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More and more Americans are planning long-term excursions overseas, whether that’s to experience another culture for a year, to stay long-term, or even indefinitely. For most Western European countries, this goal includes getting the right visa – which means going through a well-defined visa application process.
Visas come with a list of specific requirements, and what those are varies by the country you’re applying to, the visa category, and even the exact visa type. Most applicants understand that they will need to provide personal details such as passport information, but there is an important requirement that typically surprises them: Schengen Travel Insurance.
While thirty countries in Europe have a standardized, shared list of short-stay visa requirements, the same isn’t true for longer stays. Even still, most applicants will see the “travel medical insurance” line item on the official checklist they receive.
Schengen Travel Insurance Isn’t Always Just a “Nice to Have”
When you apply for a long-stay visa, you’ll be provided with a list of requirements from either a partnering visa processing center or from your destination’s embassy itself. Use this list to determine which documents you need to provide.
Unlike short-stay visas, where the European Union has established a common travel medical insurance requirement across the board, long-stay visas are governed by the individual country that you’re applying to. This means that the rules differ from country to country. It also means that insurance is a requirement that can be easy to overlook.
For short-stay visas (trips fewer than 90 days in length), the travel medical insurance requirement is the same, whether it’s a 5-day trip to Paris or a 2-month trip to Frankfurt. All applicants, regardless of age, have to hold a valid Schengen travel insurance policy that covers a minimum of 30,000 euros in emergency medical, repatriation, and hospitalization – for the entire duration of the trip, and the coverage has to be valid in every single Schengen country (there are 30 of them, including France, Spain, Italy, and others).
Long-stay visas are different. These visas are for travelers who are planning to spend extended time overseas (more than 90 days), for study, a long vacation, to retire, or even start up a new business or work endeavor. In many cases, long-stay visa requirements are similar to short-stay ones, and insurance is often required.
Whether or Not It’s Required
Some countries require that expat-hopefuls carry a valid long-stay travel medical insurance policy, or even a more comprehensive health one. The specific requirements vary. France, for example, requires some long-stay visa applicants to prove they have medical coverage. A local health insurance policy from back home isn’t enough – it has to work in France. Spain has similar requirements. That said, not every visa category in France or Spain requires it.
The only way you’ll know if the visa you are planning to apply for has this requirement is by looking at the checklist you’ve been given, or at long-stay visa requirements on your destination’s embassy website for your visa type. If it’s listed as a requirement, your visa will be denied if you don’t show that you’ve already secured coverage at the time of application. This can seem counterintuitive – why would I purchase a policy when my visa hasn’t already been approved? While it can seem a little “cart before the horse”, when it’s required, it’s required.
The Type of Policy You Need
Travel medical insurance and health insurance aren’t always interchangeable when it comes to visas, but sometimes they can be.
It’s entirely possible to get long-stay travel medical insurance solutions – even annual ones. These kinds of policies can have higher maximums and longer validity periods, ensuring you’re covered for unexpected serious illnesses and accidents. That said, they don’t typically cover things like pre-existing conditions or routine care and treatment.
Health insurance, on the other hand, is typically designed to cover you for both medical emergencies and more routine or preventative care. The extent depends on the specific policy, as well as the insurer.
Whether or not a simple travel medical insurance policy will suffice over a bona fide health plan depends on the visa requirements. It also depends on your personal needs. If you have a condition that requires routine check-ups, treatment, or care, a health insurance plan might make sense. If you’re only looking to be covered for something unexpected, travel medical insurance might suffice. You need to consider both the visa requirements and your own personal needs.
What to Know Before You Go
Don’t assume health insurance is something you can just figure out when you arrive. For many long-stay visa categories in Europe, it’s a requirement that has to be fulfilled before your visa appointment, which means before you submit your file. Because there isn’t a standard long-stay insurance requirement across Europe (like there is for short-stay visas), you’ll need to check the requirements closely and pay special attention to any details.
For some countries and visa types, long-stay travel medical insurance might be adequate. For others, more comprehensive health insurance plans might be necessary. Pay special attention to minimums, such as 30,000 euros for medical emergencies, as well as whether or not deductibles are acceptable.
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