General Exceptions

Nationals of the above mentioned countries MAY NOT require an airport transit visa if: 

• have a valid visa for the UK, Ireland, Japan, Canada, USA, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lichtenstein
• they are a partner (married, common-law or same sex) or child of an EU/EEA/EFTA national and hold a British “Residence Card of a Family Member of an EEA National”
• they are holders of Diplomatic Passports
• have a valid visa for a Member State of the EU, Canada, Japan or the United States of America, or when they return from these countries after having used the visa

If you require a Schengen visa, you will need to apply for that visa in person.  TYPICALLY, you will be required to apply at the foreign consulate of the Schengen country you will enter first OR at the foreign consulate of the Schengen country where you intend to spend the most time.  For this reason, SPS does not assist with Schengen visa processing.  

If you require a Schengen visa, you will need to apply for that visa in person at the appropriate Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.  TYPICALLY, you will be required to apply at the foreign consulate of the Schengen country you will enter first OR at the foreign consulate of the Schengen country where you intend to spend the most time.  For this reason, SPS does not assist with Schengen visa processing.  To get started, we suggest contacting the foreign consulate website for details.  

• If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, apply to the Embassy or Consulate of that country.
• If you intend to visit several of the Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country in which your main destination is situated (longest duration of stay).
• If you intend to visit several of the Schengen countries without having a main destination, you should apply for the visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the first Schengen country on your travel itinerary that requires you to have a visa.

Requirements for a Schengen visa may vary slightly between the different Schengen missions. Please note that only applications with all supporting documents will be accepted. In some cases further documents and guarantees may be required with your application. 

Processing time: Your application should be lodged at the Embassy or Consulate at least 3 weeks before your proposed departure date.  Many consulates require an appointment, and have long wait times for appointment availability.  Contact the consulate far in advance to determine average processing times.  Below are some links to the Schenghen country consulates in the USA to help get you started.