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Europe · Schengen short-stay visa (type C)

Schengen Visit Visa from Pakistan

To visit Schengen countries for a holiday or to see family, Pakistani passport holders need a short-stay Schengen visa (type C). You apply to the country that is your main destination, usually through the visa application centre it uses in Pakistan, and give fingerprints in person. The visa allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
Schengen short-stay visa (type C)
Stay rule
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Where to apply
The consulate of your main destination, often through an external service provider
Biometrics
Fingerprints taken when you apply, with some exemptions
Insurance
Travel medical insurance is required
Timing
No earlier than six months before travel, and not too close to your departure

Who this is for

  • Tourists visiting one or more Schengen countries
  • Relatives visiting family members who live in a Schengen country
  • Families attending a wedding, graduation or other family event in Europe

When another route fits better

  • Joining a spouse or parent to live in an EU country: apply for that country's national long-stay (type D) family visa.
  • Studying in Europe: apply for a national long-stay (type D) student visa.
  • Visiting Ireland: it is outside the Schengen area and has its own visit visa.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Passport issued within the last ten years, valid for at least three months after you leave, with two blank pages
  • Completed and signed application form
  • Recent photo that meets ICAO standards
  • Travel medical insurance covering emergency care, hospital treatment and repatriation
  • Bank statements and other evidence of means for the trip
  • Proof of accommodation, such as hotel bookings or your host's invitation
  • Flight reservation and a day-by-day itinerary
  • Employer letter with approved leave, or business registration and tax records

If you are visiting family or friends

  • Invitation letter, or the formal declaration some countries ask your host to make with local authorities
  • Copy of your host's passport or residence permit
  • Proof of relationship, such as a NADRA Family Registration Certificate, apostilled if the embassy asks

Step by step

  1. 1

    Work out your main destination

    Apply to the country where you will spend the most time. If the time is equal, apply to the country you will enter first.

  2. 2

    Read that country's checklist

    Each embassy publishes its own document list for applicants in Pakistan. Follow it exactly.

  3. 3

    Book an appointment

    Most embassies use an external service provider in Pakistan. Book through the provider named on the embassy website.

  4. 4

    Prepare your file

    Complete the form, buy suitable travel insurance and put your documents in the order the checklist gives.

  5. 5

    Submit and give fingerprints

    Attend in person to submit your documents and have your fingerprints taken.

  6. 6

    Receive the decision

    If refused, you get a standard form that ticks the reasons and explains how to appeal in that country.

  7. 7

    Travel as planned

    Enter and travel in line with your itinerary. At the border, your fingerprints and photo are recorded and your days of stay are counted.

Costs to plan for

  • The Schengen visa fee, set under the EU Visa Code. Check the current amount on the embassy website.
  • The external service provider's service fee.
  • Travel medical insurance that meets the Schengen requirements.
  • Translation, and apostille where asked, of Pakistani civil documents.
  • Travel to the city where the visa centre is located.
  • Optional courier return of your passport.

Why applications get refused

  • The purpose and conditions of the stay were not justified.
  • Not enough evidence of means for the stay and the return journey.
  • Reasonable doubts about your intention to leave before the visa expires.
  • You have already used your 90 days in the current 180-day period.
  • Missing or inadequate travel medical insurance.
  • Doubts about whether your documents are genuine or reliable.
  • An alert in the Schengen Information System.

Tips before you apply

  • Apply to the correct country. Applying to an easier-looking country and then mostly visiting another can harm future applications.
  • Use your first visa as planned. A clean record of trips helps later applications, sometimes with longer validity.
  • Add a short cover letter explaining your trip, your job and who is paying.
  • Make sure hotel and flight bookings are real and in your name, and do not cancel them straight after you submit.

Questions people ask

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

Yes, a standard type C visa covers the whole Schengen area during its validity, unless it is marked as valid only for certain countries.

On any day you are in the Schengen area, look back over the previous 180 days. Your total days inside the area in that window must not go over 90.

Yes. Each country has its own appeal procedure and deadline, which the refusal form explains. Reapplying with stronger evidence is sometimes quicker.

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.