We have prepared a comprehensive guide for UK residents applying for a Schengen visa, covering eligibility, required documents, problems and strategies for dealing with them, the application process and processing times. Find out how to apply for a Schengen visa in your passport from the UK with a BRP card. This guide will help UK residents go through the application process more efficiently.
What is a Schengen Visa?
Schengen visa - permission for persons from countries outside the European Union to visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days within 180 days.
Schengen visas come in three types: single entry, double entry and multiple entry. This flexibility allows for various travel patterns within the permitted 90-day limit.
A Schengen visa allows you to visit any Schengen country, but you must not stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period.
This visa is usually requested by applicants for tourism purposes, business or other short-term visits.
Who Needs a Schengen Visa?
For passport holders from different countries, the requirements for obtaining Schengen visas will be different. A UK residence permit does not exempt you from applying for a Schengen visa.
British Passport Holders
British citizens don't require a short-stay visa to visit the Schengen area. Provided they spend no more than 90 days there in any 180-day period. They are eligible to visit for tourism purposes, business or to visit family members without a visa. Nevertheless, as of May 2023, british passport holders intending to travel to the EU must first obtain ETIAS authorisation.
Holders of a British Residence Permit
Citizens of some 60 countries outside the European Union hold passports with visa-free access to the Schengen area for short-term stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This includes citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan, among others. So, citizens of these countries with a British residence permit can enter the Schengen area without a visa.
The Schengen visa requirements applies to nationals with passports from over one hundred countries, for example major countries such as Russia, India, China, Algeria, Philippines, Mexico, Pakistan and Indonesia among others.
Citizens holding a passport from these countries with UK residence must apply for a Schengen visa before entering any of the 27 Schengen countries for a visit. A full list of countries whose citizens must apply for a visa to visit the Schengen area can be found on the website of the embassy of the country where you will be applying.
For a Schengen visa application, your BRP card must be valid for at least 1 month after your return date. This will ensure that you return to the UK as a resident.
If you are in the UK on a uk visa in your passport and do not yet have a valid residence permit, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa in your home country.
Types of Schengen Visas
Research the types of Schengen visas in detail in order to choose the right one and get a valid visa in your passport. The main types of Schengen visas are described as following.
Tourism
Choose "Tourism" if your main reason for visiting Schengen area countries is leisure, recreation or cultural experience. This is suitable for tourists, visitors and people attending cultural events.
When apply for a Schengen visa, travellers must confirm the tourist purpose, submit a bank statements or other proof of financial means, provide proof of accommodation, invitation letter, and a variety of other additional documents.
Business and Other Purposes
You should choose Business if your travel purpose is for business-related activities.This type of visa is suitable for business travellers, entrepreneurs, and individuals attending conferences or meetings.
You will need to provide proof of business activity, passport, proof of financial means, possibly a invitation letter and other additional documents.
Other reasons for obtaining a Schengen visa are for example: studying on short courses, family member visit, receiving medical treatment, travelling on behalf of your UK employer, for example to attend a business meeting or conference, journalism or other media activities. Although the visa allows for multiple purposes, applicants must provide a document that will proof their intended activity when applying for a Schengen visa.
Schengen Visa Application Process
Once you have studied the types of visas in details and decided on the type you need for your trip, you should proceed to the next steps:
Identify the appropriate visa centre: The application for a Schengen visa should be submitted to the visa centre or embassy that is territorially located in the part of the UK in which you legally reside.
Check the relevant information on the visa application centre's website. Below is a list with links to the sites of the visa application centres of the main Schengen countries:
• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Malta
• Norway
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
Prepare your application pack: gather all the necessary documents, including additional documents for UK residents such as proof of travel insurance, residence permits and more.
Book an appointment: most visa centres will require you to book an appointment before submitting your application.
Apply for a Schengen visa: go to the visa application centre on the appointed day and apply for a Schengen visa.
Required Documents for UK Residents
When applying for a Schengen visa as a UK resident, you will need to prepare a package of documents to submit your application.
BPB card and personal documents
All applicants will need a valid passport, BRP card and completed application form, medical insurance, bank statement or other additional document to prove your financial security. The complete package of documents must be assembled in details according to the requirements of the embassy of the country you are travelling to and the type of visa you are applying for.
Your UK residence permit or UK visa must be valid for at least one month after the expiry date of your planned trip to the Schengen area. This ensures that you can return to the UK with residence status.
Online visa status
UK e-visa holders may need to provide an "share code" by creating an online application on the gov.uk website so that the embassy can check your immigration status in the UK.
Be aware of the requirements of the Schengen country you are applying to, as slight differences in document requirements or processes can create a problem. Always check the official website of the relevant embassy or visa centre for up to date and accurate information.
Booking an appointment
Please note, a number of Schengen member states, e.g. Sweden, Denmark and Norway, etc., have certain conditions before making an appointment at a visa application centre. It is required to submit an online application in advance on the website of the migration authorities of the country you plan to travel to. On the website you will be asked to fill in an application form and then wait for a letter confirming your application for submitting it.
This is followed by the standard entry algorithm for most countries:
Select the Schengen country you plan to visit and go to its official visa application centre website.
Select the appropriate visa application centre (VFS Global, TLS Contact or BLS International) depending on the country you plan to visit and the city where you will apply, in London or another UK city.
Create an account on the website of the selected centre and make an appointment to submit your visa application.
Problems with appointment availability and strategies for their resolution
The main problem is a severe shortage of available appointment slots. This shortage affects almost all Schengen countries and visa centres, VFS global, TLS contact and BLS.
Some applicants have reported trying unsuccessfully to book a submission appointment for months, resulting in disappointment and sometimes even cancellation of the trip.
Common problems
Limited availability: the most common problem is the lack of available time slot for an appointment. Applicants often encounter messages such as "no appointments available" or "please select different date and time because all appointments are scheduled in this slot".
Rapid disappearance of available slots: a submission appointment becomes available at a certain point, but free slots disappear within seconds, making it impossible for applicants to make an appointment.
Website malfunctions:often applicants inform technical problems with the websites of VFS global and TLS contact, namely: such as problems logging in, pages failing to load, and appointment slots disappearing while they are trying to book.
Long waiting times for appointments: when it is possible to book an appointment, the waiting time for the day of submitting can be long. Sometimes the time between the appointment and the day when you have to apply for a Schengen visa can be several months.
Schengen country booking appointment strategies
Despite these challenges, there are a few strategies that applicants have found useful:
Checking frequently: update the appointment page regularly, ideally every 15-20 minutes.
Optimum time to issue appointment windows: applicants identified a pattern that new appointments often appear in the evening around 6pm or early in the morning, between 6am and 9am.
Multiple accounts: some applicants create multiple accounts with different email addresses, which increases the likelihood of getting an appointment in case one of the accounts is blocked.
Alternative cities: consider making an appointment at different visa application centres around the UK. This is a good way for the French Schengen visa, and some others, but not for all countries.
Premium services: visa application centres in some Schengen zone countries offer premium appointment slots for an additional fee. These slots are more often available as they are not the first to be picked up.
Avoid peak days: Mondays and Fridays tend to be the busiest days at visa centres, try to make an appointment on another day.
Fill in forms quickly: prepare personal information in advance so that you can fill in the forms quickly when a slot becomes available. To do this, write it down in advance in notes or a word document.
Additional tips for applicants
Clear your browser cache, as well as log into your account in incognito mode to avoid website crashes and account lockout.
Try to contact VFS global or the embassy directly, sometimes they can help to solve problems.
Consider using appointment tracking services, forums and bots that track availability.
Be prepared to book for more distant dates, as seats in the near future are often the most competitive.
Submitting documents at the visa application centre
Before visiting a visa centre to apply for a Schengen visa, find out how much the visa costs and what forms of payment are accepted. Prepare for biometric data, fingerprints and photos, and be prepared to answer questions about your trip. At the VFS global center you will go through the following steps:
Appointment day
Arrive at the visa application centre at least 10-20 minutes before the time indicated in the confirmation letter.
Bring all necessary documents with you: passport, valid residence permit, application form, proof of purpose of trip, proof of financial means and others.
Pay the visa fee and any additional service fees.
Submit your application and application pack.
Submit biometric data, namely fingerprints and photo
Once documents are submitted
Get a tracking number to monitor the status of your passport.
Wait for your application to be processed. Different countries' embassies process your application in different time frames, which is something you should definitely keep in mind. The standard processing time is 15 days, but Italy can return your passport with valid visa within 6-7 days from the day of submission and Denmark holds passports for an average of 45 days. France and Belgium can also hold a passport for 30 days.
You will be sent a letter stating that your visa is ready, after which you should collect your passport from the visa centre or arrange for a courier to deliver it to you.
Final notes
Getting a Schengen visa in the UK requires detailed preparation. Start early, gather your documents and make an appointment well in advance. Proper preparation will increase your chances of a successful application. Find out all the requirements, visa costs and services to ensure a smooth application and then trip. Check official embassy websites for the latest information.
This article is for information purposes, it is not legal advice. Please check official authorities for up-to-date information.
