To travel to Sweden
you need to get a Sweden visa. Getting a Sweden visa is an easy process,all you
need to do is to provide all the necessary requirement needed for the visa processing.
So in this post you will get to know the
necessary Sweden visa requirements and the application process.
This post is to
answer frequently asked questions such as
How to apply for a Sweden visa
Requirements to apply for Sweden visa
Cost of a Sweden visa
Duration to process a Sweden visa
Sweden visa interview tips
Documents required to
apply for a Sweden visa
If you wish to visit Sweden and the other Schengen countries, you must have:
If you wish to visit Sweden and the other Schengen countries, you must have:
•
a passport
which is valid for at least three months after the final date of the visa.
•
money for your
keep and for the journey home. Sweden requires that you have SEK 370 for each
day spent in Sweden. In certain circumstances, this amount may be lower, for
example in the case of a young child, if the cost of food and accommodation is
paid in advance or if you are going to stay with relatives or friends. You must
be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for your keep with the
help, for example, of bank statements or a document in which the person inviting
you to Sweden promises to meet all expenses during the visit.
•
individual
medical travel insurance which covers the costs which could arise as a result
of emergency medical assistance, emergency hospitalisation or medical
repatriation. The insurance should cover costs of at least EUR 30,000 and be
valid in all the Schengen countries.
What to know before applying for a Sweden visa
1) When planning your
trip, do not make the mistake of thinking your travel agent or the airline will
be able to tell you if you need a visa. Make sure you find out for yourself.
You can find out if you need a visa by going to the U.S. State Department
website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html, there is a lot of
terrific information to be found here including notes for Americans on safety
and security overseas.
2) Make sure your
passport has at least 4-6 blank pages, your visa won't need that many but many
of the consulates require at least two blank pages; this is an easy excuse for
them to give you a hard time. If you need more pages they're easy to get
through the National passport processing office. You can find information the
process on the State Department's website.
3) Make sure your
passport isn't going to expire for a while. The passport's expiration date must
be greater than six months from the date of entry for the visa you are applying
for. If your passport does not meet the requirements, you must renew your
passport.
4) Your visa
application. This is where you really need the assistance of a good travel visa
service. You'll find that many of the visa applications are quite confusing.
There are language usage differences that may have you scratching your head. If
you are not sure, ask, do not guess, errors on forms can be costly.
5) Passport
photographs. This is one I had a particularly difficult time getting my boss to
do. Go to your post office or perhaps you have a drug store or photo processing
store that takes passport photographs, get them, and if you are traveling a lot
get a lot of extra photos. Most often you are required to submit two passport
photographs with your visa application. You may get away with only providing
one, you may get away with submitting a digital you took and printed on photo
paper. It's not worth the risk. Get the extra photos.
6) Include your
travel itinerary. Most applications require you include your travel plans as
proof of entrance and exit dates. This would be the itinerary you get with your
tickets or from the airline/travel agent.
7) Make sure you make
copies of everything you send the consulate or visa travel service. This
doesn't include your passport of course, but it's a good idea to make a copy of
the first page in your passport just for your records. You will be sending your
passport with your visa application and other paperwork.
8) Include a copy of
your driver's license. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but just good policy. A
lot of times a country may require this but neglect to mention or they may
decide they want more identification information. This is a "Just in
Case" preventative measure.
9) Do not forget the
fee. If you are using a visa travel service, most likely you can simply provide
your credit card number. If you are not, you will most likely have to provide a
check for their fee as most of the consulates do not take credit cards.
10) A key challenge
is the decision to appear at the embassy or consulate or simply overnight your
application and materials to the appropriate place. In many cases, there won't
be an option as the embassy or consulate is too far to travel to. If you are
doing this on your own and are able, it may be prudent to go to the embassy or
consulate yourself. Base your decision dependent on your time and patience
level.
11) Finally, hire a
travel visa service. These services are reasonable, quick and experienced. You
do not save money doing it yourself and you certainly don't save hassle. Your
travel visa service is there to help you with everything from completing forms
to emergency turn-around times. Don't just go with any service. Investigate. I
recommend Visa HQ www.visahq.com, for their experience and customer service.
Validity of a Sweden
visa
A Schengen visa is valid for a maximum of three months in a six-month period. The number of days depends on the duration of and reason for the stay in Sweden and the Schengen area.
A Schengen visa is valid for a maximum of three months in a six-month period. The number of days depends on the duration of and reason for the stay in Sweden and the Schengen area.
A visa is usually valid for
entry into all the Schengen countries. In exceptional cases, it may only apply
for a stay in the country that issued it.
The following
nationalities can enter Sweden without a visa
Austria, Belgium, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and
Switzerland,Albania*****, Andorra***, Antigua and Barbuda , Argentina,
Austria*, Australia (including the Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas
Island)**, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium*, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina*****,
Brazil***, Brunei, Bulgaria*, Canada**, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus*,
Czech Republic*, Denmark*, El Salvador, Estonia*, Finland*, France*(including
French Guyane, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia,
Réunion, St Pierre and Miquelon), Germany, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras***,
Hungary*, Iceland**, Ireland*, Israel**, Italy*, Japan**, Korea (South)**,
Latvia*, Liechtenstein**, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Macao, Macedonia*****,
Malaysia, Malta*, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco***, Montenegro*****, Netherlands*,
New Zealand (including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau)**, Nicaragua, Norway*,
Panama, Paraguay, Poland*, Portugal*, Romania*, Saint Christopher and Nevis,
San Marino***, Serbia******, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic*,
Slovenia*, Spain* (including Spanish territories in North Africa with Ceuta and
Melilla), Sweden*, Switzerland**, Taiwan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland (including the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and
Bermuda)*****, United States of America (including Virgin Islands of the United
States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico)**, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.
Sweden visa interview tips
1. Prepare a “grab bag” of documents frequently requested
Get a clearbook to hold all the documents that embassies
usually require and make at least five copies of each of these documents.
Usually, the embassy will need to look at the original copy for verification
purposes and then just keep a photocopy. Make sure that your photocopies are
clear. It will save you the trouble of having to photocopy another clearer copy
while at the embassy
Documents to include in this clear book are:
·
Birth certificate (must be certified by the
National Statistics Office)
·
Marriage certificate* (if annulled, you will
probably need a copy of your Marriage Certificate annotated by the NSO certifying
that the marriage was declared null and void.
·
Latest Income Tax Return
·
For business owners, include business permits,
business license and (audited) financial statements
·
Photocopies of previous visas you have been
issued
·
ID pictures: Different embassies will have
different size requirements, so when you have your picture taken, have the
picture reproduced in different size dimensions. I suggest you get one picture
taken in the standard 2x2 white background and one in the US visa size and
Schengen size. (Note that for all visa requirements, both ears must be shown
and women should not be wearing earrings.)
·
Proof of income and ownership such as land
titles and or car registration documents
Keep all your old passports with other visa stamps as reference.
It may not fit in the clear book, but it should be made part of your visa app
“grab bag.
2. Keep a list of the countries you’ve visited
Update the list of countries you've visited the way you would
update your CV. Many embassies require you to list the countries you have
visited within a certain number of years. Some embassies will specify a time
frame, some will not, so it is best to start from countries you have visited
from 5 years back. Keep a soft copy of this list in your computer and update it
each time you travel.
3. Make a checklist of the visa application requirements –
and triple check that!
When applying for a Schengen visa via the Italian embassy,
for example, a checklist of requirements (which you can download along with the
visa application form) is mandatory in the list of documents to be presented to
the visa processing center. It is not a standard requirement for all countries,
but a checklist is definitely a good thing to have on hand. Make one of your
own if your destination country does not require it.
Double and triple check each requirement, line by line if you
have to. It will be worth the trouble because there are varying specifications
for each country.
Look out for fine print like required payment mode: Is a
manager’s check required? Can you pay in Philippine pesos, US dollars or Euros?
Tip is to pay in US dollars so you will not be subject to currency
fluctuations. Remember to check for exact amount, e.g. if it says $58, bring
$58 as some embassies will not offer change.
Double check the location of the visa processing centers as
their addresses on the application forms may not be updated.
4. Have a standard template for letters of introduction to
consuls
Embassies may require you to prepare a letter to the consul
to introduce yourself and state your reason for travel. Make a standard
template for this letter of introduction, save on your “Travel Docs” folder and
just fill in whenever you need to apply for a visa.
This cover letter should have:
·
Header with your name, contact details and if
available, your visa application reference number
·
Reason for travel
·
Duration of stay
·
Mention of other countries you have visited
·
How you will fund your trip
·
Day by day travel itinerary as an attachment
5. Make your travel agent your travel buddy
Find a travel agent you can trust and make him or her your
travel buddy. She can act as a semi-one-stop shop and help you book tickets and
hotels that you won't have to pay for yet (you will want to wait till you get
the visa before paying for a ticket or hotel), and facilitate travel insurance.
Hope this post was helpful
Question tags
How to apply for a
Sweden visa
Requirements to apply
for Sweden visa
Cost of a Sweden visa
Duration to process a
Sweden visa
Sweden visa interview
tips
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