa through the international transit area.

So Who Needs a Schengen Visa?

All Kenyans wishing to travel to Europe will require a Schengen Visa to access the Schengen area. Other countries that are subject to these visa requirements to enter or transit in the Schengen area are as follows:

Travellers from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, Congo (DRC), Iran, Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq and Sri Lanka are additionally subject to the airport transit visa requirement by Schengen countries.

Have you used a Schengen Visa in your travels? What was your experience like compared to other visas you have used?