Schengen visa. What qualifies as main destination?
I'm planning a multi city trip soon. I'll be applying with the German embassy as I had planned on going to Berlin for 3 days before going to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest for 2-3 days each afterwards.
My question is, it is working out more conveniently for me to instead make Germany my last destination, rendering the first entry clause. And I can only apply with the German consulate as they are the only ones I can find an appointment for in time. Would staying in Germany for 4 days afterwards be enough to classify it as a main destination (as opposed to 2-3 days in the other cities)?
Best Answer
Yes. The most common criterion for determining the main destination is duration of stay. Therefore, if you plan a trip with four days in Germany and fewer than four days in each of your other Schengen destination countries, Germany will be the proper country to evaluate your visa application.
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Should my first trip be to the country which issued my Schengen Visa?
There is no general requirement that you must enter the Schengen Area through the country that issued your visa. Your main destination may be different than your first destination. To prevent complications, stick to your itinerary as best you can.What is classed as Schengen area?
The 26 Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.Can I enter and or exit the Schengen area via a country other than the one for which I have a visa?
As a general rule, you may cross any Schengen border with visa issued by any Schengen country. However, you should try and stick to your itinerary as filed when applying for your Schengen Visa.Does the Schengen area include all European countries?
The Schengen area thus includes all EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus; at present the EU members Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia only apply some of the Schengen provisions.THE SCHENGEN ZONE TRAVEL EXPLAINED - DIGITAL NOMAD TV
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Answer 2
The main destination is a somewhat fuzzy question.
- If you spend most of the time in one country, that is probably the main destination. Example: A weekend in France, then two weeks in Germany -> Germany is the main destination.
- If there is a specific event in one country which determines the timing of the whole trip, that is probably the main destination. Example: Two days is Austria with a family wedding or an expensive opera ticket, five more days in Germany to relax -> Austria is the main destination.
If you cannot tell, apply at the first country of your itinerary.
Answer 3
- If you spend the most number of night in a country, that would be your main destination for visa purpose.
- If you spend equal number of nights in multiple countries, the country where you enter the Schengen area is your main destination.
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Images: Nataliya Vaitkevich, Sebastian Coman Photography, Pixabay, Porapak Apichodilok