What is a Type D visa?

A Type D visa is a national long-stay visa issued by one European country for stays longer than 90 days — for work, study, family reunion, retirement or remote work. Each country sets its own conditions under national law; it is not a uniform Schengen visa.

What is the difference between a Type C and a Type D visa?

A Type C (Schengen) visa covers short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area, with one common rulebook. A Type D visa is issued by one country under its own law for a longer stay with a specific purpose, usually followed by a residence permit.

Can I travel to other Schengen countries with a Type D visa?

Yes. A valid Type D visa issued by a Schengen country lets you move within the other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, provided you hold a valid travel document. You may only live and, where authorised, work in the issuing country.

How long is a Type D visa valid?

Usually up to one year. In most countries you then apply for, or convert it into, a residence permit locally before it expires. France's VLS-TS works as a first-year residence permit once validated online.

Can I apply for a Type D visa from inside Europe?

In most cases no — the general rule is to apply at the consulate responsible for your place of legal residence before travelling. Some countries allow certain in-country applications (for example Spain's UGE-CE route for remote workers), but these are exceptions with their own conditions.

Do I need health insurance for a Type D visa?

Almost always. Most countries require health insurance valid in the destination country for at least the first period of stay, and some (such as Spain for non-lucrative and digital nomad routes) require private cover without co-payments.

Long-stay visas·13 min read·Oct 29, 2026

Type D National Visa Guide 2026: How Long-Stay Visas Work in Europe

What a Type D visa is, how it differs from a Schengen visa, the main routes (work, study, family, retirement, digital nomad) and how to build a file consulates approve.

By the SchengenDoc editorial team · Checked against the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009), European Commission visa statistics and official consulate checklists. How we verify

A Type D visa — the national long-stay visa — is the document most people need when they want to live in a European country for longer than three months: to work, study, join family, retire or work remotely. It is also the most misunderstood visa in Europe, because it is not a Schengen visa at all. This guide explains how Type D visas actually work, the main routes, what a strong file looks like and why applications get refused.

Note: Long-stay rules are set by each country and change often. Always confirm the current requirements on the official site of the consulate or immigration authority that handles your application.

01Key takeaways

A Type D visa is issued by one country, under its own national law, for stays longer than 90 days.
It is different from the Type C Schengen visa, which covers short stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days.
Each visa has a purpose (work, study, family, retirement, remote work) and the evidence you need follows from that purpose.
A valid Type D from a Schengen country also lets you travel to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180.
The visa is usually a bridge: most holders must convert it into a residence permit after arriving.
Most refusals come from purpose and means that don't match the evidence, not from missing paperwork alone.

02What a Type D visa is

The European Union harmonises short stays through the Schengen Visa Code, but long stays remain a national competence. Every country decides who can come for longer than 90 days, for what purpose and on what conditions. The visa sticker carries the letter "D" in the type of visa field, which is why it is called a Type D or national visa.

What the EU does harmonise is the travel effect of a long-stay visa. Under Article 21 of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, as amended by Regulation (EU) No 265/2010, a holder of a valid Type D visa issued by a Schengen state may move within the other Schengen states for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Living, studying or working is only authorised in the country that issued the visa.

03Type C vs Type D at a glance

	Type C (Schengen visa)	Type D (national visa)
Length of stay	Up to 90 days in any 180	Longer than 90 days, usually up to 1 year
Rules	One EU rulebook (Visa Code)	Each country's national law
Purpose	Tourism, business, visiting	Work, study, family, retirement, remote work
Travel in Schengen	Whole area	Issuing country to live; others up to 90/180
After arrival	Leave before it expires	Often convert to a residence permit

If your trip is a holiday or visit of 90 days or less, you need the short-stay route instead — see what a Schengen visa is and use the 90/180 calculator to check your days.

04The main Type D routes

Names and thresholds differ by country, but almost every long-stay visa falls into one of these families.

Work. For employees with a job offer, highly skilled workers and EU Blue Card holders. Many countries require the employer to obtain a work authorisation first — for example the nulla osta in Italy — before the consulate issues the visa.

Study. For degree programmes, language courses and research. Expect an acceptance letter, proof of tuition payment or scholarship, and evidence that you can support yourself for the academic year.

Family reunification. For spouses, partners and children joining a resident. The sponsor's legal status, housing and income are usually examined as closely as the applicant's.

Retirement and passive income. For people living on pensions, rental income or savings — for example Spain's non-lucrative visa, Portugal's D7 or Italy's elective residence visa. These routes typically prohibit local employment and focus heavily on stable, recurring income.

Remote work / digital nomad. For employees or freelancers working for clients outside the country. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece all run versions; see the Spain digital nomad guide, Italy digital nomad visa and Greece digital nomad visa.

Country overviews for the most-requested destinations are on the long-stay visa hub, including France and Germany.

05Documents almost every Type D file needs

The exact list depends on the route, but consulates typically expect:

National visa application form for that country, completed and signed.
Passport valid beyond the intended stay, with blank pages, plus copies of previous visas.
Recent photos to the country's specifications.
Proof of purpose — employment contract, university admission, marriage certificate, pension statements or remote-work contract.
Proof of sufficient means — bank statements, payslips, pension or rental income, usually measured against a national threshold.
Accommodation in the destination — lease, property deed or host declaration.
Health insurance valid in the destination country.
Criminal record certificate for many routes, often apostilled and translated.
Cover letter explaining who you are, why you are moving, how you will support yourself and how the evidence fits together.

Civil documents issued abroad usually need an apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation. These steps take the longest, so start them first.

06How the application process usually works

Pick the right route. The purpose of your stay decides the visa category; applying under the wrong one is a common, avoidable refusal.
Check the official requirements of the consulate responsible for your place of legal residence. Lists differ between consulates of the same country.
Gather and legalise documents. Apostilles, translations and police certificates can take weeks.
Book the appointment with the consulate or its outsourced provider (such as VFS Global, BLS or TLScontact) and pay the national visa fee.
Attend in person for biometrics and, sometimes, an interview.
Wait for the decision. Long-stay processing is set nationally and is usually longer than for short-stay visas; several weeks to a few months is common.
Complete the in-country step. After arrival you typically register your address and apply for a residence permit (or, in France, validate your VLS-TS online) before the visa expires.

07Why Type D applications get refused

Purpose not credible. The documents don't convincingly show the job, studies, family link or remote-work arrangement.
Means below or unclear against the threshold. Income that is irregular, mixed between sources or poorly explained is the most frequent issue on retirement and digital nomad routes.
Wrong category. For example applying as a remote worker while planning to work for local clients.
Insurance that doesn't meet the national standard. Co-payments, low limits or geographic exclusions.
Inconsistencies between the form, the cover letter and the evidence — dates, employers or addresses that don't match.
Unlegalised or untranslated documents.

Most of these are presentation problems as much as eligibility problems. A clear cover letter that ties every piece of evidence to the conditions of the route makes the officer's job easier.

08How the SchengenDoc long-stay file helps

The SchengenDoc long-stay file packages the parts of a Type D application that you have to write yourself:

a national-visa cover letter framed around the purpose of your route,
a 12-month stay plan covering where you will live and what you will do,
a financial means statement that sets your income against the published threshold for your route,
and a route-specific document checklist in a clear filing order.

You answer the questionnaire, preview your file and pay $49 only if you want to download it. You still bring the underlying documents — the file does not replace official forms, legal advice or the consulate's own checklist.

Start my long-stay file — $49 →

09Further reading

Frequently asked questions

What is a Type D visa?: A Type D visa is a national long-stay visa issued by one European country for stays longer than 90 days — for work, study, family reunion, retirement or remote work. Each country sets its own conditions under national law; it is not a uniform Schengen visa.
What is the difference between a Type C and a Type D visa?: A Type C (Schengen) visa covers short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area, with one common rulebook. A Type D visa is issued by one country under its own law for a longer stay with a specific purpose, usually followed by a residence permit.
Can I travel to other Schengen countries with a Type D visa?: Yes. A valid Type D visa issued by a Schengen country lets you move within the other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, provided you hold a valid travel document. You may only live and, where authorised, work in the issuing country.
How long is a Type D visa valid?: Usually up to one year. In most countries you then apply for, or convert it into, a residence permit locally before it expires. France's VLS-TS works as a first-year residence permit once validated online.
Can I apply for a Type D visa from inside Europe?: In most cases no — the general rule is to apply at the consulate responsible for your place of legal residence before travelling. Some countries allow certain in-country applications (for example Spain's UGE-CE route for remote workers), but these are exceptions with their own conditions.
Do I need health insurance for a Type D visa?: Almost always. Most countries require health insurance valid in the destination country for at least the first period of stay, and some (such as Spain for non-lucrative and digital nomad routes) require private cover without co-payments.