Schengen visa: how can I increase my chances of getting one?

Introduction

To qualify for a Schengen visa, you must be able to meet the requirements for the visa. In this article, I will show you 3 steps you may take to increase your chances for a Schengen visa. Once you have this information in mind, you would have already taken a giant step in your quest for getting a Schengen visa.

What are these 3 ways?
Although there are other requirements for a Schengen visa, these 3 steps are by far the most important. In fact, they account for a significant number of all Schengen visa refusals worldwide. Know these 3 requirements as follows:

1. Justify the purpose and condition of your stay.
2. Provide information to show that you will leave after your visit.
3. Show that you have enough money to look after yourself.

1. Justify the purpose and condition of your stay
The first step is to justify the purpose and conditions of your stay. To do this, you must ensure that one or more of the following information is on order:
• That you have submitted all the relevant documents for the application.
• The documents you submitted can clearly ascertain the purpose of your stay.
• You have provided adequate evidence to prove that you have a genuine relationship with your host.
• The period you wish to stay is consistent with any leave entitlements.
• The previous visas granted on the invitation of the same host have not been used, although the visas have been given for this purpose.
• Your flight and hotel reservation submitted are valid and have not been canceled in the meantime.

If you are visiting as a tourist, you must provide information detailing your plans for the visit. These may include a travel itinerary, hotel and flight booking, etc. If your application involves an interview, you must be prepared to explain to the officer your plans for the visit. You must show sufficient knowledge about any places you wish to visit, who you are visiting, reasons for the visit, how long you are staying, and why the Schengen country is your preferred destination.

If you visiting a friend or family, you must show that there is a genuine relationship between you and the person. You may include communication records, previous physical meetings like photos, and others to prove the relationship.

2. Provide information to show that you will leave after your visit
The second step is to provide information to show that you will return home. Consular staff must be satisfied that you will return after your visit. In doing so, they work out a return prediction. Therefore, the documents you submit must be sufficient to let them predict a positive result that you will return. Generally, the Consulate takes amongst others the following facts into consideration:
• family links or other personal ties you have in your country;
• family links or other personal ties in the country you are visiting;
• your marital status.
• your employment situation, including your salary level.
• the regularity of your income. This includes considerations of your salary, self-employment income, pension income, revenue from investments, rent, etc.
• your level of income.
• your social status in your country. Examples include persons elected to public office, NGO representatives, professions with a high social status like lawyers, medical doctors, university professors, etc.
• ownership of a house.
• possession of an airline return booking

It is important to provide information about your own circumstances like bank statement, pay slips, and other information to prove our ties home even if someone is paying for you.

3. Show that you have enough money to look after yourself
The third requirement is to show that you have enough money to cater for you. This is often referred to as sufficient means of subsistence. Sufficient means of subsistence is the level of funds you must have to stay in the Schengen country you are visiting. The level of funds is set by each country. This is assessed by calculating the average cost of staying in the country per day multiplied by the number of days you intend to stay.

For example, the average cost of staying in Germany is 45 euros. If you wish to stay for 10 days, you must show that you have access to 450 euros (45 euros x 10 days =450 euros).

In assessing if you have enough funds, consular staff roughly estimate the amount based on the following:
• how long you intend to stay.
• the purpose of your intended stay.
• the cost of living in the country.
• proof that your trip is fully paid for.
• prepaid private accommodation.
• a reliable certificate confirming that someone in the Schengen country is paying for you.
• a prepaid receipt from a reliable travel agency.

Conclusion
Knowing this information can help you prepare well in advance of your Schengen visa application. Now, you know you must submit documents to prove your purpose for the visa as well as information to show that you will return. You also know what you need to show that you have sufficient money to cater for your stay. Your chances for getting a Schengen visa could not have been any brighter.