Holy cow. Getting to this point of FINISHING applying for a student visa and going to Austria was such a relief. I thought I was going to throw-up during the car ride on the way to the embassy because I was so nervous.
There are so many things to consider before studying abroad and I’d heard too many horror stories of the Austrian Embassy in Chicago. The lines are long; the hours are weird; they go out to lunch at the most inconvenient times; the attendants there are rude. Oh gosh, the list went on.
My experience: EVERYBODY LIED TO ME. It was the easiest thing in my entire life (after all of the preplanning and document checking and double checking).
There was no line, there was just one man after my mom and I. It only really took 7 minutes for the woman checking my papers to finish everything, and she was rather friendly.
How to Apply for the Schengen Visa – Simple Steps:
Read the ENTIRE packet that the study abroad company gives you. Seriously, there’s information in the text under the titles and subtitles.
You need to give them your actual passport, so make sure that it does not expire within 3 months after your return. If it does expire within that time frame, apply for a new one IMMEDIATELY.
When filling out the application, write in BLOCK letters. This mean, write in all capital letters. If you mess up, you have to start a whole new application. I had to restart it 3 or 4 times, so just print out a bunch at the beginning. It helps if you don’t staple it until all three pages are perfect too. That way you aren’t ripping any perfectly completed pages.
Ask for letters at least 2 weeks before you actually need them. I sent my professor, with whom I have a good relationship, an email at midnight on Saturday, saying that I needed the letter Monday morning at 9 AM. That was really stressful. Don’t do that.
Make copies over everything before you go to the consulate. Keep the copies for yourself and give them the originals.
Make a list of everything you need to do at the bank. Do everything on that list in one trip. For me, the list included a letter of financial responsibility written by my parents and notarized by the bank, getting the actual 3 page application notarized, updating my debit card so it works overseas, notifying the bank of my travel plans (when and where), a copy of my parent’s pay stubs or copies of CD’s verified by the bank to prove that my parents have the financial means to support you in case of emergency.
Check the consulate website for prices. My information packet provided by my study abroad service said that the fee is $140 and was payable by only postal money order or a cashier’s check, which you have to get at a bank. In actuality, the consulate accepted only cash and the fee was about $90.
Application must be in person. So, chances are you’re going to have to use a vacation day to do this important errand. I didn’t mind though, my mom and I took full advantage of the day downtown Chicago and did some fun sightseeing, shopping, and fine dining.
Allow for plenty of time for waiting at the consulate. Luckily, I didn’t have to do this, but it could happen.
Seriously, it’s really not THAT bad. Just have a good eye for detail and keep everything in order. I had a few different large envelopes and a folder for all of my papers.
Although its easier just to stay and study in the USA, going to book a course overseas is so exciting and it was such a relief when everything was accepted and submitted. I literally could not stop smiling. I was even giddy and giggling that it was over. Phewww. I am one step closer to studying in Austria.
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