Passport requirements for a Schengen visa: three months, two pages, ten years
Three numbers, all in one short article of the Regulation, and all three are checked before anyone reads your bank statements.
Article 12, quoted
The applicant shall present a valid travel document satisfying the following criteria:
- (a) "its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States or, in the case of several visits, after the last intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States. However, in a justified case of emergency, this obligation may be waived";
- (b) "it shall contain at least two blank pages";
- (c) "it shall have been issued within the previous 10 years."
What each one catches
Three months after departure. Not three months from application, and not six months as some airline staff repeat. If you leave Schengen on 20 December, the passport must be valid until at least 20 March. For a multiple-entry visa, count from the last intended departure; consulates will not issue a visa that outlives the passport (Article 24(2)).
Two blank pages. Facing pages are safest; the sticker takes one and border stamps (still used in Cyprus and Ireland, and as a fallback) another.
Issued within ten years. A passport valid for ten years that was extended or reissued in an irregular way, or an older long-validity booklet, fails this even if unexpired. Indian ten-year passports normally pass, but check the issue date on a passport that has been renewed for validity.
Old passports
Consulate checklists in India routinely ask for previous passports with prior visas because they answer Article 14(1)(d) (intention to leave, evidenced by travel history). Bring them; the "recognised travel document" you present is the current one.
FAQ
How much passport validity do I need for a Schengen visa?
At least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area (Article 12(a)).
Do I need two blank pages for a Schengen visa?
Yes, Article 12(b).
My passport was issued eleven years ago but is still valid. Can I apply?
No. Article 12(c) requires issue within the previous ten years. Renew first.
Questions this page answers
How much passport validity do I need for a Schengen visa?
At least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area (Article 12(a)).
Do I need two blank pages for a Schengen visa?
Yes, Article 12(b).
My passport was issued eleven years ago but is still valid. Can I apply?
No. Article 12(c) requires issue within the previous ten years. Renew first.