Visiting Europe on a Schengen Visa-II: Where to Apply

Continuing on our series on the Schengen visa and the requisite travel insurance, when 25 countries are involved, the natural question that is asked is: Where do I apply for a Schengen visa?

If you indeed require a visa (U.S. citizens do not need a visa to visit Schengen countries), you need to figure out your travel plans in more detail, including your first port of entry and your ???base??? or main destination. You must apply for the Schengen visa at the consulate of the country that you will visit for the longest duration; and if there is no main destination, at the consulate covering the port of entry into the Schengen zone.

If the country of the port of entry or your main destination does not require you to have a Schengen visa, apply for the visa at the embassy of the first Schengen country on your itinerary that requires you to have a visa. Once you have the country that you will need to apply to, you must apply at the consulate that has jurisdiction over your area of residence.

Remember that when applying for a visa, you must have proof of travel insurance for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen countries. There are specifications that your travel insurance must meet, and it is wise to look for specially designed Europe travel insurance.