Top 60 Most Asked Questions during a Visa Interview

Common interview questions available in this article are NOT solely intended for the Schengen visa interview, hence they are usable for any type of visa interview of any world country.

A Schengen Visa interview isn’t only a meeting where you provide supporting documents for a visa application to a visa official of a respective country. Matter of fact, a visa interview is intended for a more in depth communication between the applicant and the representative of a diplomatic office. The embassy or consulate of the Schengen country, in this occasion seeks that by asking specific and detailed-oriented questions to perceive if the candidate is actually worth given a Schengen visa.

During such an interview, the candidate does not get questioned solely about the provided information in the visa application form and its supported documents. There are other particular questions, sometimes even unusually personal, that the diplomatic official questions the candidate.

Over the answers to such questions, the diplomatic official, just wants to collect a more across-the-board information about the candidate’s situation, especially about its sense of answer-ability, frankness, and accuracy. The diplomatic office does not want to issue a visa to someone who does not have such qualities. This for the fact that the office wants to absolutely make sure the visa holder will return home within the expected time, and that will not be prone to illegal activities within the Schengen Area.

But,

• How a visa candidate can successfully handle such questions?
• How not to become a failed candidate who gets a visa refusal because of its poor or incomplete answers in a Schengen or other visa interview?
• Which are these questions, whose accurate answers make the most of the candidate’s representation in a Schengen interview session?

Below, you will find which are the normal questions the Schengen Visa officials make to their visa candidates. Mind also our explanations and recommends presented underneath each of the following questions, in order for you to easily plan an answer that helps you GIVE YOUR BEST in a visa interview.

Note: The following questions exemplify all the possible questions that a representative of the diplomatic office can make to visa candidates. Beware that not all the questions will be done to a single candidate.

The General questions you should be expecting during an interview for a Schengen Visa are the following:

Are You Married? If Yes, What Does Your Spouse Do? For How Long Have You Been Married?

Make sure to early enough commit to memorize the exact marriage date and marriage details (in case of being married). Any wrong or insecure answer on years of marriage might be seen as an attempt to give an untruthful answer.  If not married, you might simply mention you are unmarried or divorced.

Are You Traveling With Someone Else?

Answer simply with a yes or no. Also, be sure to clarify the relationship you have with the person accompanying you in the trip.

Can You Reschedule A Shorter Trip? Why Do You Need Three/Month Visa?

Mention your interest to sightsee different tourist destinations within the Schengen Area, and that you cannot do that in a short period of time. However, express your complete readiness to reschedule your plans and shorten your trip if needed.

Can You Show Your Bank Statement?

Make sure to not show any hesitation when providing the document of your bank statement to the official.

Do You Enjoy Any Scholarship?

This is another question you should directly answer with a yes or no. In case you have a student scholarship, mention the name of the institution issuing the scholarship, together with the amount of financial support it covers, as well as the period of it.

Do You Have A Covered Health Insurance For This Journey?

Provide the evidence of the covered health insurance for the period of stay in the Schengen Area.

Do You Have A Girlfriend/Boyfriend?

Answer frankly with a yes or no.

Do You Have a Job-Leave Approval Letter From Your Employer?

Simply confirm the possession of this letter from your employer (signed and stamped) and offer it to the official. In case you do not have such a document, it is worthless trying to verbally convince the official about having your employer’s authorization to leave the job during the travel period.

Do You Have Any Children? If Yes, How Old Are They, What Do They Do?

Sometimes you can have difficulties to quickly recall children’s job title, their exact birth date, their exact name of the company, university or school. That is why we suggest you to prepare yourself and memorize such information early enough, to avoid giving a hesitant answer during the visa interview.

You might answer with I do not have any children yet – in case you are married with no children you should state you are unmarried with no children (if single), or, simply state the number of children and their gender – if having children. Anyhow, make your answer a natural one.

Do you Have any Family Member or Friends Living in the Schengen Area?

Make sure to make a list of all the family members and friends living in the Schengen Area early enough before the interview. In case you have forgotten to mention anyone during the interview, the embassy might consider it an attempt to skip the answer.

Do You Have Any Relation With Any Involved Person In Latest Terrorist Activities?

Try to not take it the question as a cautioning. Answer the question truthfully and without a hesitation. Tell the official that you do not have any relative involved in these activities and express your sad about such acts. Show the official you are completely against such awful acts and individuals who commit them.

Do You Have Any Relative Or Any Known Person Studying In This University?

If seeking for a student visa, declare the names and relationship with the relatives or friends that are currently studying in the university in the Schengen Area where you have been admitted to study (if any).

Do You Know The Annual Incomes Of Your Son/Daughter?

State the annual incomes that your children earn. Consult your child on his/her amount of net annual earnings before the interview, in order to offer it correctly this particular information to the official.

Do You Pay Income Tax?

Yes is the answer the official wants to hear from you. Additionally, you might provide an evidence for that. So, show you are a responsible citizen who pays its taxes.

Do You Plan To Pursue Masters Or Doctoral Studies After You Finish Bachelor’s?

Express your concern regarding the current Bachelor studies, but mention that there might exist the possibility for you to consider this opportunity in the long-term future.

Does Your Son/Daughter Have Any Children?

The answer should be simple, yes or no. Additionally, you might state the number and gender of the children of him/her.

Have You Applied In Other Universities And In Which, Also Did You Get Admitted Into Other Universities?

State names of the universities where you applied for admission to (if you applied in more than one), agreeably mentioning if you got the permission to study at any of them, despite the one you chose studying to.

Have You Booked Or Bought The Flight Ticket?

Give the answer simply, by offering the evidence of a booked or bought flight ticket (depending which of the forms you chose to get it as a proof of scheduled transportation).

Have You Ever Travelled To Other Places?

Answer with a yes or no. Also, you might tell countries where you have travelled outside of your living country.

Do you Have any Family Member or Friends Living in the Schengen Area?

Make sure to make a list of all the family members and friends living in the Schengen Area early enough before the interview. In case you have forgotten to mention anyone during the interview, the embassy might consider it an attempt to skip the answer.

Do You Have Any Relation With Any Involved Person In Latest Terrorist Activities?

Try to not take it the question as a cautioning. Answer the question truthfully and without a hesitation. Tell the official that you do not have any relative involved in these activities and express your sad about such acts. Show the official you are completely against such awful acts and individuals who commit them.

Do You Have Any Relative Or Any Known Person Studying In This University?

If seeking for a student visa, declare the names and relationship with the relatives or friends that are currently studying in the university in the Schengen Area where you have been admitted to study (if any).

Do You Know The Annual Incomes Of Your Son/Daughter?

State the annual incomes that your children earn. Consult your child on his/her amount of net annual earnings before the interview, in order to offer it correctly this particular information to the official.

Do You Pay Income Tax?

Yes is the answer the official wants to hear from you. Additionally, you might provide an evidence for that. So, show you are a responsible citizen who pays its taxes.

Do You Plan To Pursue Masters Or Doctoral Studies After You Finish Bachelor’s?

Express your concern regarding the current Bachelor studies, but mention that there might exist the possibility for you to consider this opportunity in the long-term future.

Does Your Son/Daughter Have Any Children?

The answer should be simple, yes or no. Additionally, you might state the number and gender of the children of him/her.

Have You Applied In Other Universities And In Which, Also Did You Get Admitted Into Other Universities?

State names of the universities where you applied for admission to (if you applied in more than one), agreeably mentioning if you got the permission to study at any of them, despite the one you chose studying to.

Have You Booked Or Bought The Flight Ticket?

Give the answer simply, by offering the evidence of a booked or bought flight ticket (depending which of the forms you chose to get it as a proof of scheduled transportation).

Have You Ever Travelled To Other Places?

Answer with a yes or no. Also, you might tell countries where you have travelled outside of your living country.

Is Your Son/Daughter Married?

Yes or no is enough as an answer.

What are your plans after your return?

In case you are applying for a student visa, tell that you will be likely to apply for a job related to your gained education abroad. In case you are seeking to pursue further studies than the answer must be truthful. Also, in case you are expecting to get professional training or jump up in a start-up company you will state that similarly.

What did you say does your mother do?

Explain the profession and the job of your mother (if a working mother). In case your mother does not work, you should indicate her daily activities, including hobbies and passions.

What do you do in your living country?

Discuss about your activities in your home countries, i.e. education, family, work, hobbies, and other.

What do you know about the country you are visiting?

Take time to do some research about the specific country you are about to travel and the Schengen Area in general. Focus talks a little bit about the freedom of movement, law uniformity and collaboration between Schengen countries. Additionally, mention traveler areas of your interest found in the Schengen Area (i.e.  Eifel Towel, German castles, Amsterdam) and why you chose the specific country for your visit.

What do you know about the country you are about to study to?

Take the time to explore a little about the benefits the education of the country where you are about to study to offers compared to other surrounding countries.

What Does Your Company Do?

Talk about company’s main activities in short. Tell the official in short your company’s main accomplishments in the local or international market. Do not over-talk about each activity of the company just because you are the owner, leading to an over-elaborated and tiresome answer.

What Does Your Son/Daughter/Son-In-Law/Daughter-In-Law/Sponsor/Brother/Sister Do In The Schengen Area?

Make sure to get such information from your relatives enough before the interview, about her/his job, studies and living in the Schengen Area. Write down and try to memorize their university and department they’re studying to, job position and the company working for, and location details. You will not leave an impression of a serious candidate not being able to recall your children’s occupations, so it is of a great importance providing a genuine information in this regard.

What is the legal status (what visa) of your son/daughter?

Indicate correctly the legal status of your children. Contact them early enough to get the correct information, in order to not give unfitting information in the interview.

What Is Your Educational Qualification?

Give an answer by stating your highest received degree from a school or university. Do not start talking about every school and educational institution you attended before, only in case the official asks you to do so.