Countries that historically issued the majority of Schengen visas.

What is a Schengen Visa?

In 1985, five European countries, namely Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, entered an intergovernmental agreement and expanded as the world's most extensive accessible travel areas. Later, 27 European Countries joined the Schengen Borders Code and agreed to no internal border controls. These 27 countries are Germany, Austria, Spain, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Belgium, France, Hungary, Estonia, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Greece,  the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Sweden and Switzerland.

 

As part of the Schengen Agreement, these countries have a common visa named Schengen Visa. This Visa allows tourists and visitors to travel freely across the Schengen Countries without applying for separate visas for each. You can spend up to 90 days in a country or the Schengen countries in six months or as long as the Visa is valid.

 

Countries issuing the majority of Schengen Visa historically

According to SchengenVisaInfo, 2023 saw more than 116 million Schengen Visas issued by European countries. Among the top ten countries that gave the maximum number of visas, France tops the list with a contribution of more than 30 million visas issued alone. Statistically, it is also seen that France has been the prime contributor to issuing the majority of Schengen Visas historically. France is closely followed by Germany, which gave almost 20 million Schengen Visas last year. Other countries that provided the most Schengen Visas  are listed in the table below:

Country	No. of Visas issued (2009-2022)
France	30,253,370
Germany	20,941,303
Italy	19,359,244
Spain	17,442,568
Finland	11,234,436
Greece	10,958,014
Poland	9,378,827
Czech Republic	6,505,592
Netherlands	5,666,488
Switzerland	5,259,842

 

Types of Schengen Visa

• Type A Schengen Visa: You can transit through any Schengen country while heading towards your final destination.
• Type B Schengen Visa allows you to transit through multiple Schengen countries while heading towards your final destination.
• Type C Schengen Visa: allows you to visit and travel to all the Schengen countries for up to 90 days.
• Type D Schengen Visa: allows you to work, study, or live in a Schengen country for a temporary period, depending on the purpose of your trip.

 

Benefits of Schengen Visa

• Travel freely across 27 countries in the Schengen Visa
• Stay up to 90 days in Europe
• No internal border checks while travelling from one Schengen country to another
• Meet friends and family residing in the Schengen zone.
• Attend conferences, meetings, and events across the Schengen area.

 

Eligibility criteria for Schengen Visa

• A valid passport with an issue date of at most ten years.
• Proof of enough finances to fund your trip
• A letter of invitation from your hosts or a letter explaining your purpose of visit
• Ensure that you meet the visa requirements as set by the authorities
• Personal documents, including proof of nationality and certificate of marriage (if applicable)

 

Required documents for a Schengen Visa

• A valid passport
• Passport-sized photographs
• Copy of the Visa application form
• Payment receipt of the visa fees
• Travel itinerary and hotel booking receipts or proofs
• Flight details to and from the Schengen countries
• Proof of sufficient funds to support your trip
• Recent bank statement
• Valid ID proof, along with evidence of civil status
• A letter explaining the purpose of the visit

 

Steps to Apply for a Schengen Visa

• Step 1: Identify the type of Schengen Visa that suits the purpose of your visit.
• Step 2: Find the nearest Visa Application Centre that deals with visa applications in your region and fix an appointment with them.
• Step 3: Gather the required documents and appear for the visa interview.
• Step 4: Pay the amount needed for your visa fees.
• Step 5: Apply and keep a copy of it.

 

Schengen Visa Processing Time

As per the Schengen Visa Code, the Schengen Visa process time is around 15 days after reaching the Consulate. An applicant may apply for a Schengen Visa as early as six months before the day of the visit.

 

Schengen Visa Processing Fees

Adult	Children from 6 to less than 12 years old	Children less than six years
€80	€60	FREE

 

How can Y-Axis help you?

Y-Axis is one of India's leading visa and immigration consultancy. Our team of Visa and immigration experts can guide you with the following:

 

• Gathering the required documents
• Advising you on the financial details that need to be shown
• Filling out the application forms
• Reviewing your documents before submission

 

Looking for a Schengen Visa? Contact Y-Axis for personalized guidance.