Long term Europe Visa for Non US citizens and travel health insurance
European countries such as France, Switzerland… are very big tourist attractions for people all around the world, particularly so for US citizens, most of whom have roots in Europe. Europe is attractive for Americans to explore their roots, get an insight into the rich European history and culture. A visit to Europe and a visit to the famous art museums, theatres and plays be it in London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome... is a dream for most American tourists.Thanks to the strong US Dollar when compared to the relatively weak Euro, traveling to Europe has become cheaper. Thanks also to easily accessible information and technology, people living in the United States can easily plan a vacation to their favorite holiday spots making their dream come true.
Europe Visa also known as Schengen Visa is a 90 day tourist visa for visiting Schengen countries. This visa is not required for US passport holders, however some non US nationalities, even if holding a Green Card will need a Schengen visa depending on their nationality. US residents but holding African and Asian passports invariably need this Visa to visit . However a Schengen visa is required for everyone including US citizens for stays more than 90 days in Europe. In any event, even if the visa is not required, it is prudent to buy good travel health insurance as your domestic US health insurance including Medicare has very little insurance coverage outside the United States borders.
Tips for getting long term Visa for a specific Schengen country:
- Research which country offers long term Schengen Visa and which works best for your travel and apply for it. Not all countries offer long term visa.
- Make sure that you have ample time to collect all your documentation, some countries might need proof of good character which may include from a letter of reference from employer to a clean criminal record.
- Make an appointment at the country’s consulate. Long term visa application requires interviews and hence cannot be done via mail.