Applying for a Schengen Visa in United States (2024)

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If you are a non-US resident, you cannot apply for a Schengen visa in the US—you have to apply from your home country.

• Transit visa. If you’re passing through a Schengen airport on your way to another destination, you’ll need an onward flight ticket along with a visa for your final destination (if applicable). Check if you need an Airport Transit Visa!
• Tourism visa. This visa is for people who plan to travel to the EU/Schengen solely for tourism, sightseeing, etc.
• Visa for visiting family or friends. If you visit family or friends in the EU/Schengen, you will need an invitation letter from them.
• Medical treatment visa. If you will receive medical treatment in an EU/Schengen medical facility.
• Business visa. If you will be traveling for business-related activities, such as attending meetings, conferences, etc.
• Cultural, religious, or sports events visa. This visa is for travelers who will be attending a cultural event, such as an art show or festival, a religious event, or sports-relatedactivities.
• Official visit visa. For individuals traveling as representatives of their country for official visits.
• Short-term study visa. If you’ve been accepted into a short-term study program lasting up to three months.

As you complete the application form, you must specify the purpose of your visit.

These types of visas are issued to non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who wish to travel to a Schengen or EU country for work or for any purpose that requires a stay of longer than 90 days.

Each EU/Schengen member country handles the issuance and rules of its national visas separately. For precise details on visa purposes and regulations, visit their official websites.

If you only plan to visit one Schengen country during your trip, where to apply is pretty straightforward: you should apply for the visa of that country you plan to visit. For example, if you’re only going to Germany, then apply for a German Schengen visa.

It gets slightly trickier when you visit multiple countries.

If you will travel to multiple countries within the Schengen Area, to determine where you should lodge your application, consider the following factors:

• Main destination. You should apply for a visa from the country in which you will be spending the most time. For instance, if you plan to spend a week in France and two days in Italy, apply for a French visa.
• Entry point. If you are spending an equal amount of time in various Schengen countries, you should apply for a visa from the country you will be entering the Schengen zone first.

Schengen Visa Application Centres in the US: Where to Apply for Each Schengen Country

Please review the following to decide whether you should apply for your Schengen visa at the embassy/consulate of the Schengen country in the US or through Visa Application Centers (VACs). These VACs are authorized by the EU missions in the United States.

Here’s where to lodge your Schengen visa application in the U.S. based on each Schengen Member State:

You have to schedule your Austria visa appointment with a VFS Centre in:

• Houston, Miami, or Washington, DC – if you live in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Bahamas
• Los Angeles or San Francisco if you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, U.S. Pacific Islands
• Chicago or New York City if you live in Bermudas, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin

Schedule an appointment with the Austrian Consulate General in Los Angeles if you live in Northern California.

To schedule your Belgium visa appointment in the US, you have the following options:

• Embassy of Belgium in Washington, D.C. – if you live in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, or the Bahamas.
• Consulate General of Belgium in Atlanta – if you live in Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (except the counties of Campbell and Kenton), Louisiana, Mississippi, or Tennessee.
• Consulate General of Belgium in Los Angeles – if you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, United States Territory of Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, or Guam.
• Consulate General of Belgium in New York – if you live in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North and South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, or the counties of Campbell and Kenton (Kentucky).

To schedule your Croatia visa appointment in the US, follow these instructions:

• Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Washington DC – Email: [emailprotected] or Phone: +1 202-588-5899. Jurisdictions: Alabama, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, American Samoa, Guam, Howland, Jarvis and Baker Islands, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa, Palmyra, Wake Island, Micronesia (Federal States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau), Panama, or Mexico.
• Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in New York – Email: [emailprotected] or Phone: (212) 599-3066. Jurisdictions: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.
• Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in Los Angeles, CA – Email: [emailprotected] or Phone: (310) 477-1009. Jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming.
• Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in Chicago – Email: [emailprotected] or Phone: (312) 482-9902. Jurisdictions: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, or Wisconsin.

See the addresses of the Croatian Embassy and Consulates in the US.

If you’re applying for a Croatian visa at the VFS Centre in New York, you have to book your appointment online via this link.

To schedule an appointment for a Cyprus visa in the US, contact the consular services department of the Cyprus embassy:

• Phone Number: (202) 462-0632
• Web: www.cyprusembassy.net

To schedule an appointment with a Czech Embassy or Consulate General in the US, you have to send an email with the Subject line “SCHENGEN VISA appointment request: [SURNAME(S) OF APPLICANT(S)]” to one of the following email addresses:

• Czech Embassy in Washington, DC: Send an email at [emailprotected]. (If you live in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda).
• Czech Consulate General in Los Angeles: Send an email at [emailprotected]. (If you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming).
• Czech Consulate General in New York: Send an email at [emailprotected]. (If you live in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont).
• Czech Consulate General to Chicago: Send an email at [emailprotected]. (If you live in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin).

To submit your Finland visa application in the US, you have to schedule an appointment online through a VFS Global center.

Book your appointment for a France Visa in the US online, through the VFS website.

To access detailed instructions on booking your Germany visa appointment in the US, simply click the link below:

Here’s how to schedule your appointment for a Greek visa in the USA:

• Book an appointment online with the Greek Consular Office in Washington DC if you live in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia or West Virginia.
• Book an appointment online with the Greek Consulate General in San Francisco if you live in Alaska, California (zip codes 93000+), Idaho, Montana, North Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming.
• Schedule appointment with the Greek Consulate General in Boston by calling +1 617 523 0100 or sending an email to: [emailprotected] if you live in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.
• Book your appointment online with the Greek Consulate General in Los Angeles if you live in Arizona, California (zip codes: 90001-93199), Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico or South Nevada.
• Book your appointment online with the Greek Consulate General in New York if you live in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Connecticut.
• Book your appointment online with the Greek Consulate General in Chicago if you live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, N. Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, S. Dakota, or Wisconsin.
• Book your appointment with the Greek Consulate General in Tampa by calling 0018138650200 or sending an email to [emailprotected] if you live in Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi.
• Book your appointment online with the Greek Consulate in Atlanta if you live in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, or South Carolina.
• Book your appointment with the Greek Consulate in Houston by calling +1 713 840 7522-ext.1 or sending an email to [emailprotected] if you live in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma as well as Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.

Here’s how to schedule your appointment for a Hungary visa in the USA:

If you are submitting your visa application in the US, you have to schedule your Italy visa appointment online.

If you will apply for a Latvia visa at one of the VFS Global centers in the US, you can schedule your appointment online.

If you will apply at the Latvian Embassy or other Schengen Consular offices, schedule your appointment as follows:

• • To apply at the Embassy of Latvia in Washington, D.C schedule your appointment via email: [emailprotected].
  • To apply at the Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles schedule your appointment here
  • To apply at the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago call the consulate: 312-397-0382 or visit the official website.
  • To apply at the Consulate General of Poland in Houston, schedule your appointment here.

To schedule your appointment for a Luxembourg visa in the US, you have to contact the Embassy or one of the Consulates.

• Contact the Embassy of Luxembourg, Washington DC if you live in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
• Contact the Consulate General in San Francisco if you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
• Contact the Consulate General in New York if you live in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

• To schedule an appointment with the Malta Embassy in Washington DC, email [emailprotected]​.
• To schedule an appointment with the Malta Consulate in New York, email [emailprotected].

If applying through a VFS center (in Houston, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC), you have to book your appointment online. Check your Consular Jurisdiction as stated on the VFS website before scheduling an appointment.

If applying through one of the Portuguese General Consulates, you have to contact the relevant consulate:

• Consulate General in Boston – if you live in Massachusetts (except the area covered by the consulate in New Bedford), Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont.
• Consulate General in New Bedford – if you live in the cities of Acushnet, Dartmouth, New Bedford or Fall River or the counties of Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, or Plymouth.
• Consulate General in Newark – if you live in Delaware, New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
• Consulate General in Providence – if you live in Rhode Island.

Book your appointment for a Slovakia visa in the US online through the BLS website.

To schedule your Spain visa appointment in the US, you can book your appointment at the BLS centers located in various cities:

• Boston
• Chicago
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• Washington DC

Schedule your appointment for a Swiss visa Consulate General of The Republic of Lithuania in Chicago if you live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin. For residents of these states there is a representation agreement allowing them to apply through the Lithuanian consulate.

If you live elsewhere in the US, you have to schedule your appointment with one of the Swiss representation offices in the US through this website after you complete your visa application form.

To apply for a Schengen Visa from the US, you must demonstrate that you have enough funds to support your visit to the Schengen area. The required minimum bank balance varies depending on the specific Schengen country you’re applying to, ranging from €14 to €100 per day.

Learn more about proving your financial sufficiency and check the required balances for each Schengen country here.

Schengen Visa Fee for the US Residents

The standard fee for a Schengen visa is EUR 80 (appx. USD 86). If you apply through a visa application center, an additional service fee may apply. Payment methods include cash, credit/debit cards, or payment slips (depending on the visa center or embassy). Confirm the payment options before your appointment.

On your appointment, you will need to submit a biometric visa photo as well as scans of your fingerprints. Your biometric information is taken for security and identification reasons and is stored in the Schengen Visa Information System (VIS).

If you have applied for a Schengen visa in the last five years, your information is still stored in VIS, and you may be exempted from submitting fingerprint scans again.

Sometimes, when you apply for a Schengen visa in the United States, the consular officers at the embassy or consulate will ask you questions about your planned trip to Europe (why you’re going, what you plan to do when you will return) and personal questions (about your life in the US, your job or studies, your family, etc.).

Make sure you answer all the questions truthfully and without hesitation.

Since most Schengen visas in the US are submitted through a visa application center (VAC), you can typically track the status of your application through the VAC’s website.

To see your application status, you just need to enter your visa reference number (usually found on the application fee slip) and your last name.

If you applied through a Schengen embassy or consulate, it may not be possible to track your application.

If your visa is granted, the Schengen visa will be affixed to your passport, and you will be able to travel to the Schengen Area within the dates specified on the visa sticker.

If your visa is rejected, the reason for the rejection will be stated in the decision letter. You can either re-apply for the visa or try to appeal the decision. Whether you can appeal a decision (and how) will also be stated on the visa decision letter.

If you’re a US green card holder planning a short trip to Europe, you might require a Schengen visa depending on your nationality. Use our visa checker tool to determine whether you need a Schengen visa to travel from the US to the EU.

Yes, Indian citizens and passport holders who are legally registered residents of the United States are eligible to apply for a Schengen visa while residing in the US.

Non-residents, such as Indian travelers and tourists who plan on staying in the US for three months or less, should be discouraged from applying for a Schengen visa from within the US. Instead, they should apply for a Schengen visa in India.

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