Ultimate Guide to Applying for a Schengen Visa in the USA in 2025: Understand the Process, Documents, and Timeline in One Article

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You can apply for a Schengen visa in the United States. The prerequisite is that you hold a US green card or long-term residency status such as F1/H1B. Visitors holding B1/B2 tourist visas do not qualify; you need to return to mainland China to apply.

Best Application Timing You can submit your application at the earliest 6 months before departure. Do not apply later than 15 days before. We recommend applying 1 to 2 months in advance—this is the safest “golden application period.”

Key Points

• To apply for a Schengen visa in the USA, you need a US green card or long-term residency status, such as F1 or H1B visa.
• When applying for a Schengen visa, you need to first determine the main destination country, i.e., the country with the longest stay, and then apply to that country.
• Applying for a Schengen visa requires preparing many documents, including a valid passport, US status documents, proof of employment/enrollment, bank statements, itinerary, and travel medical insurance.
• The Schengen visa application process includes online form filling, booking a visa center, submitting documents, fingerprinting, and paying fees, finally waiting for the passport to be mailed back.
• Schengen visa processing time is usually 15 working days, but may be longer during peak tourist seasons; recommend applying 1 to 2 months in advance.

Step One: Determine Which Country to Apply To

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Choosing the correct application country is the first step to success. Your choice must follow the official Schengen Agreement rules. There are mainly two judgment principles: main destination principle and first entry country principle.

Main Destination Principle

This principle is your primary judgment basis. You need to apply to the country with the longest stay for the Schengen visa.

Example Your European itinerary is 10 days total. You plan to stay 5 days in France, 3 days in Germany, and 2 days in Belgium. France is the country with your longest stay, so you should submit your application to the French consulate.

This rule is very straightforward. You just need to calculate the nights in each country and choose the longest one.

First Entry Country Principle

When you cannot determine the main destination, this principle comes into play. If your itinerary involves equal stay days in multiple countries, you should apply to the country you first enter. For example, your itinerary is 5 days in Germany and also 5 days in the Netherlands. Your purchased ticket arrives first in Germany, so you should apply to Germany. Simply put, when stay times are equal, apply to whoever is the first stop.

Latest Schengen Area Country List

As of 2025, the Schengen Area has 29 member countries. Bulgaria and Romania are the newest members. Note that EU countries Cyprus and Ireland are not part of the Schengen Area.

Here is the complete country list:

• Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia
• Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland
• France, Germany, Greece, Hungary
• Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein
• Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands
• Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania
• Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Five Detailed Steps for Schengen Visa Application Process

After determining the application country, you can officially start the application process. The entire process can be broken down into five clear steps; we explain them one by one for you.

Step One: Fill the Application Form Online

Your first step is to fill the visa application form online. You need to visit the embassy, consulate official website of the country you are applying to, or its designated visa service center website. On the website, you will find the uniform Schengen visa application form. Be sure to accurately fill all information in English or the official language of the application country. After filling, print it out and sign.

Step Two: Book Visa Center Appointment

After filling the application form, you need to book the time and location for submitting documents. In the US, most Schengen countries outsource visa application administration to professional service centers. The two most common are VFS Global and TLScontact.

Important Reminder: Visa Center Changes Different countries partner with different visa centers, and changes occur frequently. For example, starting April 18, 2025, France’s visa services will switch from VFS Global to TLScontact. While Austria and Portugal continue with VFS Global. Therefore, before booking, be sure to visit the official website of your application country’s consulate to confirm its latest authorized visa center.

You need to create an account on the corresponding visa center website, then choose a convenient time and location for your appointment.

Step Three: Submit Application In-Person or By Mail

On the appointment day, you need to personally go to the visa center to submit all prepared documents. But for some applicants, certain countries also offer mail-in application options, saving you significant time and effort.

Who Qualifies for Mail-In Application? Usually, if you successfully applied for any country’s Schengen visa in the past 59 months (about 5 years) and already provided fingerprints, you may qualify for mail-in.

If you choose mail-in, you need to package and mail the following documents:

1. Original signed application form.
2. Passport photos meeting requirements.
3. Original passport and copies of information pages.
4. US legal status documents, such as green card, visa, I-20, etc.
5. Complete itinerary materials, including itinerary, flight/hotel bookings, insurance proof.
6. Financial proof and employment/enrollment proof.
7. A prepaid envelope with return address for mailing back your passport.

Note that mail-in applications require longer processing time. You must ensure submission at least 20 days before planned departure.

Step Four: Biometrics Collection and Payment

This step is usually done simultaneously with in-person document submission. It includes two parts: fingerprinting and photo, and payment.

Biometrics Collection This is a mandatory part of the application process. Staff will take your facial photo with a digital camera and collect your ten fingerprints with a scanner.

• Exempt Groups: If you provided fingerprints in the past 59 months, or you are under 12 years old, you do not need to provide fingerprints again. Children under 12 only need photos.
• Preparation: Ensure your hands are clean on appointment day, with no wounds or henna tattoos on fingertips, etc., to avoid affecting scanning. No sunglasses or hats for photos (religious headwear excepted).

Payment You need to pay visa and service fees on-site at the visa center. Most centers accept cash or credit/debit cards. Note that all paid fees are non-refundable regardless of application outcome.

Step Five: Track Status and Receive Passport

After submitting the application, your biggest concern is the application status. You can track progress online via the visa center website.

After application processing completes, you will receive an email notification. You can choose to personally return to the visa center to pick up your passport or use the return envelope prepared during submission to wait for passport mailing.

Required Documents Checklist for Schengen Visa Application

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Preparing documents is the most time-consuming and critical part of the entire application process. The accuracy, completeness, and authenticity of documents directly determine whether your visa application succeeds. Below is a detailed required documents checklist we organized for you; please check item by item.

Passport and US Status Documents

These two documents are your identity cornerstone; visa officers check them first.

• Original Valid Passport and Copies
  • Your passport validity must be longer than 3 months after your planned departure from the Schengen Area.
  • Passport must have at least 2 blank pages for visa pasting and stamping.
  • You need to provide copies of passport information pages.
• Original US Legal Status Documents and Copies
  • You must prove legal long-term residency in the US. This can be your green card, F1 visa page, H1B visa page, etc.
  • Your US residency permit (like green card or visa) also needs at least three months validity after leaving the Schengen Area.

Special Note for F1/J1 Students: I-20/DS-2019 Travel Signature If you hold F1 or J1 visa, you need to provide valid I-20 or DS-2019 form. Be sure to check the travel signature on page 2 or 3. For F1 students, this signature is usually valid for one year (six months if on OPT). If the signature is about to expire or expired, you must contact your school’s international student office (OIS) for a new signature before departure, otherwise it will affect your return to the US.

Application Form and Passport Photos

This is the official document showing your personal information to visa officers.

• Visa Application Form: You need to submit a fully filled, printed, and personally signed application form.
• Passport Photos: You need to provide one recent passport photo meeting Schengen visa specifications. Unqualified photos are a common reason for document rejection.

Employment or Enrollment Proof

This document proves you have stable work or studies in the US, with sufficient reason to return after travel.

• Employed Persons: You need to provide an Employment Verification Letter issued by your company. This letter must be printed on company letterhead, signed by your manager or HR. The letter needs to include:
  • Your name, position, and salary.
  • Your start date.
  • Company-approved leave dates, must match your itinerary dates.
  • Company confirmation you will return to work after vacation.
• Students: You need to provide a Proof of Enrollment issued by your school. This document can be obtained from the school’s Registrar’s Office. Also, don’t forget to attach the I-20 or DS-2019 form with latest travel signature mentioned earlier.

Bank Statements as Financial Proof

You need to prove to visa officers that you have sufficient funds to cover the entire European trip expenses.

The most direct proof is providing your recent 3 months bank statements.

How Much Funds to Prepare? Official no uniform hard requirement, but amount needs to reasonably cover travel costs. Taking France as example, if no prepaid accommodation, recommended daily budget about $130; if hotel booked, daily budget can drop to about $70. We recommend your bank account balance at least covers $100 daily * travel days, plus some extra deposits.

Besides traditional bank statements, you can also use some emerging financial tools for financial proof. For example, monthly statements provided by some Hong Kong licensed digital asset wallets (like Biyapay) can clearly show your assets and flows, also accepted by some consulates as valid supplementary financial proof.

Other supplementary financial proof documents include:

• Recent 3 months paystubs.
• US market investment account statements showing your holdings in stocks or funds.
• Tax returns.

Itinerary and Bookings

You need to provide a detailed and authentic travel plan, letting visa officers believe your travel purpose is purely tourism.

• Round-Trip Flight Itinerary

  Important Tip: No Need to Buy Tickets in Advance! You only need a flight “reservation,” not a paid “e-ticket.” If visa refused, purchased tickets may cause financial loss. You can choose “pay later” on airline websites or use online visa itinerary services for a valid reservation. This reservation must clearly show your name, flight numbers, and round-trip dates fully matching itinerary.

• Hotel Bookings You need to provide accommodation proof covering every night in the Schengen Area. The simplest way is choosing free-cancellation hotels on major booking sites. Bookings must clearly show:
  • All staying persons’ names (matching passport).
  • Hotel name, address, and contact information.
  • Clear check-in and check-out dates.

Travel Medical Insurance

This is a mandatory requirement for Schengen visa application. Your purchased insurance must meet all the following standards without exception.

1. Minimum Coverage: Medical-related coverage no less than 30,000 euros (about $32,400).
2. Coverage Area: Insurance must clearly state valid in all Schengen countries (valid for the Schengen area).
3. Coverage Period: Insurance validity must fully cover your entire period from departure to return.
4. Deductible: Insurance must clearly state medical expense deductible is zero.

Zero Deductible is Key Many travel or personal health insurances purchased in the US have certain deductibles, not meeting Schengen visa requirements. When purchasing, be sure policy terms clearly state “Deductible: $0” or similar. You can choose plans like AXA, Europ Assistance specifically designed for Schengen visas.

Application Timeline and Fees Overview

Understanding required time and fees for application helps you better plan itinerary and budget. You need to pay certain fees for visa processing and related services.

Visa Processing Time

You need to reasonably plan your application time. Official standard processing time is 15 calendar days. If you have good travel history, processing may be faster, sometimes only 7 to 10 days.

Processing Time May Extend The entire process, from preparing documents to finally getting passport back, usually takes four to six weeks. In special cases, consulates may need up to 30 days, even 60 days to review your application. Especially in summer (July to August) peak seasons, processing time significantly lengthens.

Processing speeds differ by country. Below are approximate average processing times at US consulates for some popular countries for reference:

Detailed Fee Breakdown

Total Schengen visa application fees mainly consist of two parts: visa fee and service fee.

• Visa Fee This is the fee paid directly to the consulate for reviewing your application. Starting June 11, 2024, fee standards updated and apply to 2025.
  • Adults: about $98
  • Children 6-12 years: about $49
  • Children under 6: free
• Visa Center Service Fee This is the administrative service fee paid to VFS Global or TLScontact etc. This fee is usually $30 to $50, depending on chosen visa center.

Note that all paid fees are non-refundable regardless of application outcome.

Your application journey can be summarized in four core steps:

1. Determine application country
2. Prepare all documents
3. Apply and book online
4. Submit documents in-person

Success key lies in details. Be sure to double-check itinerary authenticity and insurance validity.

We wish you smooth preparation and successful Schengen visa obtainment, fully enjoying your upcoming European trip!

FAQ

We organized some most common questions you encounter in the application process and provide the most direct answers.

What if my visa is refused?

You can appeal or reapply. The consulate will give you a refusal letter explaining specific reasons. Carefully read the refusal letter, supplement corresponding documents, and try applying again.

Can I apply for a multiple-entry visa?

You can check the “multiple entry” option on the application form. However, the consulate decides the final issued type based on your travel history and itinerary. First-time applicants usually receive single-entry visas.

Can I change my itinerary after getting the visa?

You can make minor itinerary adjustments. But you must comply with main destination or first entry country principles. For example, if you applied for a French visa, you should enter from France or stay longest in France. Otherwise it may affect your future applications.

Do I need to buy flight tickets before applying?

You do not need to purchase tickets in advance. You only need a flight reservation (flight itinerary). This avoids financial loss if visa refused. Many airlines or online services provide this service.