Preparing the documents is half of the visa process; the second half is finding a consular appointment. In the summer months the free slots at some centres move one or two months ahead and people are forced to change their travel dates. The system is not closed, you simply have to know how it works. Below I have written when slots open, what to do when none is found and how to prepare for the day.
How the appointment system works
Most Schengen countries do not accept the documents themselves; the visa centre they have a contract with does. So you look for the appointment not on the embassy’s site but in that centre’s system. Every country has its own centre and several operators can work in the same city.
To register you first create a profile, then choose the country, the type of visa and the city. Free times are shown in the calendar and are taken within a few minutes. The system sometimes opens new slots in the morning hours, so do not despair after looking in the evening.
How far ahead a consular appointment should be booked
The short answer: as early as possible, but without crossing one limit. Under the Schengen rule you can apply up to six months before the trip, so start looking for an appointment as soon as the date is known. In high season, that is May to August and around the new year, you have to look two or three months ahead.
Once the consular appointment is booked you still have time to collect the documents, so do not build the order backwards. Most people first gather all the certificates, then look for a slot, and the certificates expire. A bank statement and an employment letter usually have to be no more than a month old.
Read more: The visa centre and biometrics: what the centre does and what it does not
What you can do when no slot is free
| Another city | There may be a slot at the same country’s centre in another city |
| Cancelled slots | During the day the slots of those who cancel return to the system |
| Paid fast service | Some centres offer an early appointment for an extra fee |
| Another Schengen country | If your route allows, the main country can change |
The last option works more often than you would think, because a Schengen application is made to the country where you will spend the most days, and by changing the route slightly it is possible to move to a less busy consulate. This has to be done according to the rule, not arbitrarily. To build the route and the consulate choice together, using agency support in the visa process saves time.
Stay away from people selling appointments on social media. There are many cases of them taking money and finding no slot, or giving you a profile opened in someone else’s name, and such an application is refused. The general rules of the Schengen visa are explained on the European Commission’s visa policy page.
What to take to the consular appointment
A print of the appointment confirmation, the passport, the document package and a card for the fee are enough. Only the applicant is let into the centre; anyone accompanying them waits outside, with children the exception. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed in, so do not come loaded.
Come fifteen minutes before your time; being late usually means a new appointment. Since fingerprints will be taken, do not have henna or a deep cut on your hand, as that complicates the process. If you are not going to come, be sure to cancel the slot, because in some systems a person who does not turn up cannot register again for a while.
In brief
The order is this: the date, the appointment, then the documents. In high season look two or three months ahead, refresh the system several times during the day, do not give money to appointment sellers. To build the document package and the appointment plan together, fill in the application form.
Note: appointment rules vary by country and visa centre, so read the centre’s current terms before applying.
