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Europe · Schengen short-stay visa (type C)

Schengen Business Visa from Pakistan

For short business trips to Europe, Pakistani travellers apply for a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) with business as the purpose. It covers meetings, negotiations, conferences and trade fairs for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. You apply to the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time, usually through the visa application centre it uses in Pakistan.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
Schengen short-stay visa (type C), with business as the purpose
Length of stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Where you apply
Consulate of your main destination, often through its visa application centre
Biometrics
Fingerprints are taken when you apply, with some exemptions
Insurance
Travel medical insurance covering emergencies, hospital care and repatriation
Work allowed
No. Employment needs a national work visa or permit

Who this is for

  • Exporters and importers meeting buyers or suppliers in Schengen countries
  • Exhibitors and visitors at European trade fairs
  • Managers negotiating contracts or attending meetings with a European partner company
  • Delegates and speakers at conferences and seminars
  • Frequent business travellers who may later qualify for a multiple-entry visa

When another route fits better

  • You will work for a European employer, or stay longer than 90 days: apply for that country's national (type D) visa or work permit.
  • Your trip is to the UK or Ireland: they are outside the Schengen area and need their own visas.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Passport valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with blank pages, plus old passports
  • Completed application form and a photo meeting ICAO standards
  • Travel medical insurance valid for the whole Schengen area for your stay
  • Flight reservation and hotel bookings for the trip
  • Personal bank statements and tax returns

Business evidence

  • Invitation from the company in the Schengen country, with the dates, purpose and who covers costs
  • Cover letter from your Pakistani employer or your own company explaining the trip
  • Company documents: SECP registration, NTN certificate and chamber of commerce membership
  • Recent company bank statements
  • Trade fair or conference registration, if relevant
  • Proof of the business relationship, such as contracts, invoices or correspondence

Step by step

  1. 1

    Work out which consulate to use

    Apply to the country where you will spend the most time. If your stays are equal, apply to the country you will enter first. Use the consulate that covers where you live in Pakistan.

  2. 2

    Get that country's checklist

    Each Schengen country publishes its own document list for applicants in Pakistan. Follow it closely, as requirements differ between embassies.

  3. 3

    Book an appointment

    Most embassies in Pakistan take applications through an external visa application centre. Book a slot early, especially before major trade fair seasons.

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Hand in the form, documents and passport, give your fingerprints and pay the visa fee and any service fee.

  5. 5

    Collect your passport and check the visa

    Check the dates, number of entries, length of stay and the countries the visa is valid for. Ask straight away if anything is wrong.

  6. 6

    Travel within the rules

    Keep within the 90 days in any 180-day period. At the external border, the EU's Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo along with your entry and exit.

Costs to plan for

  • The Schengen visa fee, set at EU level. Check the current fee on the official site
  • A service fee if you apply through a visa application centre
  • Travel medical insurance for the whole trip
  • Translation or attestation of documents, if the embassy asks for it
  • Optional services, such as courier return or premium appointment lounges

Why applications get refused

  • The purpose and conditions of the stay were not justified, often because the invitation or company evidence was weak
  • Not enough money for the stay and the return journey
  • Reasonable doubts that you will leave the Schengen area before the visa expires
  • Documents whose reliability is in doubt
  • Missing or inadequate travel medical insurance
  • Applying to the wrong consulate for your main destination
  • Previous stays that already used up the 90 days in the current 180-day period

Tips before you apply

  • Make your itinerary match the country you applied to. Spending most of the trip somewhere else can cause problems now and later.
  • Use the EU's short-stay calculator to track your days if you travel often.
  • A clean record of using Schengen visas properly helps when you later ask for a multiple-entry visa.
  • If you are refused, the decision tells you why and how to appeal. Read it before you reapply.

Questions people ask

No. It is the same short-stay (type C) visa used for tourism, with business as the stated purpose and business documents to support it.

Apply to the country where you will spend the longest time. If your stays are equal, apply to the country you will enter first.

No. You can attend meetings, negotiate and visit trade fairs, but employment needs a national visa or work permit from the country concerned.

No. The UK and Ireland are outside the Schengen area and have their own visa rules.

Consulates can issue multiple-entry visas, especially to regular travellers with a good record of using earlier visas properly. Ask for it in your application if your business needs repeat trips.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.