Sources, Methodology & Editorial Policy

📖 Primary Sources

EU Visa Code — Regulation (EC) No 810/2009

The primary legal basis for all Schengen short-stay visa rules. Used for: standard processing times (Article 23), visa types (Articles 1-4), fee amounts (Article 16), refusal grounds (Annex VI), submission windows (Article 9). This is the authoritative EU-level regulation governing Type C visas.

EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 810/2009

European Commission Short-Stay Visa Statistics 2025

The official annual publication of Schengen visa application and decision data, broken down by country pair (applicant country x consulate country). Used for: approval rate comparisons. Approval rates represent visas issued as a percentage of total decisions (excluding inadmissible applications). These are historical statistics from the most recent published dataset — they do not predict individual outcomes.

European Commission: Short-Stay Visa Statistics

European Commission Schengen Area Page

Used for: Schengen country membership list (29 countries as of 2026), accession dates (Croatia January 2023, Bulgaria and Romania January 2024), non-EU member status of Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

European Commission: Schengen Area

EES — Entry Exit System (Regulation (EU) 2017/2226)

Used for: EES operational date (10 April 2026), biometric data collected (4 fingerprints + facial photo), data retention (3 years), applicability (all non-EU nationals at Schengen external borders), automatic 90/180 day tracking.

European Commission: EES Official Page

Official Consulate and Visa Center Advisories

Used for: processing time estimates in peak and standard seasons, appointment waiting times, financial means guidance figures. Sources include TLScontact (France), BLS International (Spain), VFS Global (Germany, Portugal, Lithuania and others). These figures are indicative estimates based on published advisories and observed data 2024-2026 — they are not guaranteed processing times.

EU Airport Transit Visa Requirements List

Used for: identifying which nationalities require a Type A Airport Transit Visa for Schengen airports. The 12 nationalities on the EU-wide list are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka. Morocco and Algeria are NOT on this list.

EU Airport Transit Visa List (PDF)

🔧 How Each Tool is Calculated

📅 90/180 Day Calculator

Implements the rolling 180-day window method as defined in the EU Visa Code. For each date in the user's travel history, the calculator counts all days within the preceding 180-day period. Entry and exit days both count as full days. Long-stay visa (Type D) periods are excluded from the count during their validity. The calculator is designed to match the European Commission's own Schengen calculator methodology.

🏆 Country Approval Rate Comparator

Approval rates are taken directly from European Commission Short-Stay Visa Statistics 2025, the most recently published annual dataset. Rates represent visas issued divided by total decisions (excluding inadmissible applications), expressed as a percentage. These are historical statistics — they reflect past aggregate outcomes for each country pair and do not predict individual visa decisions. The tool displays data for Moroccan (MA), Algerian (DZ), Tunisian (TN) and Egyptian (EG) applicants separately where data is available.

⏱️ Processing Time Calculator

Processing time estimates are based on: (1) the EU Visa Code Article 23 standard of 15 calendar days; (2) observed processing times from official consulate and visa center advisories 2024-2026; (3) reported peak season variations (typically June-September for France, Spain, Germany, Greece and Italy). Processing time data is separate from approval rate data — a country with shorter processing times does not necessarily have higher approval rates.

💶 Fee Calculator

Base visa fees are taken from EU Visa Code Article 16 (EUR 90 adults, EUR 45 children 6-11, free under 6). Service fees for TLScontact, BLS International and VFS Global are based on their published fee schedules as of 2026. Currency conversions (MAD, DZD, TND) use indicative exchange rates updated periodically — actual amounts vary with exchange rate fluctuations.

📄 Documents Checklist

Document lists are based on EU Visa Code Article 14 (standard supporting documents) combined with country-specific consulate requirements. Financial means figures shown are indicative only — they represent commonly referenced amounts and vary by destination country, applicant circumstances and consulate policy. Users should always verify current requirements with their specific consulate.

❌ Refusal Analyzer

The 17 refusal grounds are taken directly from EU Visa Code Annex VI (Standard form for notifying and motivating refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa). Each ground is mapped to its official legal basis. Action plans are editorial guidance based on common consulate practices — they are not legal advice.

🔄 Update Policy

EU Visa Code changes: Updated within 30 days of any official EU regulation amendment published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Approval rate statistics: Updated annually when the European Commission publishes new Short-Stay Visa Statistics (typically Q1-Q2 of the following year). Current data: 2025 statistics.

Processing times: Reviewed every 6 months based on consulate advisory updates. Last review: September 2026.

Schengen membership: Updated immediately upon any new country joining or leaving the Schengen Area.

EES / ETIAS: Updated as official European Commission announcements are made.

Corrections policy: If a factual error is identified, it is corrected within 48 hours and noted on this methodology page with the correction date.

⚖️ Editorial Independence

MonVisaSchengen.com is an independent information platform. It is not affiliated with any embassy, consulate, EU institution, TLScontact, VFS Global, BLS International or any visa agency.

Content is funded by display advertising (Google AdSense). Advertisers have no influence on editorial content, tool results or data presented. No visa agency, consulate or government body pays for placement or favorable coverage.

Approval rate data is presented as published by the European Commission without adjustment or manipulation. Countries are ranked by official statistics only.