Schengen Visa for Self-Employed People and Company Directors in the UK

How do consulates assess self-employed applicants?

The same way as everyone else, but with different evidence. Consulates ask the same three questions of every applicant: is the trip genuine, can you pay for it, and will you return to the UK? For employees, an employer letter and payslips answer most of that. If you are self-employed or run your own company, you answer it with tax records, company records and bank statements instead.

This guide covers sole traders, freelancers and contractors, partners in a partnership, and directors of limited companies. The visa itself, the €90 fee (£77 to £81 at the UK missions in October 2026, set by each consulate) and the 15-day standard decision time are the same as for anyone else. The general process is in our Schengen visa from the UK guide.

British and Irish citizens do not need a Schengen visa, so this guide is for UK residents of other nationalities. You prove your UK residence with a UKVI eVisa share code (valid for 90 days) and a printout of your status page; physical BRPs are no longer accepted as proof. Each country sets how long your UK permission must remain valid after your return: most UK checklists ask for at least 1 month, while Italy, Finland and Iceland ask for 3 months, so plan for 3 months. See the eVisa share code guide.

What documents do sole traders and freelancers need?

The core of a sole trader’s application is HMRC evidence that your income is real and declared. Consulates usually want the last one or two tax years, backed by recent bank statements and an independent letter.

• SA302 tax calculations and tax year overviews for the last one or two years, downloaded from your HMRC online account or by your accountant.
• Your UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) and, if useful, the HMRC letter confirming your self-employed registration.
• Business bank statements for the last three to six months, if you have a separate account.
• Personal bank statements for the last three months, showing the funds for the trip.
• An accountant’s letter confirming how long you have traded, your typical income and that your tax affairs are up to date.
• Recent invoices or client contracts, to show current trading, not just past income.
• Your own letter describing the business, the trip and who covers your work while you are away.

If you joined Making Tax Digital for Income Tax from April 2026, your quarterly updates are not a tax calculation. Keep using SA302s for completed tax years; a recent quarterly summary can sit alongside them as evidence of current trading.

Partners in a partnership follow the same pattern. Your SA302 shows your share of the profits; add the partnership agreement or a letter from the partnership confirming your role and share, and the partnership’s bank statements if you have access to them.

What documents do company directors need?

A director’s application needs to prove two things: the company is real and trading, and you are paid by it. Companies House records cover the first; payslips, dividends and personal statements cover the second.

The Companies House record is free to view and print from the official register. It shows the company number, registered office, filing history and the list of officers, which lets the consulate check your role without relying on your word.

Some consulates list their own self-employed items, so compare this table with the country you are applying to. Germany asks for a recent letter on headed paper from your accountant, banker or solicitor confirming your business and the income you draw from it, with the signatory’s registration number, plus your self-assessment return. Italy asks for the same kind of letter with your latest self-assessment form and, for business trips, your certificate of incorporation and the last 3 months’ business bank statements. France lists your Companies House record or HMRC registration, latest SA302 and tax year overview and 3 months of business statements.

Writing a letter about yourself

When you are the employer, the letter is one you write and sign yourself, on company letterhead. Keep it factual and specific; a vague letter adds nothing.

Include the company’s full name, number and registered address; your role and the date you were appointed; what the business does; your annual salary and dividends; the dates of the trip and its purpose; who manages the business while you are away; and a statement that you will return to run the company. If another director, the company secretary or your accountant can sign a supporting letter, include it, because it carries more independent weight. Our employer letter guide and cover letter guide have structures you can adapt.

What do consulates look for in your bank statements?

They look for income they can trace and enough money for the trip. Bank statements are where self-employed applications most often run into trouble. Irregular income is normal for a business, but the case officer needs to be able to follow it.

Show three to six months of personal statements, and of business statements where you have them. Your personal account should show money arriving from the business or clients, either as salary, drawings or dividends, and a balance comfortably above the cost of the trip. Some countries publish a minimum daily amount; check the money section for your destination, for example how much money you need for a France visa or for a Spain visa.

Explain anything unusual in your letter: a large client payment, a director’s loan, a transfer from savings, or a quiet month. Avoid moving a large sum into your account just before applying, as unexplained deposits are a common reason for doubt. Our bank statements guide covers what officers check line by line.

Tip: Make sure the income in your letter matches your SA302s and statements. A director who writes “£80,000 a year” but whose tax calculation shows £30,000 of salary and dividends invites a refusal, even if the company itself turns over far more.

What extra do you need for a business trip?

Mainly an invitation from the business you are visiting. For a business visa, include a letter from the company you are visiting in the Schengen country, giving its details, the purpose and dates of the visit, and who pays your costs. For a trade fair or conference, the registration confirmation and exhibitor or delegate details serve the same purpose. Our Schengen business visa guide and invitation letter guide cover what these letters should say.

Add your own company’s letter explaining why the trip matters to the business, such as a supplier visit, a client meeting or a contract negotiation. If the company is paying, include its bank statements.

Regular business travellers with a good visa history may be granted multi-entry visas of increasing length under the EU “cascade” rules. See our multiple-entry and cascade guide.

If you hold a multiple-entry visa, track your days carefully. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational at every Schengen external border: your face and fingerprints are registered on your first crossing and every entry and exit is logged automatically, so an overstay of the 90/180-day limit is picked up straight away. Our 90/180-day rule guide and EES guide explain how the count works.

Can you apply if your business is new?

Yes. A business that is less than a year or two old will not have a full set of tax returns, so the rest of the evidence has to work harder. This is a common situation, not a barrier.

Include your HMRC registration or certificate of incorporation, contracts and invoices from your first clients, business bank statements since opening, an accountant’s letter confirming expected income, and evidence of your previous employment, such as a P45 or former employer’s reference. Your previous visa history, especially earlier Schengen visas used correctly, also counts in your favour.

Does your UK permission allow self-employment?

It depends on your status, and the business you describe should be consistent with it, because consulates compare the documents in front of them. Indefinite leave to remain, settled status and some family visas allow self-employment, and the Graduate visa allows it too. A Student visa does not, and sponsored work visas are tied to the sponsored job.

If you hold a sponsored work visa and also run a side business, take advice on your UK position from a regulated immigration adviser before you put it in a Schengen application; we do not give UK immigration advice. Our eVisa share code guide shows how your status appears to the consulate.

When should you apply and how do appointments work?

Apply 6 to 10 weeks before you travel; the legal window is up to 6 months before and no later than 15 calendar days before. Appointments are booked in your own name on the official system of the country’s visa centre (VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS International or GVCW) or embassy, and the booking itself is free. Optional extras such as Premium Lounge are charged by the centre and are not required. Never pay a third party for an appointment slot; we do not book, hold or supply appointments, but we can help you complete the booking correctly in your own name.

Germany has allocated short-stay appointments from a waiting list at TLScontact London and Manchester since 1 June 2026 (24 hours to pay the service fee once allocated), and France has done the same at all three of its UK centres since 1 August 2026 (London, Manchester) and 11 September 2026 (Edinburgh), with 12 hours to pay and confirm. You join a queue rather than pick a date, which matters if you need to fit a trip around client work. See our appointments guide, the London appointments guide and processing times for each country. The consulate usually keeps your passport while it decides, so plan around any other travel.

Why are self-employed applications refused?

Usually because the evidence does not hang together. Refusals usually cite one of a few standard grounds: purpose not justified, insufficient means, or doubts about your intention to leave before the visa expires. For self-employed applicants, these typically come from:

• A self-written letter with no independent support from an accountant or Companies House record.
• Declared income that does not match the SA302s or bank statements.
• Large or unexplained deposits, or funds moved in shortly before applying.
• Only business statements, with no personal account showing the funds for the trip.
• Missing tax evidence for a business that has been trading for more than a year.

If this has already happened, read our refusal guide before reapplying.

If you want your tax and bank evidence checked against your business structure before you apply, see what our admin support includes. We cannot guarantee a decision or an appointment date.