What is a Schengen Visa? A Guide for Egyptian Travellers

The Schengen Area is a group of 27 European countries that have abolished internal border controls between each other. A single Schengen visa lets you enter any one of them and travel freely between all member states.

Member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

• Type A, Airport transit. Allows transit through a Schengen airport without entering the country.
• Type C, Short stay. The most common Schengen visa. Issued for tourism, family visits, business trips, and cultural events for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Type D, Long stay. Not a short-stay Schengen visa, a national long-stay visa for study, work, or residence, issued by the specific country.

Veeza currently focuses on Type C tourist visas for Sweden, France, and the Netherlands.

All short-stay Schengen visa holders are bound by the 90/180 rule: you can stay up to 90 days in the Schengen Area within any rolling 180-day window. The 180 days is counted backwards from your most recent entry, not by calendar year.

Example: If you enter Schengen on January 1 and stay 30 days, you have 60 days remaining you can use over the next 5 months.

Egyptian passport holders need a Schengen visa to enter any Schengen country. There is currently no visa-free exemption for Egyptian nationals.

Citizens of visa-exempt countries (such as the US, UK, and Canada) can enter for up to 90 days without a visa.

• Single entry. Allows one entry. Once you leave Schengen, the visa expires.
• Multiple entry. Allows multiple entries and exits while the visa is valid and the 90-day limit is not exceeded.
• Multi-Year MEV. Issued for up to 5 years for applicants with a clean visa history. Each entry still must comply with the 90/180 rule.

If you plan to visit multiple Schengen countries, you must apply for your Schengen visa at the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time. If your stay is equal across countries, apply at the country you will enter first.

Important: Applying at the wrong country can delay or reject your application.

Veeza specialises in Schengen tourist visas for Egyptians. We currently support three Schengen destinations:

• Sweden, full service (we book your VFS Cairo appointment for you).
• France, paperwork service (we fill the form, you book TLScontact).
• Netherlands, paperwork service (we fill the form, you book your appointment).