Applying for a Schengen visa can be a complex and time-consuming task. As a result, it’s best to take your time over the application in order to ensure you’ve completed it correctly, whilst also submitting the exact documents needed. Not doing so can slow the process down, with hold ups potentially ruining your chance of a holiday or trip away.

There are many important tips on Schengen visa requirements, and you should fully understand these before filling in your application, as well as before you submit your application. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following:

-  Have a passport, with at least two blank pages.

-  Your passport must be valid for a minimum of three more months after your trip ends.

- Any documents supplied must have been issued in the UK, or whatever country you are applying from, such as birth certificates and marriage certificates, for example.

-  You name in your passport must match you name on the documents supplied, or this can cause issues for the visa application centre, resulting in a refused visa.

There are of course many other important tips on Schengen visa requirements, and it’s a good idea to make sure you’re aware of these. Even just one document missing, or a document being in the wrong name can mean that you may miss your paid holiday. With it taking, on average, three times for a Schengen visa application to be approved by the relevant embassy, applying for a Schengen visa should not be left to the last minute.

There are plenty of important tips on Schengen visa requirements that can be found in the many different visa guides. Providing you with all the information you will need for your application, paying a small fee for a visa guide will save you money in the long run, whilst also saving you time.

Are you in the process of applying for a Schengen visa but aren’t quite sure where you’re main destination will be? This is a critical part of your application, and a decision that determines pretty much all of the application process, as well as where to apply for a Schengen visa. Additionally, a Schengen visa is always issued by the Schengen country that will be your main destination, so knowing how to define this is essential.

Submitting your Schengen visa application to the visa application centre in the wrong country will mean that your application is refused, and this will be both a costly and time-consuming mistake. You main destination is defined by how long you are planning to stay there for. For example, if your trip only consists of you visiting one country, such as Austria for instance, then this is your main destination. However, if you plan to visit several different countries during your trip, such as Germany, Italy and Austria, but are staying in each country for the same period of time, then where to apply for a Schengen visa is the country that you are entering into first; in this case Germany. Should you be staying in various different countries for varying amounts of time, then your main destination will be the country that you stay the longest in, and is therefore where to apply for a Schengen visa from.

Where to apply for a Schengen visa from is dependant entirely upon your main destination, therefore it is best to decide this straight away. Of course, don’t book a holiday or trip away until you have applied for your visa, as if this is refused, it could take a further four weeks or so for another application to be approved, and there’d be nothing worse than missing your holiday!

A Schengen visa is needed in order to gain entry into various different countries, such as Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

However, with thousands of Schengen visa applications refused everyday, it’s a good idea to grab hold of a Schengen visa guide, to ensure your application isn’t refused. With this being both a costly and time-consuming mistake, a Schengen visa guide will shed light on the application process and advise you how best to go about obtaining a Schengen visa.

In order to apply for a Schengen visa, most Schengen visa guides state that you must have a passport; a completed application form; a maximum of two recent passport photographs; three of your most recent wage slips along with an employment letter (for those who are employed); several recent bank statements showing the name and address of the person applying, along with proof of having enough money for the trip; travel insurance; and medical cover.

Schengen visa guides are create by visa professionals, saving you the hassle of incorrectly filling out the form and then having to wait whilst your application is submitted for a second time. Downloadable from here, Schengen visa guides not only save you money on having to submit your application several times, but they clearly lists every document you need for your application; all for just £9.99.

The Schengen visa guide from Visa Guru comes in the form of a step-by-step guide, without the need for having to use an expensive visa specialist or travel agent. From a comprehensive and updated list of all 25 Schengen countries, to information as to when you should apply and where you should apply to, the guide has everything you need. With answers to frequently asked questions and the very latest application forms as well, there really is no guide better than the Schengen visa guide offered to you by visa Guru.

If you’re in the process of applying for a Schengen visa, or will need to apply for a Schengen visa sometime soon, then take note of these seven easy steps, to ensure you fulfil the Schengen requirements and that your visa isn’t refused.

1. Research – Be sure to research the various different documents you need to produce alongside your Schengen visa application. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of your application to find out you don’t have the documents you need, or that you don’t meet the Schengen requirements; it’s best to be clear on this from the outset.
2. Main destination – Decide where your main destination will be, and then book an appointment at the relevant visa application centre. Book your appointment in plenty of time, as it can take up to two weeks for a decision to be made on whether you’ll be granted a Schengen visa or not.
3. Application letter – Take your appointment letter to the visa application centre with you, as only those with letters will be able to attend their scheduled appointment. A separate letter is needed for everyone wanting to obtain a Schengen visa, so a family of four would need four appointment letters, for example.
4. Application form – Fill in a separate Schengen visa application form for everyone wanting to obtain a Schengen visa. These are found on the relevant embassy website.
5. Documents - Before submitting the application form, check the supporting documents and evidence one last time, to ensure you are supplying absolutely everything needed to ensure your application is approved.
6. Photocopies – Obtain a photocopy of every document that’s to be sent off with your Schengen visa application. This will mean that should anything get lost, you won’t have completely lost the documents. plus most embassies require copies.
7. Submission - Submit your visa application form along with the relevant supporting documents, and wait about two weeks for a response.

It takes many people on average three different attempts before their Schengen visa is approved; have yours approved first time by following these seven easy steps.

A Schengen visa allows a traveller to stay in a country for a period of up to 90 days, either as a tourist on holiday, or whilst on business. Once you obtain a Schengen visa, you can enter a country and travel anywhere within it, however, they can be difficult and fairly complex to obtain, which is why many of the applications are refused.

If you’ve already applied for a Schengen visa but it wasn’t approved, it could be due to several different reasons, such as failing to provide all of the necessary information. In this situation, you’d need to apply for the visa again, whilst having to pay the visa fee again too. As a result, it’s important that you fully check your application before sending it off, to ensure you don’t have your Schengen visa refused. Failing to fill in the information correctly can be both a costly and time-consuming mistake, and one you wouldn’t want to make too often.

Having your Schengen visa refused means that you need to find out exactly why this happened, otherwise re-applying will simply mean it gets refused again. A Schengen visa can be refused for reasons other than not completing all the required fields, and in these cases, you can appeal against the refusal.

If you don’t have much time to fill in the Schengen visa application form, and certainly don’t have time for it be refused and to then have to re-apply, it’s advisable to speak to a visa specialist, or to buy a visa guide. This will ensure that you’re application is correct before you send it off. For short-term stays, it can take anything between two and ten days to receive the approved visa, whilst the processing time could be months for long-term stays.

Avoid having your Schengen visa refused and instead take time on your application; it’s much better to provide too much information rather than too little.

From 1st December 2011 France will begin representing Lithuania when issuing Schengen visas in 22 countries around the world,according to the Foreign Ministry.

Under the agreement between Lithuania and France, Lithuania will be represented in Benin, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Fiji, Gabon, Djibouti, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria (Lagos), Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu.

Lithuania currently has no embassies in these countries. Therefore, foreigners who reside in these countries and want to obtain a visa to visit Lithuania will have an opportunity to apply for visas at the French representation.

Lithuania has signed agreements of representation when issuing Schengen visas in the countries where the country has no diplomatic representations. This agreement aims to facilitate the application for visas by foreigners who need visas to travel to Lithuania.

Lithuania is represented in visa issuance in 48 countries. Lithuania represents seven Schengen area member states in eleven countries. Currently, Lithuania undergoes negotiations on the country’s broader representation.

With Christmas time fast approaching, what better way to get into the Christmas sprit than to visit Christmas markets?

Here’s a list of the top ten Christmas markets in the UK:

1. Brixham- From the 26 to 27 November 2011, you can indulge yourself at the Brixham Christmas market. Selling everything from cakes and chestnuts, to children’s books and jewellery, you can browse the many different stalls all under one marquee. Brixham Christmas market is therefore the perfect day out, whatever the weather.
2. Belfast- As one of the very best Christmas markets around, Belfast’s is located in a landmark building, the City Hall. Here you can browse the various different stalls, selling products from 28 different countries. Taking place from 19 November to 18 December 2011, there’s plenty of time to explore the Belfast Christmas market.
3. Birmingham- This German Christmas market and craft fair is open from 17 November to 23 December 2011, in three different Birmingham locations. Open daily from 10am- 9pm, it’s sure to get you in the Christmas spirit, selling traditional handmade gifts, as well as a huge variety of German produce.
4. Leeds- Leeds also has a German Christmas market, open from 11 November to 18 December 2011. Located in Millennium Square, it’s the ideal place to start your Christmas shopping, if you haven’t done so already.
5. Newcastle- From 21 November to 3 December 2011 you can browse around the Newcastle Christmas market, where you can indulge yourself by buying a selection of handmade food or special gifts. Located in three different locations within Newcastle, no matter where you are, there’s bound to be a Christmas market near you.
6. Winchester- Situated in Winchester cathedral, there’s not only the traditional Christmas market to wander around, but an ice rink to have fun on too. Recognised as one of the best in the UK, since being founded in 2006, it’s a great place to have some festive fun.
7. Manchester- The Manchester Christmas markets are open from 17 November to 21 December 2011, located in numerous locations. Here you can buy everything you’d expect to, with over 200 stalls to look round.
8. Oxford- The Oxford Christmas market is open to visitors from 2 December to 18 December. Located in Oxford Castle, the many stalls sell gorgeous products, from wooden handmade presents to delightful seasonal treats. There’s even a brass band to keep you entertained!
9. Chichester- From 8 December to 11 December you can visit the Chichester Christmas market, where you can expect to find over 50 stalls in various pedestrianised areas. A great chance to find the most unique Christmas gifts, it’s well worth a visit.
10. Bristol- The Bristol Christmas market is another great one, open to visitors from 10 November to 22 December 2011. Located in the Broadmead area of Bristol, it’s a German market offering a huge assortment of gifts ideal to give this Christmas time, or to buy for yourself, of course!

The procedure for obtaining Schengen visas to Poland has been been made easierfor Ukrainian citizens.

An employment letter with information about pay and holidays, a bank certificate and a copy of the work record card have been excluded from the list of documents required for obtaining visas. This applies to both reusable business (just the original letter of invitation is enough) and travel (only a partially paid hotel reservation is enough) visas. Now it is necessary to submit only a passport, application form, photo, insurance and paid hotel reservation (or a letter of invitation).

The Schengen Visa Application Guide is sill avilable to download for only £9.99.

A local sim card or a travel sim card – what’s the difference, and which one’s better?

The purchase of a local sim card is ideal for those who visit a particular country on a regular basis, as they are often cheaper than using a travel sim card, or the phones original sim card. For example, a local French sim card can be purchased in France, and costs around 27 Euros. For this amount, you’ll receive the sim, which has a local French number assigned to it, as well as a cheap rate for international calling, starting at just 0.08 Euros per minute.

The local sim card, or in this case the French sim card, can be purchased at the above price from www.internationalsim.eu, where local sim cards for many other countries can be purchased, too.

Generally, a local sim card has the following rates attached to it: free inbound calls (both landline and mobile); 0.16 Euros for incoming calls (both landline and mobile); 0.10 Euros to send a local text; 0.15 Euros to send an international text; and a small connection fee of around 0.10 Euros.

All local travel sim cards must be activated before they can be used, with top-ups easy to come by, available in most shops and outlets. If you’re interested in buying a local sim card, you’ll need to get your phones network unlocked, providing it hasn’t already been, in order for the sim to be compatible with your phone.

Investing in a local travel sim, such as the french sim card, is a great way to save money on expensive roaming charges. Buy a local sim to ensure that no matter where in the word you are, you can speak to the people you love for a similar price than that you’d pay when using your mobile at home. There’s nothing worse than being away and feeling as though you can’t and shouldn’t use your phone. Buy a local sim card today and the calls will be so cheap you’ll be able to make as many as you like.

Here are just a few of the local sim cards that you can buy online today. Make sure you buy them before you go abroad.

    China Mobile Hello Sim Card

Incl 60 CNY call credit / Chinese number

   French Otrel Sim Card

French number / free calling with ortel family

    India Sim Card

Indian number

   Passport Sim Card

Are you a frequent international traveller or do you visit more countries, then the Passport-service is for you.

Works in over 160 countries / international calls starting at EUR 0.34 /min

  USA AT&T Sim Card

US Number / international calls starting at $0.19

Are you tired of running out of credit on your mobile and constantly having to go out to top it up? Or are you going abroad and worrying about running out of credit? If so, mobile top up has just got easier, thanks to the new Ezetop service that’s recently been introduced.

This mobile top up service is powered by Ezetop, which is a well known name in the world of international mobile top up. Ezetop allows people to top up their own mobile or someone else’s, in various different stores or online. Whether it be for a friend or family member, Ezetop makes the process simple.

The service is compatible with more than 160 different mobile phone providers, so you don’t need to worry about what network the mobile is on. The mobile top up can be activated in 60 different countries around the world, no matter what network you’re on, so where ever you are, you can make use of the most convenient mobile top up service- Ezetop.

The process of topping up a mobile phone online is as easy as can be. All you need to do is go online and select the country where the mobile phone credit is being sent to, and then select the network of the mobile phone, too. The last step of the process is to enter the mobile phone number, so the network and country can be verified, and then complete the process by choosing how much you’d like the mobile top up to be for. The mobile phone credit will be on the phone immediately, so there’s no waiting around.

Don’t have the internet? Don’t worry. The Ezetop service is also available in various different retail stores, so you can still make use of convenient mobile top up. It really couldn’t be any easier to top up your phone, whether home or abroad.

Try the prepaid online recharge service today and top up a friend’s or families’ mobile phone with credit.