Schengen Visa Interview: How to prepare yourself

Applied for your Schengen Visa? Made a Schengen visa interview appointment? Great, the hard part is done! All you need to do now is prepare for your Schengen Visa interview.

In this complete guide, we’ll give you all the tips and tricks for a successful Schengen Visa interview and some examples of the most common and difficult questions.

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What can I expect during the Schengen Visa interview?

As soon as you have submitted your visa application form, you will be required to attend an interview with a visa officer at the consulate of the Schengen country.

The goal of this interview is simply to verify the information Schengen Visa applicants submitted during the application and check if they meet the requirements. If you do, you have nothing to worry about!

They will try to determine the following:

That you are who you say you are.
That you have enough money to support yourself during your trip.
That the reasons for traveling are valid, and related to the permitted activities for this type of visa
You are of good character and have no criminal intent.
You are not planning to stay longer than your visa allows or work in the Schengen Zone.

These are just a few factors that will determine if your Schengen Visa application will be approved.

The questions, reasoning, and outcome are entirely up to the visa officer. Also note that it’s up to the interviewer if you get a single-entry visa, double-entry visa, or multiple-entry visa.

Tips for a successful Schengen Visa interview

Any interview can be stressful, and we totally understand. With these tips, you’ll avoid stress and increase your chances of getting through the interview successfully and quickly.

Stay calm and be yourself

Make sure to relax before the interview and keep breathing. Remember, it is not an interrogation. It is simply a standard procedure to double-check that you are eligible for a Schengen Visa.

Simply be yourself, answer honestly, and wear something comfortable but appropriate.

Bring all the required documents

Bring a neat folder with all the supporting documents required for your application. When you apply for your Schengen Visa with iVisa, you’ll receive a complete checklist of visa requirements and documents to gather, with a comprehensive explanation of each one.

During the interview, the visa officer will check your documents and ask you questions about your Schengen Visa application form, verify your reasons for traveling, and more.

Make sure all documents match the information in your passport and are in the required language, legible, and clean.

Don’t be late

This should speak for itself, but just in case: be on time! It’s always better to be early than late, so catch an earlier bus or train to the consulate or embassy or hang around in the café around the corner for the morning. If you do not arrive in time, your visa application will most likely be rejected.

The most common Schengen Visa interview questions

Prepare the questions and read the guidelines below, as they can help you relax and make a good impression during the interview, and get your Schengen Visa approved.

Why do you want to travel to this country? Are you going to other Schengen or European countries during your trip?
How long are you planning to stay in the Schengen Zone? Why do you need that much time?
Will you be visiting someone, and if so, how do you know that person?
Are you traveling with someone, if so, who?
Have you traveled to the country before, and why?
Do you have medical or travel insurance?
Are you able to sustain yourself financially during your trip? What type of job do you do?
Have you booked any transport, accommodations, or tours?
What and where are you studying?
Do you have a partner or spouse and what do they do?

As you can see, these are fairly easy and logical questions, and your answers should be supported by your documents.

How to answer difficult questions during the Schengen Visa interview

Some questions may be more unusual than others, but should not be a problem to answer. Here are a few examples and how to answer them appropriately.

How do we know you will return to your home country?

In Addition to a return flight ticket, you can simply state that you have financial and other responsibilities at home, such as a job, your own business, a family, studies, planned events, or a mortgage or rental home.

Bank statements, salary slips, or a rental agreement can all be used as proof to support your answer.

Have you ever been convicted or accused of a crime or have been part of a terrorist organization?

This may not be a difficult question, but surely one that makes many visa applicants nervous. Simply answer with a simple “no”. A clean criminal record is a requirement to get a Schengen Visa.

What do you know about the country you are visiting or about the other Schengen countries?

The visa interviewer wants to know if the reasons for traveling are genuine. Doing some research beforehand about the Schengen member countries and the areas you are visiting, plus stating any places of interest you intend to explore is a good idea.

How can you stay away from your job for three/six months?

Explain why you stop working for six months to travel to the Schengen Area. It can be a gap year, a sabbatical, training, a break from working at all, or something else. However, the answer must be honest and supported by your documents.

Remember, you are not allowed to work in the Schengen Area or European Union on this visa.

Mistakes to avoid during the Schengen Visa interview

Schengen visas are not rejected for no reason. If you meet all the requirements and can prove these with supporting documents, you should not have anything to worry about.

Even so, you should take the Schengen Visa interview very seriously. Except for being late and not bringing all the required documents, here are a few more mistakes to avoid during your Schengen Visa interview.

Lie in your answers. Any answer must be proven, and lying will most definitely result in a Schengen Visa rejection.
Disagree with the visa official, threaten the interviewer, or raise your voice in anger.
Gather documents based on a random list from a friend and only consult trustworthy sources. When applying with iVisa, you’ll receive a complete, up-to-date checklist.
Use a passport that does not meet the requirements. It must be valid for at least six months after arrival in the Schengen Zone, and have at least two blank pages.
Not prepared properly. It is not necessary to memorize any answers, but knowing basic information about the destination country, your financial situation, and the people you are visiting are the least you can do.

How to apply for a Schengen Visa with iVisa

After reading this post, you should feel more confident about attending your Schengen Visa appointment.

For more information about how to apply for a Schengen Visa, check out the iVisa video guide below!

Apply now for a Schengen Visa online with iVisa! We’ll guide you from start to finish and ensure you are fully prepared for the application process.

Benefits include:

Concierge service and full access to your own iVisa Expert who will guide you from start to end and carefully review your application to ensure it is 100% government-compliant.
A simplified application form that’s up to 50% shorter than on the government website with clear, concise questions.
Receive a complete step-by-step PDF guide with full instructions and all the tips you need to fill out the questions and prepare for your interview.

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