One of the priorities of research professionals and academics is attending or participating in seminars and international conferences concerned with their field of study. Europe is one of the biggest academic conference destinations anywhere on the globe. Over 200 global conferences take place each year in Europe, and around a million and a half people attend these events.

Those research professionals, students, academics, educators, and industry professionals who wish to take part in a apply for Business Visa (because attending a conference as part of one’s profession falls into the category of Business Travel). Upon successfully applying for a Business Visa, applicants will be issued a short-stay visa valid for the Schengen area or a non-European French territory, depending on their destination. It will allow them to visit Europe for the duration of their visit, which must not exceed a period of 90 days.

The Application Process, Simplified

     A business visa is, in essence, an official authorization granted by the designated destination country(ies) located within the Schengen area issued to citizens of countries that have mandatory Schengen area visa requirements for the only purpose of doing business in the European Union.

Holders of this type of visa are not required to hold citizenships of the designated country to do business in these countries, but such authorization also has its limits.

What is the Progress to getting Schengen Business VISA

The Required Documentation

Documentation for a Business Schengen VISA

The following documents are a must in order to apply for a Business Schengen visa application –

• The Visa Application Form

This form has to be filled out without a single detail missing or inaccurately entered and signed.

Two photos taken recently must be attached. Both photos should have been taken within the last three months, in accordance with the Schengen visa photo requirements.

• A Valid Passport

It must be valid for at least three more months after the date one plans to leave the Schengen area. Older passports with visas (if one has managed to preserve them).

• Reservation or Return Itinerary

It must include the dates and flight numbers specifying entry into and exit from the Schengen area. One can make use of visa process consultation services to help them out. These services can handle almost all of the business visa mandatory requirements, such as –

            flight itineraries,

            hotel reservations,

            as well as also offering free email consultations.

• Travel Insurance Policy

A document that proves that one has travel health insurance for the entire Schengen territory, with a minimum cover of 30,000 euros in the event of medical emergencies such as accidents, illnesses, as well as also repatriation in the event of death. The insurance policy accepted by EU authorities when applying for a business visa can be easily purchased online from any premium travel insurance provider.

• Proof Of Accommodation

This is a document that indicates where one will be accommodated throughout their stay in Schengen. This could be a –

            an invitation letter from a host whom one will be staying with during their stay in Europe,

           a rental agreement, or

           a hotel reservation.

• Proof Of Financial Means

Proof that one has enough money to support themselves financially during their business trip to Europe. This can ideally include anyone of the following –

• Bank Account Statement

The bank statement should prove that one has sufficient money in their account for the trip. The declaration mustn’t be older than three months.

• Sponsorship Letter

A sponsorship letter is a letter issued by another person who confirms that they will financially support one’s trip to the Schengen area. For this letter to be accepted, it also has to be accompanied by a bank statement from the sponsor dating back less than three months.

            Both A Bank Account Statement & A Sponsorship Letter

            Proof Of Visa Fees Paid

            Cover Letter

A cover letter should typically explain the purpose of one’s visit to the Schengen country.

            A Brief Profile Of The Candidate’s Workplace

            Letter From Employer

This document should describe in detail the purpose of the trip as well as the itinerary of the days spent in the Schengen area.

• An Invitation Letter

An invitation letter has to be written by the partner company in the Schengen zone and also faxed to the corresponding consulate. This letter should appear as an invitation to attend meetings or other relevant events relevant to trade, industry, or work.

• Proof Of Financial Means

It must be indicated either in the letter from the employer or in the invitation from the partner company that one of the two parties will bear the travel costs of the applicant during their stay in the Schengen area. If there have been previous business relations between the two companies, evidence of such an event has to be provided.

            For Employees

            Employment Contract

A current bank statement for the last six months has to be submitted.

            Leave Authorization From The Employer

            Income Tax Declaration Form (ITR) / Certificate Of Income Tax Deducted At Source From Salary

            For Independents

            Business License Copy

            Account Statement Of The Company Bank Account For The Last Six Months

            Declaration Of Income (ITR)

Applying For The Schengen Business Visa

Apply for the Schengen Business VISA

    One must submit their application for a Schengen Business Visa to the consulate or embassy of the country where they will enter or reside the most during their business trip.

• If one plans to visit only one country, they should apply at the consulate/embassy/visa center of the country they will be visiting.

• If one plans to visit more than one country, where they should apply is completely dependent on the number of days they will be spending in each of the countries in which they will be working.

• When you spend an equal number of days in each, you should then apply to the consulate/embassy/visa center of the nation, where they will first arrive.

• When one spends an unequal number of days in each, then they will need to submit their application at the consulate/embassy/visa center of the nation, where they will be spending more time.

Essential Tips For Successfully Applying For A Schengen Business Visa

    There are a few simple tips that one can follow when applying for a Schengen business visa. These include –

• Checking & Confirming Which Embassy/Consulate To Apply At

In order to submit one’s business visa application in the right place, they will need to know which country should issue them a business visa (if they plan to visit more than one Schengen state). Next, they need to check which body in that particular country handles visa applications or if they have outsourced visa submission to another party.

• Make Sure To Book An Appointment Prior To Visiting The Embassy/Consulate/Visa Center

• Attending The Visa Interview

One should take all required documents for a business visa with them.

• Waiting For A Response

In the meantime, the embassy will process their visa, which will go through EU security systems like the Visa Information System and the Schengen Information System.

What’s The Ideal Time To Apply For A Schengen Business Visa?

    The earliest deadline for applying for a business visa is three months before one’s intended trip, and the latest is no more than fifteen working days before they intend to travel to Europe for business purposes.

The ideal time, therefore, for one to apply for a Business Schengen visa is at least three weeks before their business trip to Europe.

What’s The Validity Of The Schengen Business Visa?

Validity of the Schengan Business VISA

    A business visa is generally valid for stays not exceeding ninety days. If one intends to travel a lot and not only to a Schengen country, it is recommended to fill in the “multiple entries” box in the application form. This way, they will be able to enter and leave the Schengen zone as they wish for the duration authorized on their issued visa.

One should take steps to ensure they understand the labels on the business visa sticker, including the period it allows them to stay in Europe; otherwise, overstaying a business Schengen visa may have consequences.

What’s The Typical Duration For The Issuing Of A Schengen Business Visa?

   The time taken for the entire visa process, on average, for a Business Schengen visa is ten working days. Within this period, applicants are informed whether their Business Schengen visas have been granted or refused.

Nevertheless, depending on the situation, the processing time for a business visa for Europe may take longer under extraordinary circumstances (such as political unrest, natural calamities, etc.)

The Invitation Letter Required For Conference Participants

Invitation Letter for A Schengen Business VISA

    A visa invitation letter is a written invitation letter from a person who lives in the Schengen country that one wishes to visit. The person one is visiting invites them to stay with them and, by default, guarantees that they will not stay back in the country illegally.

For instance, if one is visiting a friend in Europe, their friend will send them an invitation letter to stay with them on specific dates. They will detail the relationship they have with them and indicate that they will support them financially if they are unable to do so for their stay in the country.

They must attach the invitation letter to the rest of their application documents, which they will submit to the Embassy. The invitation letter is a strong proponent of their application because the embassy will know that they are not just going to the country aimlessly. The letter will tell them why they are leaving and who they are seeing.

So if one doesn’t return to their country of origin within the time allowed, the authorities will know that they are staying illegally, but they will also have the contact details of the person they were staying with. This is how they can find them and take action if they overstay their Schengen visa.

If one plans to travel to Europe (which is a country within the Schengen area) for a conference, they must ensure that they have an invitation letter from the organizers of the conference or a member of the organizing committee stating that they will be traveling to Europe for the purpose of taking part in the conference that they engaged in organizing on such and such a date. Such a letter will make it much easier for the embassy to grant them the Schengen visa.