It seems to be easier to travel around Europe. They may travel abroad for various purposes. Someone goes to do business, someone goes on a business trip, someone wants to visit all kinds of exhibitions. They go to study and be treated, visit acquaintances, friends and loved ones. All these types of foreign travel are determined by a special type of entry permit. It is called the Schengen visa, which comes in different types. The duration of a Schengen visa depends on its category.
The categories of these permits for entry into European countries are divided into four large groups. They are designated A, B, C and D. Each of them also has its own subcategories. The validity of a Schengen visa is determined by both the larger and smaller subspecies of these types. Let's consider them in order.
Category A and B visas have the shortest validity period. This is the so-called transit permit. It is issued if you need to get to any other country for which a Schengen visa is not needed at all. In what cases does this happen? This happens when, in order to enter there, you must cross the territory of some European country included in (B). Or you have to transfer at the airport of such a state (A). This type of Schengen visa is valid for five days.
There are short-term entry permits. They are designated with the letter C and the numbers 1, 2 or 3. The number one is given to single entry visas. They are also often referred to as tourist destinations. Validity of the Schengen visa C1 - no more than thirty days. They also do not give the right to leave the country (or return there) several times during this month (or a shorter period). The numbers two, three and four denote visas of this type, which make it possible to stay in the country up to ninety days. actions they contain the concept of "corridor". This means that an entry permit of this category with the number 2 allows the person who received it to enter the territory of the country or the entire zone, as well as leave it for six months. A visa with the number 3 gives the same privilege throughout the year, and with the "four" - from two to five years.
However, there is one "but". 
Validity periods of the Schengen visa, both six-monthly and annual and "multi-year", in fact, allow you to stay in the zone of its application for no more than ninety days. In other words, you can go there several times and go home. But you have the right to stay in the country for no more than three months in total with a C2 visa, no more than six with a C3, and so on. Moreover, in the latter case, the period of stay in the Schengen zone should be 3 months in one half-year and three in the second. With a multi-year visa - no more than ninety days every six months. At the same time, you can travel to all countries of this zone.
Type D entry permit is called long-term. These visas are also called national visas. Stay in this country is issued, as a rule, for a year, but in other countries of the zone you can only be in transit, and even then not always. As for such a circumstance as the terms for obtaining a Schengen visa, the minimum term for which such a permit can be issued is five working days.
