Schengen visa for citizens of South Sudan in 2023

South Sudanese citizens and residents who are thinking of traveling to Europe will almost certainly need to apply for a visa in order to enter the continent. For most travelers from the country, a Schengen visa from South Sudan is the best visa for those looking to travel to (and spend up to 90 days in) multiple European states, including France, Germany, and Italy. With a Schengen visa, you will be able to travel to all those states, as well as the 23 additional Schengen visa countries. Applicants who apply on time, pass a security check, and fulfil the Schengen visa requirements for South Sudan will likely receive a visa. Today’s blog will therefore provide an overview of how to apply for the Schengen visa for citizens of South Sudan. Additionally, readers will learn the answers to commonly asked questions such as, “Where do you apply for Schengen visa?” and, “What are the Schengen visa fees for South Sudan citizens and residents?” This, plus a step-by step guide to applying for a short-stay Schengen visa from South Sudan, below: 

How to apply

• 1. Determine when to apply
  • You don’t need to know the exact travel dates for your trip to the Schengen area in order to apply, but you should have a general idea of when you want to travel so that you give yourself enough time to apply. 
  • Most Schengen visa applications are processed in three weeks, so you should at the very least apply three weeks before your trip. 
  • Gathering required documents, renewing an expired passport—all of these necessary elements of the application process can take time; make sure you give yourself enough when you apply. 
• 2. Decide what type of Schengen visa you need 
  • There are several different types of Schengen visas; the type you apply for will determine what kind of documents you need to submit, among other things. 
  • Schengen visa types reflect your purpose for travelling to the Schengen area. For example, if you are traveling to the Schengen area to receive medical care, you will apply for a Medical Schengen visa from South Sudan. Alternatively, if you are going on a business in the Schengen area, you will apply for a Business Schengen visa from South Sudan. 
  • Browse the list of Schengen visa types here, and determine which type best describes your reason for travel.
• 3. Decide what entry “category” of Schengen visa you need 
  • The Schengen visa for citizens of South Sudan is available in three entry categories, each of which reflects the number of times you can exit and re-enter the Schengen area.  
  • Schengen visas are available in single, double, and multiple entry catagories; the type you select will determine how many times (if at all) you can re-enter the Schengen area after leaving it while on your visa. 
  • For example, if you have a single entry Schengen visa, you will not be able to re-enter the Schengen area if you leave it during your validity period, even your Schengen visa still has time left on it. In contrast, those with a double entry Schengen visa will be able to enter the Schengen area, exit, and re-enter it one more time. Finally, a multiple entry Schengen visa provides holders with unlimited entries to the zone, meaning you can enter, exit, re-enter, and exit again at will—so long as your visa remains valid. 
  • In summary, if you think you will need to travel back and forth between South Sudan and the Schengen area during the 90 days in which your visa is valid, you should apply for a multiple-entry visa, which will provide you with the most flexibility. 
• 4. Decide what country to apply to 
  • Perhaps the most important step in applying for a short-stay Schengen visa from Sudan is determining which of the Schengen visa countries you should apply to. 
  • As an applicant, you will apply for your visa through the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country you plan to spend the most time in while on your trip. 
  • For example, if you are planning on traveling to Germany and Spain, and spending the majority of your time in Spain, you will apply for a Spanish Schengen visa.
  • If you are spending an equal amount of time in two or more Schengen countries, you will apply for your visa from the country where you first entered the Schengen area. For example, if you are spending an equal amount of time in both Spain and Germany, but the first time you enter the Schengen area will be when you fly directly into Berlin from Juba, then you should apply for a German Schengen visa. 
• 5. Decide where in South Sudan to apply 
  • Now that you know how to decide what country to apply through, you still may be wondering, “Where do you apply for Schengen visa in South Sudan?”
  • The answer to the above question is: through the embassy, consulate, or visa application center responsible for handling Schengen visa applications to the Schengen country you are applying through. The majority of these destinations will be in Juba (the location of all country embassies and most country consulates and visa application centers). 
  • However, some Schengen countries do not have a consular presence in South Sudan. Therefore, if you are applying to one of these countries, you may have to leave the country in order to submit your application. This applies, for example, South Sudanese residents who seek to travel to Germany. To apply for a Schengen visa from South Sudan for Germany, you will have to apply through the German Embassy in Kampala, which may necessitate traveling in-person to Uganda. Similarly, the French Embassy in Ethiopia handles the processing of Schengen visa requests from South Sudanese applicants (meaning you may have to travel to Addis Ababa in order to apply). 
• 6. Gather your required documents 
  • Schengen visa requirements for South Sudan include the submission of a number of required and supplemental documents and materials. 
  • Basic required documents include those below:
    • South Sudanese passport (or another country passport)
    • Schengen visa application
    • Schengen visa fee (Schengen visa fees for South Sudan citizens are 80 EUR for most applicants. For more information, click here)
    • Your photos and fingerprints (biometric information)
    • Two passport size photos 
    • Proof of accommodation (evidence of where you will stay in the Schengen area) 
    • Proof of subsidence (evidence that that you can financially afford your trip 
    • Proof of having purchased travel medical insurance 
  • In addition to the above documents, you will also have to submit supplemental items depending on the type of Schengen visa you need.  
  • For example, if you are applying for a Cultural Schengen visa from South Sudan, you will have to submit official documents that provide information about the specific cultural event you are attending. 
  • Keep in mind that there may be language requirements for submitted materials (meaning that submitted documents must be written in English, the language of the Schengen country you are applying to, or another widely spoken European language). If you plan on submitting a document in another language, you will likely have to submit an official translation of that document into a language your embassy/consulate is willing to accept. 
  • For example, if you are applying for a Visiting Friends and Family visa and submitting an invitation letter from the relative you are staying with, and that letter is written in Arabic, you may need to submit a notarized translation of that letter in order for it to be accepted. 
  • For more information on required and supplemental documents, click here.
• 7. Fill out your Schengen visa application form
  • The main component of the Schengen visa application is the basic application form. A universal form (i.e. one that is not Schengen country-specific)  is accessible here.
  • Those who apply through the above form will print it out and sign it and submit it with the rest of their application. 
  • Alternatively, the country you are applying through may prefer that you apply via their own unique application portal. For example, France directs Schengen visa applicants to apply online, here. 
  • Applying online through a country-specific portal offers a number of advantages, such as the ability (in most cases) to pay for a visa online and also schedule a Schengen visa appointment (two basic requirements). However, even online applicants will likely need to print out and submit a physical copy of their application. 
• 8. Schedule your Schengen visa appointment 
  • If you haven’t already Scheduled your Schengen visa appointment online, you should contact your application destination directly and find out how to make an appointment. 
  • The majority of Schengen countries require applicants to make a visa appointment in order to formally submit their application (verses simply dropping by during operating hours). And in almost all cases, all Schengen countries, regardless of whether they require you to schedule an appointment, will insist that you make an in person appearance in order to submit your visa. 
• 9. Attend your Schengen visa appointment 
  • Now that you have completed all of the above requirements, your last step is to attend your Schengen visa appointment. Unless you have already done so, your appointment is where you will formally submit your application, pay your Schengen visa fees and have your biometric information collected. Additionally, you will likely be asked to sit for a short interview, which will consist of basic questions about your upcoming trip. 
• 10. Await your decision 
  • South Sudanese citizens and residents who are approved for a Schengen visa will receive a message informing them of their acceptance, allowing them to pick up their passport (which contains their new Schengen visa). 
  • If you are rejected for a Schengen visa from South Sudan, you have the right to appeal. For more information about appealing a rejected Schengen visa in general, click here.