Does more money in account help get a longer Schengen visa?

Upvote:2

I am not aware of any stats that would support that notion nor is there any rule that explicitly ties the amount of money you have to the visa you get.

The consulate basically has two options when issuing a visa:

  • Issue something that covers the trip you described on the application, with a bit of buffer in case something happens. That's the most likely outcome and what's officially recommended for first-time applicants.
  • Issue a one or two-year multiple entry visa to avoid having to deal with repeated applications if you go to the Schengen area again. It's more likely for trusted applicants who have used Schengen visas before and provide some guarantees but it can even happen to first-time applicants (e.g. people who reside in the UK apparently get such visas more easily).

So the most important thing is to establish that you do not present any risk and have a credible plan for your stay in the Schengen area. Just think about what you might want to do and be truthful about it.

Of course, the amount of money you have at your disposal should also be commensurate with your plan. If you have only €2000, no income, and claim to want to spend a few weeks each in Paris, Rome, Zürich and Amsterdam, you won't get any visa at all.

Upvote:4

Having money is a great way to help get a tourist visa, but it doesn't necessary mean that more money will result in a longer validity -- or even get a visa at all. As an example, people are currently paying around EUR 9,000 and up to EUR 25,000 to get unlawfully trafficked into Europe, so if money were the sole factor they could show those funds as evidence for a visa instead (and then abscond once they cleared immigration control). It helps to demonstrate that even ready cash of up to EUR 25,000 is not always enough while people with much less than that can successfully qualify.

Your cash reserves are a factor in the decision-making process, but they will also examine your income to see if it's stable and has a strong link to your own national economy.

Assuming you are trying to get a Schengen, they are limited to a maximum of 90 days in the first instance. All other things being equal, they are minded to issue visas for the full 90 days, and they will work back from the maximum if need be so as to align with your itinerary and premise.

Your question did not specify how much time you wanted on a visa but the best starting point is to nail down what you want to accomplish in France/Italy and use that to determine how much time is needed. Once you know how much time you want to spend in Europe, calculating the amount of cash you need is a fairly mechanical process.

Please also see: Schengen Visa Application: tips for preparing

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