Visa type

Tourist visa: what you need for a holiday abroad

For a holiday you apply for a short-stay visitor visa, or an electronic travel authorisation where your passport allows it. Here is what consulates usually ask for, and how the main destinations differ.

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Covers

Tourist visa

Holidays and sightseeing
Round trips and cruises
Short leisure courses that are not part of a degree

covered on this page

Documents

What the application needs

The purpose documents carry your application. They come on top of the basics every consulate asks for.

For this purpose

Documents for the purpose of a holiday

Hotel bookings for your stay, or confirmation of an organised trip (Annex II, point A3)
Your itinerary: where you will go and when
A reservation of a return or round-trip ticket (Annex II, part B)

Every trip

The basics

Passport
Form and photo
Travel medical insurance
Money for the trip
Where you will stay
Travel plans
Ties to home
Fingerprints

What each one means

By destination

How the main destinations handle it

Official rules, checked 9 November 2026. We confirm the details for your passport before anything is submitted.

Schengen area
One visa covers the 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180. You apply to the country where you will spend the most time, or to the first country you visit if the stays are equal. The fee is €90 from age 12.
European Commission: Applying for a Schengen visa
United Kingdom
Standard Visitor visa (£135, stays of up to 6 months), or an ETA (£20) if your nationality can use one. GOV.UK says travellers from Europe, the USA, Australia and Canada usually need an ETA rather than a visa.
GOV.UK: Electronic travel authorisation (ETA)
United States
B-2 visa for tourism and holidays, applied for on Form DS-160 with an interview, or ESTA for citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries for stays of 90 days or less.
U.S. Department of State: Visitor visa
Canada
Visitor visa (CAD 100, plus CAD 85 for biometrics), or an eTA (CAD 7) if you fly in on a visa-exempt passport. Stays are normally up to 6 months.
Government of Canada: Visit Canada
Australia
Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist stream, from AUD 250 for up to 12 months. Passports from EU countries and some other European countries can use the free eVisitor (651) instead.
Department of Home Affairs: Visitor visa (subclass 600)
New Zealand
Visitor Visa from NZD 441 for up to 6 or 9 months, or an NZeTA if you travel visa-free.
Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa
Ireland
Short stay 'C' visa for visits of less than 90 days: €60 single entry, €100 multiple entry. Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa does not cover it.
Irish Immigration Service: Visa fees

Tips

Small things that make a strong file

01
Decide your main destination first: for a Schengen trip it decides which consulate you apply to.
02
Book refundable hotels and a flight reservation, so nothing is lost if the decision takes longer.
03
Show the money for the trip in your own account. Statements usually cover the last few months.

FAQ

Tourist visa: common questions

Can I visit several Schengen countries on one tourist visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa lets you travel in all 29 Schengen countries. You apply to the country of your main destination, or to the first one you will visit if the stays are equal.

Do I have to buy my flight before I apply?

The EU Visa Code lists a reservation of a return or round-trip ticket among the documents a consulate may ask for. Check your consulate’s checklist: we tell you what it accepts and can arrange a flight reservation for your file.

How early can I apply?

For a Schengen visa, no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before you travel. For the UK and for Ireland, up to 3 months before you travel.

How much does a tourist visa cost?

A Schengen visa is €90 from age 12 and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, and free under 6. The UK Standard Visitor visa is £135. An Irish short stay visa is €60 for one entry or €100 for multiple entries. Visa centres can add a service fee.

Official sources, checked 9 November 2026

The embassy or consulate always makes the visa decision.

More visa types