How to Read a Schengen Visa Sticker?
A Schengen visa sticker is affixed to the passport, which is the main reason why applicants are required to have at least one blank page in their passports when applying for a Schengen visa. You will have to present it at the Schengen port of entry, at whichever Schengen country you enter first.
This document contains a lot of information, not only on the country you are allowed to enter but also about the period you are permitted to remain and the number of times you can cross its borders.
Many people have difficulties reading the Schengen visa sticker in their passports, though a Schengen visa contains simple information in three languages: English, French, and German.
Countries You Can Visit
A Schengen visa sticker always contains information on the countries that its holder is permitted to visit. Below, find explained the meaning of each of the labels in one’s visa.
The phrases “VALID FOR”, “VALABLE PUR” and “GULTIG FUR” are set before the name of the territory you are permitted to enter with the Schengen visa you have obtained.
If next to those words is written «ETATS SCHENGEN» or «SCHENGEN STATES», then it means that the visa is valid in all Schengen states, and the visa holder can visit each of them, once inside the territory.
On the other hand, the letters A, B, CH, CZE, D, DK, E, EST, F, FIN, GR, H, I, IS, LI, L, LT, LVA, M, N, NL, P, PL, S, SK, SVN – are acronyms for the Schengen countries where the visa is valid, and they stand for:
| Acronym | Country |
| A | Austria |
| B | Belgium |
| CH | Switzerland |
| CZE | CzechRepublic |
| D | Germany |
| DK | Denmark |
| E | Spain |
| EST | Estonia |
| F | France |
| FIN | Finland |
| GR | Greece |
| H | Hungary |
| I | Italy |
| IS | Iceland |
| L | Luxembourg |
| LT | Lithuania |
| LVA | Latvia |
| M | Malta |
| N | Norway |
| NL | Netherlands |
| P | Portugal |
| PL | Poland |
| S | Sweden |
| SK | Slovakia |
| SVN | Slovenia |
If in your Schengen visa sticker are listed just some of the acronyms of the names of these countries i.e. «LVA, M, N, NL, P, PL» then this means you are permitted to enter only Latvia, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, and Poland.
Whereas, if your Schengen visa sticker contains the following label «ETATS SCHENGEN (-country acronym)» – then this means the visa is valid for all Schengen countries, except for that country i.e. except Germany if the label is «ETATS SCHENGEN (-D)». You will be unable to enter depending on the country code after the minus sign.
Label «name of the country» – means that the visa is valid only for the respective territory, and its holder is not permitted to move to other countries of the Schengen Area if they do not have another visa.
Schengen Visa Sticker Validity
Next to the labels “FROM”, “DU” and “VOM” is given the first day you are permitted to enter the Schengen Area, whereas near the labels “UNTIL”, “AU”, and “BIS” is given the last day when you will have to leave the Schengen or the countries in which you are permitted to remain during your stay.
Number of Entries
The label “NUMBER OF ENTRIES”, “NOMBRE D’ETNREES” and “ANZAHL DER EINREISEN” stands for the number of times a person is permitted to enter the Schengen Area.
Label «MULT» – means that the holder is authorized to enter more than one time in the Schengen Area, as often as they wish, as long as they do not exceed their permitted duration of stay.
Label «1» – means that the holder is authorized to enter only once in the Schengen Area.
Label «2» – means that the holder is authorized to enter twice in the Schengen Area, and so on.
Duration of stay
Label “DURATION OF STAY”, “DUREE DE SEJOUR” and “DAUER DES AUFENTHALTS” and immediately next to it is the words “DAYS”, “JOURS” and “TAGE” stand for the number of days a person is permitted to remain in the Schengen Zone within the given Schengen visa validity.
Visa Type
The labels “TYPE OF VISA”, “TYPE DE VISA” and “VISA TYP” stand to tell the type of Schengen visa you have obtained which may be:
Label «A» – stands for the Schengen visa type A- Airport visa, which does not permit the holder to pass the “international airport zone”.
Label «C» – stands for the Schengen visa type C – or short-stay visa, which does not permit the holder to stay more than 3 months in the Schengen Area.
Label «D» – stands for the visa type D – or long-term visa, which permits the holder to stay more than 3 months.
Details about the Visa Issuer & Date of Issuance
The label “ISSUED IN”, “DILIVRE A” and “SUGESTELLT IN” stands right next to the name of the city where is located the embassy or consulate that issued the visa.
The label “ON”, “LE” and “AM” – is for the date when the visa is issued.
Details about the Visa Holder
Label “NUMBER OF passports”, “NUMERO DE PASSEPORT” and “NUMMER DES PASSES” – is for the passport number of the visa holder.
Label “SURNAME, NAME”, “NOM, PRENOM” and “NAME, VORNAME” – is for the name and surname of the visa holder.
Whereas the words “REMARKS”, “REMARQUES” and “BEMERKUNGEN” stand to tell the purpose of the visa holder behind their travel to the Schengen.
