The subject of the types of visa looks dry at first glance, but choosing the wrong type is the most expensive mistake in an application. The fee does not come back, the appointment has to be booked again and time is lost. Yet for a tourist there are in fact only a few options and telling them apart is a few minutes’ work. Below I have explained the types in plain language.
Types of visa: short-stay and long-stay
In the Schengen system the main division is simple. A type C visa is short-stay and allows you to stay up to ninety days within a hundred and eighty. A type D visa is a national visa, issued for study, work or residence, and applies to one country.
Tourism, visiting relatives, conferences and medical trips all fall under type C. That is, although the purpose differs, the type of visa is the same; all that changes is the documents you submit.
Types of visa by the number of entries
| Single entry | You enter and leave once; after you leave the visa is closed |
| Double entry | Gives the possibility of entering twice |
| Multiple entry | Any number of entries within the period of validity |
| Long-term multiple entry | 1, 3 or 5 years, issued on the strength of past visa history |
A multiple-entry visa does not require a separate application; the consulate issues it itself after looking at your history. On a first application a single-entry visa matching the travel dates is usually issued. After using several visas according to the rules, the long-term option opens up.
Transit and special cases
A type A visa is the airport transit visa and is for those waiting without leaving the international zone. For citizens of Azerbaijan it is usually not required at Schengen airports, but some countries have their own list.
Britain, the United States and Canada are separate systems where the Schengen division does not apply. In those countries a separate visa can be required even for transit, and this has to be checked before buying a ticket.
Read more: A Schengen countries travel guide: 29 countries on one visa, choosing a route, trains and budget
Which type of visa to choose
When filling in the purpose box on the form, write the real reason. If you are going as a tourist choose tourism, if you are going to a conference choose business. Choosing the wrong category is the most common technical mistake in an application and can be a reason for refusal.
There is no need to write a separate request to get a long-term visa, but a consistent route and a clean history help towards it. To build the document package to suit the type, you can also use visa services. The official classification is on the European Commission site.
In one sentence
For a tourist there is practically one type of visa, and the choice happens in the number of entries and the period. Write the real purpose on the form, do not get the category wrong, earn the multiple-entry visa with your history. To determine the type together, fill in the application form.
Note: visa classification differs by country, so check the official information before applying.
