Passports & Visas

Important – While we provide this advice to help participants, it is your responsibility to ensure you have applied for the correct visa type, supplied correct information to us and on your application, and are allowed to travel to your destination. We hold no liability for lost funds or refunds if your visa is denied.

Passport

When travelling with UniLife, you must ensure you have a valid passport to travel. Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of your return. For British citizens travelling to a Schengen country, your passport must be valid for 3 months from the date of your return. We recommend checking your country’s government website to find out the specific requirements for travel to your destination for your nationality.

Visa

If you require a visa to travel to our destinations, we have a dedicated team that can support with aspects your visa application. We can provide you with a visa letter for your application, which will contain an approximate itinerary, your travel times, your accommodation and confirmation that you have purchased a ticket with us.

To obtain a visa, you will need to apply for one. While there are many visa providers available, we recommend using VFS Global. If you opt to go with a different provider, we strongly recommend you check them for online reviews on sites such as trustpilot to protect against scams.

For your visa application, you will most likely need to apply with the documents listed below. Please note that everything in ‘Standard Documentation’ is absolutely essential for your visa application. The more documents of ‘Supporting Documentation’ you can provide, the better the chances that your visa gets approved.

In the past, all our applicants have been able to get their visa approved by providing the attached visa letter, the university’s student confirmation letter, proof of funds of at least £240.00 or in any equivalent currency and proof of standard medical insurance.

Please note: Exchange Students and holders of a c-VISIT visa to the UK are generally unable to obtain a Schengen visa, unless they are arriving into the Schengen area from their home country.

STANDARD DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION 

Visa application form (original)

Passport (original and photocopy)

Signed passport, at least 2 blank pages for visa purposes, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area and has to be issued within the last 10 years on the day of leaving the Schengen Area. 
Photocopies of previous Schengen visas issued in the last 2 years; in case the previous Schengen visas are endorsed in an old passport, then the old passport should also be presented with the visa application 

UK Residence permit (original and photocopy)

UK Residence permit, endorsed in the passport or issued as a Biometrics card, must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the return date of the trip to the Schengen Area.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION 

Proof of current occupation

Student letter (original): recent (less than 3 months old), signed, UK school/college/university letter (addressed to the Mission, name and position of the signee and confirming applicant’s enrolment)

Proof of funds

1. Latest 3 months UK current account bank statements showing applicant’s name, address and an end balance dated within the last month on the visa application submission date; balance needs to show a minimum amount of £ 30.00/day of stay in the Schengen Area + outstanding accommodation and travel fees (alternatively online bank account printouts are also accepted).
2. Travellers’ cheques covering the same amount as explained under

UniLife Visa Letter

Proof of accommodation (included in Visa Letter)

Travel insurance (all-risk medical travel insurance)

For more visa information, please visit www.vfsglobal.com