Who regularly travels to the Netherlands or other countries Schengen countries travels, would prefer a multi-year visa with multiple entries. This saves a lot of time, administrative work and costs. A Schengen visa is issued for a maximum of 5 years, but conditions apply.
Obtaining a 5-year multiple-entry visa (MEV) for Schengen allows travelers to travel to the Schengen area multiple times during the visa's validity period. This type of visa is ideal for people who frequently travel to the Schengen zone for business, family visits, partner visits or who have other long-term ties with Schengen countries. Below you will find a brief overview of how to apply for a 5-year multiple-entry Schengen visa.
Length of stay in the Netherlands or other Schengen countries
With a multiple entry visa with a validity of 5 years, you can stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for a maximum of 5 days per 90 days during those 180 years. This does not have to be consecutive. You may also distribute this, but you may never stay in the Netherlands/Schengen area for longer than 90 days per 180 days.
So if you have been in the Netherlands or another Schengen country for 90 days, you must wait at least 90 days before you can travel to the Schengen area again.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the 5-year multiple-entry visa, applicants must generally have a correct visa history and be able to demonstrate convincing reasons for their frequent travel to the Schengen Area. This includes having previously obtained and lawfully used Schengen visas, no history of overstay, no violation of visa rules, and no false statements in previous visa applications. Financial stability is also required, such as proof of a stable income, financial resources or a guarantee from, for example, a partner.
Benefits of a Schengen visa for 5 years
The benefits of the 5-year Schengen visa are significant: it offers flexibility for frequent travelers, it is cost-efficient over the long term, saves time by avoiding repetitive visa processing times and allows for extensive business and personal travel options within the Schengen area..
Multiple-entry visas should be issued more often
From February 2, 2020, a multi-entry visa must be issued as standard to reliable frequent travelers. However, Member States may decide not to issue a multiple-entry visa in individual cases.
This MEV is initially valid for 1 year if the applicant has obtained and lawfully used three visas in the previous two years. If you have previously received an MEV for one year, a new MEV will be valid for 2 years. If you have already received a MEV for 2 years, the next one will be a MEV for 5 years. If you have previously received a 5-year visa, this will also be issued next time (provided your application meets the conditions).
Remember the validity of your passport!
It is important to know that the validity period of the visa also depends on the validity period of your passport. For example, if your passport is only valid for 2 years, the validity of your multiple-entry visa will also be a maximum of 2 years. It may therefore be wise to first renew your passport before applying for a 5-year Schengen visa.
Application process MEV
The application process involves collecting the necessary documentation, including a valid passport, medical travel insurance, proof of accommodation or proof of accommodation, flights, itinerary, financial resources or guarantee and previous Schengen visas. You must then make an appointment with VFS Global, which acts as an external service provider for the country that is your main destination, or the first country of entry if no main destination can be determined. A visa interview is mandatory. The costs for a Schengen visa for adults are €80 and €40 for children aged 6-12. This also applies to a multiple-entry visa. Processing time can vary from 15 to 30 days.
Medical travel insurance
Do not forget to ensure that you have a valid one for every trip to the Schengen area, even if you have a 5-year visa medical travel insurance. The Royal Military Police can check this upon arrival at the airport. The same applies to the guarantee and/or accommodation provision.
What to do in case of rejection?
If your application is denied, it is important to understand the specific reasons and address them in subsequent applications. There is usually an option to to object against the decision, where the rejection letter will contain details of how you can appeal and within what period.
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