How To Apply for Schengen Visa From Australia?
European destinations are highly renowned among the Australian travelers and many Schengen states are their top priority. Though Australian passport holders don’t need a short-stay visa to visit the Schengen territories, the foreign residents living in Australia require when applying for the Schengen visa based on Schengen visa eligibility when visiting Schengen countries for a short time.
The Schengen visa is the permit to stay in the Schengen area for a period of 90-days in the given 6-months period. It makes the 26 European countries a visa-free zone.
Schengen Visa Requirements To Apply From Australia:
Australian citizens do not require a Schengen visa to enter the Schengen countries but they are still required to present some documents at the border.
Australian passport holders enjoy the Visa-free entry in the Schengen region but still, their entry is subject to the permission of the border guards. They hold the final decision to allow the entrance to the desired state or reject it. If due to any reason, the permission is not granted you need to return back to your country and obtain the Schengen visa.
Documents required to obtain a Schengen visa from Australia:
The required documents that an Australian must carry when traveling to any European state are:
- An Australian passport that should be valid even after 3 months when you plan to leave the Schengen area
- Evidence of means of subsistence showing that you can finance your trip with ease
- Approval letter showing your purpose of traveling
- Other supporting documents that are necessary to enter any special Schengen country.
Following documents are required when you go to a Schengen country’s embassy to apply for the short-stay Schengen visa:
- Schengen visa application form
- Australian Residence Card (temporary or permanent) valid after 3 months you leave the Schengen region
- A valid passport that is not older than 10 years and valid for another 3 months after your return from the Schengen region
- One photo, not more than three months old
- A cover letter presenting the purpose of visit and the number of days you want to spend in the region
- Flight itinerary having the information of the round trip ticket along with the names and dates
- Proof of accommodation in the form of hotel booking, rent agreement, or letter of invitation from a host
- Means of subsistence or a letter of sponsorship
- Travel Medical insurance having the minimum coverage of €30,000
These are the basic Schengen visa documents required but the embassy may ask you to present any other document depending on your personal status.

SCHENGEN VISA
HOTEL RESERVATION
Who Needs To Apply For The Schengen Visa From Australia:
If you fall under any of these categories you need to have a Schengen visa before you go to any Schengen state:
- Australian passport holder if you were not allowed previously to enter the Schengen region without having a visa
- Third country National who is from the country that needs to obtain a visa before visiting Europe living in Australia on the permanent residency or temporary residence of 6 months or more
The Right Place To Apply For The Schengen Visa In Australia:
There are two factors that will be impacting your decision of submitting the application in any Embassy or consulate of the Schengen region:
- Number of days you are going to spend in the region
- Number of countries you are going to visit
When you are going to only one country, you can directly go to the embassy of the same country to obtain your visa. However, the case becomes tricky when there are two or more countries.
When the equal time to be spent in two or more countries, then apply at the embassy where you will be landing first for obtaining the Schengen visa. But, when you are going to spend unequal time, apply to the embassy of the country where you will be spending more time.

SCHENGEN VISA
FLIGHT RESERVATIONS
Visa Application Fee for Australian Residents:
For every country all around the world, the visa fee is the same. The Schengen visa fees for the Australian residents are as follow:
Schengen Visa Fee Category | Amount in Euro |
Adult | 60 € |
Children (between 6-12 years) | 30 € |
Children (under 6 years of age) | Free |
How Much Time Does It Take to Process the Visa?
The visa application processing time usually takes a week or two by all the Schengen region countries around the world. However, it might take more than 15 days to a month when special documents are required by the embassy due to any reason. The authentication of the documents is time-consuming.
What is the Best Time to Apply for a Schengen Visa?
The best time to apply for the Schengen visa is around 15-days before you plan to visit any Schengen state, but the earlier is better. The earliest you can apply is 3-month prior to your visit.