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Shengen Visa Application

South Africans need a visa to travel to one or more of the Schengen countries. You will start the Schengen visa application process by filling out an application form and gathering all the necessary documents. You then need to attend an interview at a visa application centre or at the consulate for the country you will be travelling to (or spending the most time in if you are going to several Schengen countries). Processing time for a Schengen visa application can be anything from 2 days to 3 weeks, depending on the embassy.

Competition duration
Please note this process is applicable to South African passport holders.

Types of Visas

Airport Transit visa - if you need to change flights at an airport within the Schengen area, but will not enter the Schengen area (i.e. leave the airport)

Validity: 24 hours

Single-Entry Tourist visa - if you want to enter the Schengen area just once within the given period of time

Validity: at the discretion of the embassy

Double-Entry Tourist visa - if you want to enter the Schengen area, leave, and enter one last time within the given period of time

Validity: at the discretion of the embassy

Multiple-entry tourist visa - if you want to enter the Schengen area multiple times. This is the most popular type of Schengen visa and allows you to stay for up to 90 days

Validity: 6 months

How to Apply

The earliest you can apply is now 26 weeks.

  1. Figure out which Schengen visa you will need
  2. Find out where you need to apply See additional information
  3. Figure out when you need to apply. The recommended time to file an application is 3 weeks before you plan to travel.
  4. Book your appointment at the embassy, consulate, or through a visa service provider.
  5. Fill out the Schengen visa application form
  6. Gather the required documents
  7. Attend your interview
  8. Pay the Shengen visa fee
  9. Colllect your passport once you have been notified

Schengen Visa Costs

Schengen visa (Adult - transit and regular): R1,307
Schengen visa (children 6-12 years old) : R653
Visa application centre service charge: approximately R400 (varies from agency to agency)
Courier fee : R150-R250, varies

Important notice: Some embassies/consulates/visa application centres do not accept cash payments. Find out what form of payment is accepted before arriving for your interview.

Competition duration
Please note that prices are subject to exchange rates and may change without notice

Schengen Visa Requirements

• Schengen visa application form

• An original passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your date of departure from the Schengen area. Passports must have 2 blank pages available

• Any old passports with previous Schengen visas

• 2 x recent photographs that meet the Schengen visa photograph requirements

• Round trip itinerary with dates and flight numbers

• Travel insurance policy that covers medical emergencies

• Proof of financial means (e.g. bank statements or sponsorship letter)

• Proof of paid visa fee

• Schengen visa application form

• An original passport with at least 2 empty pages for the visa and stamps

• 2 x recent photographs that meet the Schengen visa photograph requirements

• Documents detailing your onward trip (e.g. return flights)

• A visa for the country you are travelling to (if applicable)

• Travel insurance policy that covers medical emergencies

• Proof of paid visa fee

• Original birth certificate

• A Schengen visa application form signed by both parents

• Certified copies of ID/passports of both parents

• Family court order if only one parent has custody

• A letter of consent signed by both parents if the minor is travelling alone

Application Centres

VFS Global Austria Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3001

Email: info.atza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

TLS Contact Belgium Visa Application Centre

Address: Media Quarter, Upper Ground Floor 2, De Smit Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town, 8005

Telephone: 021 427 3801

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30 - 15:30

VFS Global Czech Republic Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3009

Email: info.czza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

VFS Global Denmark Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504-506, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand Street, Strand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3001

Email: info.dkza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

VFS Global Estonia Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3001

Email: info.swza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

VFS Global Finland Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3010

Email: info.flza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

Capago France Visa Application Centre

Address: Old Warehouse Building, Black River Park South, 2 Floor Street, Observatory Ground Floor, 7925

Telephone: 087 231 0313

Email: infofrance-za@capago.eu

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 17:00

Visalink Germany Visa Application Centre

Address: 80 Strand Street, 8001

Telephone: 0861 00 22 45

Business Hours: Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00 Wednesday, 17:00 - 20:00 (by appointment only)

Global Visa Center World Greece

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 064 760 4151

Email: info.zagr@gvc24assist.eu

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 15:00

VFS Global Iceland Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 4253001

Email: info.dkza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

Capago Italy Visa Application Centre

Address: Ground Floor, Old Warehouse Building, Black River Park South, 2 Fir Street, Observatory Cape Town, 7925

Telephone: 087 231 0313

Email: infoitaly-za@capago.eu

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 17:00

TLS Contact Belgium Visa Application Centre (for Luxembourg)

Address: Media Quarter, Upper Ground Floor 2, De Smit Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town, 8005

Telephone: 012 472 3801

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30 - 15:30

Capagao Malta Visa Application Centre

Address: Ground Floor, Old Warehouse Building, Black River Park South, 2 Fir Street, Observatory Cape Town, 7925

Telephone: 087 231 0313

Email: infoitaly-za@capago.eu

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 17:00

VFS Global Netherlands Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3005

Email: info.nlza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

VFS Global Norway Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3006

Email: info.nrza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

VFS Global Portugal Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3003

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

Visalink Slovenia Visa Application Centre

Address: 80 Strand Street, Cape Town, 8001

Telephone: 0861 00 22 45

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00 Wednesday, 17:00 - 20:00 (by appointment only)

BLS International Spain Visa Application Centre

Address: 1st Floor, Block B, North Park, Black River Park, 2 Fir Street, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925

Telephone: 021 003 8050

Email: info.cpt@blshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 to 15:00

VFS Global Sweden Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3001

Email: info.swza@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

VFS Global Switzerland Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3017

Email: info.swiss.sa@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

VFS Global Liechtenstein Visa Application Centre

Address: Office 504, 5th Floor, 47 on Strand, Stand Street, 8001

Telephone: 012 425 3017

Email: info.swiss.sa@vfshelpline.com

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 16:00

Consulate General of France

Address: 191 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North, 2196

Telephone: 011 778 5618

Email: visas.johannesburg-fslt@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30 – 13:00

Consulate General of Greece

Address: 261 Oxford Road, Illovo, Sandton, 2196

Telephone: 011 214 2300 / 011 214 2316

Email: greekconsulate-johannesburg@mfa.gr

Business Hours: Monday to Tuesday, 09:00 – 13:30 Thursday to Friday, 09:00 – 13:30

Consulate General of Portugal

Address: 11 Ernest Oppenheimer Avenue, Bruma, 2198

Telephone: 011 622 0645 / 011 622 0646

Email: consulado.joanesburgo@mne.pt

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 – 15:00

Embassy of Austria

Address: 454 A Fehrsen Street, Brooklyn, 0181

Telephone: 012 452 9155

Email: pretoria-ob@bmeia.gv.at

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 09:00 – 12:00

Embassy of Belgium (also represents Luxembourg)

Address: 625 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, 0002

Telephone: 012 440 3201

Email: pretoria@diplobel.fed.be

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30 – 12:30

Embassy of Czech Republic

Address: 936 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, 0083

Telephone: 012 431 2380

Email: pretoria@embassy.mzv.cz

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 12:00

Royal Danish Embassy (also represents Iceland)

Address: 1166 Park Street, Hatfield, 0083

Telephone: 012 440 3201

Email: pryambvisa@um.dk

Business Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 09:00 – 11:00

Embassy of Finland

Address: 628 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, 0002

Telephone: 012 343 0276

Email: visa.pre@formin.fi

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 12:30, 13:30 – 15:00

Embassy of Hungary (also represents Latvia)

Address: 959 Arcadia Street, Hatfield, 0083

Telephone: 012 430 3030

Email: mission.prt@mfa.gov.hu

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:00 – 14:00 Friday, 08:00 – 13:00

Embassy of Italy (also represents Malta)

Address: 796 George Avenue, Arcadia, 0083

Telephone: 012 423 0000

Email: segreteria.pretoria@esteri.it

Business Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 09:30 – 12:00 Wednesday, 14:00 – 16:00

Embassy of Lithuania

Address: 235 Grosvenor Street, Hatfield, 0028

Telephone: 012 760 9000

Email: amb.za@urm.lt

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:00 – 17:00 Friday, 08:00 – 15:45

Embassy of Netherlands

Address: 210 Florence Ribeiro Avenue, Nieuw Muckleneuk, 0181

Telephone: 012 425 4500

Email: pre@minbuza.nl

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:00 – 17:00 Friday, 08:00 – 13:00

Royal Norwegian Embassy

Address: 165 Lynnwood Road, Brooklyn, 0181

Telephone: 012 364 3700

Email: visa.pretoria@mfa.no

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 12:00

Embassy of Poland

Address: 14 Amos Street, Colbyn, 0083

Telephone: 012 430 2631 / 012 430 2632

Email: konsulat.pretoria@msz.gov.pl

Business Hours: Monday, 14:00 – 18:00 | Tuesday to Friday, 09:00 – 12:00

Consulate General of Slovakia

Address: 930 Arcadia Street, Arcadia, 0002

Telephone: 012 342 2051 / 012 342 2052

Email: emb.pretoria@mzv.sk

Business Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 – 13:00

Embassy of Spain

Address: 337 Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn, 0181

Telephone:012 460 0123

Email: emb.pretoria.vis@maec.es

Business Hours: Monday to Thursday, 08:00 – 16:30 | Friday, 08:00 – 13:30

Embassy of Sweden (also represents Estonia)

Address: 1166 Park Street, Hatfield, 0028

Telephone:012 426 6400

Email: ambassaden.pretoria@gov.se

Business Hours: Monday, 09:00 – 12:00 | Wednesday to Thursday, 09:00 – 12:00

Embassy of Switzerland (also represents Liechtenstein)

Address: 225 Veale Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk, 0181

Telephone:012 452 0660

Email: pre.visa@eda.admin.ch

Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 12:00

Additional Information

If you are only travelling to one Schengen country, you will need to apply for the visa at the embassy or consulate for that country. If you are travelling to more than one Schengen country , you will need to apply for the visa at the embassy or consulate of the country you will be spending most of your time in. If you will be spending an equal amount of time in each Schengen country, you will need to apply for the visa at the embassy or consulate of the first country you will be visiting.

Many countries have outsourced the application process to an external service provider. Some of these agencies include Intergate Visalink, VFS Global, and Capago. However, you will still need to appear in person to provide biometrics if you have not done so previously.

You will need a Schengen visa if you are travelling to one or more of these countries:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

Schengen Transit Visa:

If you are transiting through the Schengen area and need to change flights at more than one airport or you need to leave the airport to catch a connecting flight at another airport within the Schengen area, you will need to apply for a regular Schengen visa.

Visas for countries outside of the Schengen area:

If you will be visiting other countries outside of the Schengen area, you will need to apply for additional visas to those countries before applying for a Schengen Visa.

For more information: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

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All information on this page was correct at the time of publishing and may change at any time without prior notice. Travelstart is not affiliated with immigration authorities or their application centres and will not be liable for loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this volatile information.

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