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How to Apply for a Multi-Entry Schengen Visa for the First Time

There are a couple of instances where you might have questions about applying for a multiple-entry Schengen visa.

If it's your first time ever applying for a Schengen visa.
If it's your first time applying for a multiple-entry Schengen visa, specifically.

Or, perhaps you're just curious about the process and which options might be right for you.

After all, in 2024, multiple-entry Schengen visas (sometimes colloquially referred to as multi-stay Schengen visas) made up 52% of all Schengen visas issued.

We're going to take a look at multiple-entry Schengen visas. What they are, how to apply for one, and whether or not you should consider it for your upcoming trip to the Schengen area.

Two travelers at an airport with all of their luggage.

Enter and exit the Schengen area multiple times

Multiple-entry visas allow you to enter and exit the Schengen area multiple times during your visa's validity (up to 90 days per trip in each 180-day period). This means, as long as your visa hasn't expired, you can leave and re-enter the Schengen area.

Do pay attention to how many entries you're allowed. If your visa says MULT on it, you're allowed multiple entries. If it says 2, you can enter the zone twice during your visa's validity.

Regardless, once your visa has expired, you will need to leave the Schengen area and won't be allowed re-entry without another valid Schengen visa.

Multiple-entry Schengen visas can make sense for travelers who plan to attend several appointments or events over a certain period of time or who are exploring multiple countries in and out of the Schengen area (such as France, the UK, Ireland, Spain, etc.).

A multi-stay visa can give its holders more flexibility, allowing them to head home if necessary, then continue on with their stay in the Schengen zone.

How to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa

The application process for multiple-entry visas is the same as the process for single-entry or even two-time entry.

The process goes as follows:

Initiate the process through an official online portal and/or a partnering visa application center. Where you initiate the application process depends on the country you are applying to. You can check your destination's Embassy website for details.
Begin collecting the required documents for your multiple-entry Schengen visa application. They include:
Book a visa application appointment at a partnering visa application center or consulate in your country of residence.
Attend your appointment to submit your biometrics (fingerprints). You may not need to provide them if you've already submitted them in the past 59 months. You'll also submit your application.
Wait for your visa application to process (typically around 15 days) and then receive your visa/decision.