A Schengen Medical Treatment Visa allows the holder to enter a Schengen-area country in order to receive medical treatment in a Schengen medical institution.
Like all other types of Schengen visas, you can only stay in the Schengen area (and receive the treatment) for up to 90 days with the Schengen medical treatment visa.
If you need to seek medical treatment in a Schengen hospital, but you aren’t sure whether you will need to apply for a visa beforehand, or what the requirements are, this article will answer some common Schengen Medical Treatment Visa questions.
How to apply for a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa?
You should follow these steps on how to apply for Schengen Medical Treatment Visa:
- Check if you need a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa.
- Find out where to apply.
- Book the appointment.
- Collect the required documents.
- Attend the interview.
Check if you need a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa
You do not need to apply for a Schengen visa for medical treatment if you are a national of a Schengen-area country.
You also do not need a visa if you are a national of a country who has been exempted from Schengen visa requirements.
See here for an extensive list of who needs to be in possession of a Schengen visa.
Furthermore, if you know your treatment will take longer than 90 days, you cannot apply for a Schengen visa for medical treatment. Instead, you must apply for a national visa for medical treatment of the country in which you will be receiving said treatment.
Find out where to apply
You must apply for your Schengen medical treatment visa at the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country you will be traveling to.
Book the appointment
Before you apply, however, you need to book an appointment. Depending on the country, you can book an appointment online or in person.
Collect the required documents
Once you have booked your appointment, you must gather all the required documents and submit them in person at the embassy/consulate in which you are applying. The requirements for a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa are:
- The Schengen visa required documents
- A letter from your doctor/medical institution in your home country confirming that you need medical treatment in a Schengen country. The letter must also state your medical history and the medical treatment you will receive in the specific Schengen country.
- Official document of acceptance from the Schengen medical institution confirming they can provide you with the medical treatment you need.
- Proof of accommodation in said Schengen medical institution.
- Proof of payment for medical treatment.
- If the ministry of health in your home country will cover the costs of your treatment, they must write an official letter declaring such intent.
- Proof the patient can cope with any additional medical costs that may come up.
- Proof of correspondence between the doctor in your home country and the one in the Schengen area.
Requirements for companions of a patient applying for the Schengen Medical Treatment Visa
If you are a companion for someone who needs medical treatment in a Schengen country, you must also apply for a Schengen medical treatment visa. As such, you need all the above-mentioned standard requirements. In addition to those, you also need:
- The medical documents of the patient you are accompanying.
- Proof of relationship to the patient you are accompanying.
Attend the interview
On the day that you submit your application, you will be required to enter a visa interview.
After you have submitted your documents, paid the fee, and attended the interview, you have to wait for your Schengen medical treatment visa to be processed.
- See a more detailed guide to the Schengen visa application from the UK.
- See a more detailed guide to the Schengen visa application from the US.
How Soon can you get a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa?
All Schengen visas take approximately 15 days to process. However, depending on the applicant’s health condition, you could receive your visa sooner than that. You must provide proof that you need a Schengen visa for medical treatment as soon as possible.
Similarly, the earliest you can apply for a Schengen visa is three months, whereas the latest is two weeks before you plan to travel.
Still, in extraordinary cases, Schengen country embassies will process a medical treatment visa application even if it is submitted later than two weeks.
How Long Can I Stay With a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa?
Normally, a Schengen medical treatment visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days. Pay attention to the 90/180 rule of staying in the Schengen area.
Can you get a Schengen Medical Treatment Visa extension?
In certain cases, you may be able to extend your medical treatment visa. These include:
- If you are unable to travel/leave the Schengen country because it would put your life at risk.
- If you cannot stop the medical treatment you are currently receiving without endangering your life.
If your life will not be endangered upon the termination of current medical treatment, then the Schengen authorities will not extend your Schengen medical treatment visa. Instead, if you still seek medical treatment after 90 days, they will ask you to apply for a national medical treatment visa in the respective country.
Other Types of Schengen Visas
- Business Schengen Visa
- Cultural Schengen Visa
- Transit Schengen Visa
- Visitor Schengen Visa
- Tourist Schengen Visa