Documents required for a Schengen visa
What every Schengen consulate asks for, what changes by country, and the three documents that most often come back rejected.
Reviewed September 2026 · 6 min read
The core file
Every Schengen consulate works from the same base list: a passport valid at least three months beyond your departure from the area with two blank pages, the completed application form, a recent photograph to specification, proof of accommodation for every night, a return or onward itinerary, proof of funds, and travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover valid across the whole area.
That list is the floor, not the ceiling. Individual consulates add their own requirements, and those additions are where applications usually come apart.
What changes by country
Some consulates want the cover letter on a specific template. Some require bank statements stamped by the bank rather than printed at home. Some ask for proof of employment in a particular form, and a few still require a paper appointment confirmation.
Check the requirements of the consulate you are applying to, not a general list — including this one.
The three that get rejected most
Insurance that does not state the €30,000 figure or does not name every Schengen state. Photographs that are the wrong dimensions or taken against a coloured background. Bank statements showing a large deposit shortly before the application, with no explanation of where it came from.
Before you submit
Read your own file as if you were the officer. Every date in the itinerary should match the bookings, the bookings should match the insurance dates, and the funds should plausibly cover the trip you described.
This guide is general information, not advice on your case, and requirements change without notice. Verify against the official source for your destination.