Description
All applicants, including children and infants, are required to personally submit their Schengen visa application on their scheduled appointment date, which must be booked in advance.
Customers who are traveling for business purposes, such as visiting a business or company for meetings, conducting business deals, recruiting, training, or engaging in other work-related activities, can apply for a business visa.
Every Business visa application must be accompanied by an invitation letter from a business or company based in Portugal. If this requirement is not met, the applicant will need to apply as a tourist.
In the case of conferences, seminars, or workshops, the following customers are also eligible to apply for a business visa:
- Employees attending a conference, seminar, or workshop organized by their own company or another company directly related to their company.
- Employees actively participating in conferences, seminars, or workshops.
- Students attending a conference, seminar, or workshop related to their studies.
An employer letter must clearly state the purpose of attending the conference, seminar, or workshop. If this information is not provided, the applicant will need to apply as a Tourist.
To be eligible to submit a Schengen visa application, customers must meet the following criteria:
- To apply for a Schengen visa, it is necessary to possess a valid passport or travel document, as well as a valid UK residence permit.
However, if the customer holds a short stay visa for the UK, specifically a C type visa, they may only be eligible for a Schengen visa if their travel falls under the category of Essential Travel.
This includes purposes such as business, study, family reunification, health or humanitarian reasons, and EU Family Members accompanying their corresponding family member.
There are various types of short stay visas available, including Tourist (including Minors), Visitor Family/Friends, Business, EEA/EU and Swiss national family member, and Airport Transit.
It is important to note that the jurisdiction for visa applications differs depending on the customer’s place of residence. Customers residing in certain counties fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate of Portugal in London. For these individuals, the visa application must be submitted at the VFS Portugal Visa Application Centre in London, which acts as an outsourced representative for the Consulate of Portugal in London.
On the other hand, customers residing in other specific counties fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate of Portugal in Manchester. For these individuals, the visa application must be submitted at either the VFS Portugal Visa Application Centre in Manchester or Edinburgh, both of which serve as outsourced representatives for the Consulate of Portugal in Manchester.
Please refer to the links provided for a comprehensive list of the counties falling under each jurisdiction.
We strive to provide a professional and efficient visa application process, ensuring that all necessary requirements are met and that customers are well-informed about the appropriate procedures.
Documents Required
The list of documents provided below is not exhaustive, and the customer may be asked to provide additional information or documents if requested by the Mission.
Both the standard and supporting documentation must be recent, not older than one month, and must be provided for every Schengen visa application.
Applicants are required to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies unless specified otherwise.
Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to carefully review the requirements under the Overview section to ensure eligibility for the chosen visa category.
- STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION
- Visa application form (original) – Please refer to the link provided.
- Passport (original) – A signed passport with at least two blank pages for visa purposes. It must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and should have been issued within the last 10 years on the day of departure from the Schengen Area.
Note: An extended passport may still be valid, but if it is older than 10 years, it is no longer acceptable. In such cases, the customer must first apply for a new passport.
- Photocopies of previous Schengen visas – If applicable, include photocopies of previous Schengen visas endorsed in an old passport and issued within the last 3 years.
- UK Residence permit – A valid UK Residence permit, either endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card, is required for travel to the Schengen Area. It must be valid for at least one month beyond the return date of the trip. If you hold a C type visitor visa, you can only apply for a Schengen visa for Essential Travel purposes, such as business, study, family reunification, health or humanitarian reasons, and if you are an EU Family Member accompanying a corresponding family member.
To support your Schengen visa application, you need to provide the following documentation:
Proof of current occupation:
- Employer letter (original): This should be a recent letter, signed and on company letterhead. It should be addressed to the Mission and include the name and position of the signee. The letter should confirm your employment with the company. Additionally, you need to provide your last three months’ payslips.
- Student letter (original): If you are a student, you need a recent letter from your UK university. It should be addressed to the Mission and include the name and position of the signee. The letter should confirm your enrollment as a student.
- Self-employment letter (original): If you are self-employed, you need a recent letter, signed and on company letterhead. It should be addressed to the Mission and include the name and position of the signee. The letter should confirm your self-employment. If applicable, this letter should be obtained from your accountant, solicitor, bank manager, or Companies House. If your name is not mentioned on the Certificate of Incorporation received upon registering your business, you need to provide additional proof demonstrating your connection to the company.
Proof of business invitation:
You need an original cover letter from the inviting company or organization in Portugal. The letter should confirm your name, purpose of visit, period of visit, and provide confirmation of travel and/or accommodation arrangements.
Proof of Funds
To demonstrate your financial capability for your visa application, please provide the following documents:
- The most recent three months’ UK current account bank statements, clearly showing your name, address, and an end balance dated within the last month from the date of visa application submission. The balance should reflect a minimum amount of £50.00 per day of your stay in the Schengen Area, in addition to outstanding accommodation and travel fees. Alternatively, online bank account printouts are also acceptable.
- Travellers’ cheques should cover the same amount as explained in section a.
Proof of Travel
To confirm your travel arrangements, please provide the following:
- Confirmed return travel tickets, clearly stating your name and travel dates to and from the Schengen Area.
- If you are traveling by car, please provide car registration, car insurance, and return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel) that mention the car’s registration number and driver’s driving license. If you are not the driver, a cover letter from the driver, signed and dated, confirming joint travel with you and providing the travel dates, is also required.
If your travel tickets have been paid through a travel agency, please include a receipt, invoice, or payment confirmation.
Proof of Accommodation
To fulfill the requirement of providing proof of accommodation, it is necessary to present a confirmed reservation from a reputable establishment such as a hotel, hostel, or camping site. This reservation should clearly state the customer’s name, travel dates, and the address details of the accommodation.
In the event that the customer’s name is not mentioned on the reservation, an additional document is required. This document should be a joint travel confirmation letter, signed and dated by the person whose name appears on the reservation. Along with this letter, a photocopy of the same person’s passport or ID card, including the passport signature page if the signature is not present on the passport’s bio page, must also be provided.
For group reservations, a list containing the names of all group members is necessary. Alternatively, the names of the group members can be mentioned on the travel ticket.
Travel Insurance (Comprehensive Medical Coverage)
A crucial aspect of the application process is obtaining travel insurance that provides all-risk medical coverage. The insurance policy must clearly display the customer’s name and be valid throughout the entire Schengen Area. Furthermore, it must cover the entire duration of the customer’s intended stay in the Schengen Area. The minimum coverage for medical emergencies and repatriation, including the necessary clause, should amount to at least €30,000.
Please ensure that all the aforementioned requirements are met in order to comply with the regulations set forth by the authorities.
Photo Specification
Please submit one current color portrait of yourself that is no older than six months that satisfies the conditions listed below:
- Captured on a light background (white or off-white) to make features stand out and contrast with the background.
- Face-focused and of high clarity
- Full face: not grinning, no sunglasses, no hats or other head coverings, unless the applicant is wearing them due to his or her ethnicity or religion.
- Printed from a camera print on standard photographic paper.
- The photo that is adhered to the visa application form
The visa application will be deemed incomplete if the submitted photos don’t fulfill these specifications (see examples here), and the applicant will be asked to take fresh pictures in the photo booth at the visa application center.
Processing Time
Customers are advised to submit their Schengen visa application up to 6 months prior to their intended travel date to the Schengen Area. It is important to note that the minimum processing time for a visa application is 2 weeks.
Therefore, it is recommended that customers allow sufficient time between their appointment date and travel date for the Mission to process their application. However, it is important to understand that delays may occur, and there are no guarantees on the return date of the visa application.
For certain nationalities, the visa application requires consultation from other Schengen countries, resulting in a minimum processing time of more than 3 weeks. To avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is crucial that the application is complete, and all submitted documents meet the requirements set by the Mission.
Customers should also be aware that during busy seasons such as Easter, Summer holidays (July and August), and Christmas, appointment slots are quickly filled as the Mission can only process a limited number of visa applications daily. Additionally, customers should take into consideration that Mission closures and holidays may further extend the processing time of the visa application.
Therefore, we strongly recommend the following to all customers:
- Book your appointment as soon as you know your travel plans.
2. Ensure that all documentation in your visa application meets the requirements set by the Mission.
3. Allow sufficient processing time for the Mission to review your application.
For customers submitting their visa application at our satellite centre in Edinburgh, it is important to factor in an additional 2 days to the minimum processing time. This is because the application will first be dispatched to the Manchester office, and then forwarded to the Mission in Manchester the following day.
During the visa application process, the Mission may request additional information/documents or invite customers for an interview. It is important to be prepared for such requests, as they may cause delays in the processing time.
Downloads
You may access and download all the relevant forms from this location.
Sample Visa Form Word: Sample vis -Schengen-WORD.docx
Sample Visa Form PDF: Sample vis -Schengen-WORD.pdf
Online Application form: Application Form
Business Checklist: Checklist
Jurisdiction Policy: Jurisdiction London – Jurisdiction Manchester
Free Consultation
To proceed with your visa application, please fill out the attached sample form (PDF, Word) completely. If you are unsure about any information, leave it blank. Once you have completed the form, please return it to us along with your passport, BRP card/UK residency, and copies of any previous Schengen visas that you have held.
Please forward the documents through email: sales@globalvisaagent.co.uk
A consultation call will be scheduled after we have received this information to further discuss the application.
OR
After sending the documents you can call us at +442035001580.
We strictly follow the GDPR Policy, your documents will be handled/saved & deleted accordingly.
