Renewing the Schengen visa before it expires

Do you plan to stay in the Schengen area for a longer period? You may need to renew your Schengen visa before it expires. You can request a visa extension if you have a valid reason for doing so, such as continuing your studies, a health condition that requires treatment in a hospital, or family obligations.

Conditions for renewing a Schengen visa
Do you intend to extend your Schengen visa? This is allowed only in exceptional cases. A visa extension is considered when it is difficult or impossible for the visa holder to leave the Schengen Area. Here are some reasons that could qualify you to extend your visa:

1. Force Majeure: This category includes natural events such as fires, storms, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes, as well as governmental or societal events such as wars, invasions, civil disturbances, and labor strikes. This category also includes terrorist attacks and epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as death, crimes, property theft, etc.

2. Humanitarian reasons: This category includes events related to humanitarian reasons, such as sudden death or serious health problems facing the visa holder himself (or a member of his family accompanying the trip). This is considered a legitimate reason to extend your visa.

3. Professional obligations: This category includes the need to extend your visa in order to complete a specific project, attend a conference, or engage in professional activities that were not foreseen at the time of submitting your visa application. However, evidence must be provided proving the necessity of the professional activity that warrants the visa extension.

Note: It should be noted that a Schengen visa extension is not guaranteed and will be approved based on an assessment of the severity or special circumstances of the visa holder's case.

Where can I apply for a Schengen visa extension?
You must approach the competent authorities of the Schengen Member State in which you reside. These authorities may be immigration offices, foreigner service centers, or other competent authorities. Schengen Area countries provide information about visa extension procedures on their websites. You can visit the website of the country in which you are located to find out the appropriate place to apply for an extension of your visa.

Steps to renew a Schengen visa
The steps to extend a Schengen visa may seem somewhat complicated, here is a summary of the steps you should follow if you are planning to extend your visa:

1. Check eligibility: First check whether you are eligible to extend your visa. There must be compelling reasons such as important family reasons, professional reasons, unpredictable natural events, or any other reason consistent with the applicable conditions.

2. Gather the required documents: Submit the documents that support your application. You will need to provide evidence proving why you are requesting an extension, such as medical certificates, death certificates, official invitations, medical reports from recognized doctors, and any other relevant documents.

3. Fill out the application form: After verifying eligibility and collecting the required documents, fill out the application form. Visa extension forms can be found on the website of the embassy or consulate of the Schengen Area member state in which you reside.

4. Visit the local immigration office: Visit the local immigration office or the competent authority in the member state in which you reside to follow the procedures.

5. Submitting the application: You may need to submit the application form and required documents in person. However, in some countries this may not be necessary. It depends on the country's policies.

6. Payment of fees: You will need to pay a visa extension fee of €30. In cases of force majeure, no fees may be charged.

7. Wait for the decision: The processing of your application can take a certain time, and it can range from several days to a month, depending on your situation. You can stay in the Schengen area until you receive the decision. If your visa extension is approved, you can stay. If the extension is refused, you must leave the Schengen area before your visa expires.

Documents required to renew a Schengen visa
If you are eligible to extend your Schengen visa, you will need to provide the following documents when submitting your renewal application:

1. Passport: Your passport must be current and contain your previous visa with which you entered the Schengen area.

2. Schengen visa extension application form: Fill out the designated application form to extend your visa for the desired period from the Schengen country in which you reside.

3. Photograph: Ensure that the photo complies with visa photo standards and meets all necessary requirements.

4. Proof of income: You may have to provide documents proving your ability to bear the financial costs during the desired period to renew the visa.

5. Travel health insurance: Make sure that the travel health insurance covers the entire Schengen area and is valid for the duration of the visa renewal application.

6. Documents proving your status: In some cases, you may need to provide additional documents proving your status and the need to extend your visa.

Please note that this list may vary slightly from country to country within the Schengen Area. Before submitting your application, it is always best to check the visa renewal requirements at the embassy or consulate of the Member State where you are applying.

When should a Schengen visa extension application be submitted?
It is strongly recommended that you apply for a Schengen visa extension early, before your current visa expires. Every order is processed with the utmost care, so it is advised to place the order with enough time to avoid any unwanted delays.

It is important to note that an application to extend a visa after its expiration is not permitted. Therefore, it is best to plan ahead and apply at the appropriate times and according to the period specified in your current visa.

How long does it take to process a visa extension application?
Generally, the processing of a visa extension application can take from several days to approximately a month, depending on the circumstances and policies in the Member State. During this period, you are allowed to remain in the country where you applied for the extension, even after your current visa expires. However, travel to other Schengen countries may be restricted during this period.

If your visa extension is approved, you will be given permission to stay for an additional period. If the visa is not extended, you will be given a short period of time to leave the country, up to two days only.