Coming to the EU

 

EU Visa policy

All European Union member states, with the exception of Ireland and the United Kingdom, have a unified visa system as part of the Schengen Area. Three non-member states — Iceland, Norway and Switzerland — are also part of the Schengen area and also implement the unified system. Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania are not yet part of the Schengen area, but maintain the same immigration policies as required by Schengen. Liechtenstein has signed up to Schengen but has yet to implement it (since Feb 2011).

Countries of Schengen allow to some holders of biometric passports a visa-free access (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, FYROM, Serbia, Montenegro) and to holders of green passports (Turkey). In rare cases, however, a country may also allow visa-free access for regular passport holders but require visas from official passport holders. Please be aware of such disctinction and check before your trip if it is not your case.

In case of any confusion or lack of information, do not hesitate to contact us. Or check the Visa policy in the European Union.

We updated the Invitation Letter and the Protocol for its issuance in the section For organizers!

 

Visa Information Database 

CBIT (Visa Information Database) will show you all the necessary information when you decide to travel abroad. Whether you need a visa for your destination, and if you do, what do you have to do in order to get one.

If you are traveling to the EU (mainly Schengen area) and you need a visa to enter you desired country, you are advised to contact (besides Incoming responsible to obtain your Invitation Letter) also your university and ask to prepare for you a supportive letter, declaring your status of a student, membership in AEGEE and kindly asking the "visa-application place" to abolish visa fee for you.

 

Visa Facilitation Agreement

Citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Serbia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine will continue to benefit from a reduced visa handling fee (EUR 35 instead of EUR 60). Many categories of applicants may also now obtain visas free of charge. In the majority of cases, visa procedures have been simplified. In addition, with the recent enlargement of the Schengen area, applicants from the above-mentioned countries will now be able to apply for a single Schengen visa only.

The implementation of the Visa Facilitation Agreements will foster people-to-people contacts and increase opportunities for travel, especially for the younger generation. This is an important step towards full visa liberalisation. In this context the Slovenian Presidency welcomes the European Commission’s intention to initiate dialogue in due time on visa liberalisation with each of the five countries with a view to establishing a road map on the conditions to be met.

 

You can read the VFAs and learn the rules of travelling to the EU from the following countries by yourself:

» VFA of Albania (Schengen visas for the Albania) *

» VFA of Bosnia and Herzegovina (more info at Delegation of the EU to B&H) *

» VFA of FYROM (information for holders of biometric passports and non-biometric passports) *

» VFA of Georgia (embassies, simplified visa requirements and new rules of visa issuance)

» VFA of Moldova (more info at the EU in Moldova and list of embassies)

» VFA of Montenegro (more about the EU in Montenegro) *

» VFA of Russian Federation (embassies and more info about visa issue at the EU in Russia)

» VFA of Serbia (more about visa issues) *

» VFA of Ukraine (info about the EU in Ukraine and visa issuance)

 

* In addition, holders of the biometric passports do not need visa to enter a country of Schengen since 2009, except of citizens of Albania and B&H. Schengen visas for holders of biometric passports in Albania and B&H are issued for free.

 

Other non-EU countries and the visa policy of the EU

» Armenia, delegation in Armenia and the "Schengen visa"

» Azerbaijan and the EU delegation (embassies)

» Belarus, delegation of the EU, embassies and visa info 

» Kosov@, the Liaison Office of the EU and all you need to know to travel from Kosovo to the EU (Visa application Form)

» Turkey (holders of green passports can travel without visa) - EU delegation in TR, embassies and consulates 

 

More information

At the following links, you will find a lot of information, which are helpful for you to apply for Schengen visa. Do not underestimate the importance of the correct application form and all the supportive documents. You will save yourself time, money and patience.

http://www.theschengenoffice.com/explained/schengen_visa.html

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/studentsupport/international/visaandimmigration/schengenvisas/index.html

http://www.visafrance.co.uk/

http://www.visabureau.com/worldwide/schengen-visa.aspx

http://www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/intstuds/visiteurope.shtm

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/international/visas/schengenvisa