Insurance for a visa
Which countries require a policy, how much cover to choose and why it is worth adding 2–3 days of protection
Insurance for a visa should serve two purposes: meet the destination country’s requirements and help with medical expenses during your trip. When choosing a policy, check more than whether you have a document: review the insured territory, sum insured, covered risks and dates of protection.
There is no single policy suitable for every visa. Requirements depend on the country, visa category and applicant’s circumstances. The guidance below helps you prepare your documents and choose medical cover. Before buying, check the current document list issued by the consulate or authorised visa centre for your category.
What to check first
- Country and visa: does the selected programme suit the purpose of your trip?
- Amount: does the cover meet the required minimum, and in which currency is it stated?
- Risks: are the necessary medical services and repatriation included?
- Dates: are all days of your stay and the additional buffer covered?
- Document: are the insured people’s details correct, and is the required language version available?
Which countries require insurance for a visa?
Schengen countries
For a standard short-stay Schengen visa, medical insurance forms part of the supporting documents unless a recognised exemption applies to the applicant. It must be valid in the required territory and cover the specified period of stay.
The Schengen area comprises 29 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
For an ordinary uniform Schengen visa, choose cover for the entire Schengen area, rather than only the country where you apply. For example, if you apply through Italy but also visit France, your protection must match travel within the area. National long-stay visas are subject to separate rules.
Other countries: the visa category matters
Outside Schengen, do not automatically apply the European minimum or assume identical requirements for insurers. Examples include:
| Destination | Specific requirements |
|---|---|
| Canada — Super Visa for parents and grandparents | Health insurance must be valid for at least one year from entry, with emergency cover of at least CAD 100,000. Health care, hospitalisation and repatriation must be covered. Specific insurer eligibility requirements apply; an arbitrary travel policy is not sufficient. |
| Australia — Student visa, subclass 500 | Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from an approved Australian provider is generally required for the entire stay, subject to specified exceptions. Ordinary travel medical insurance does not replace OSHC. |
| Other countries and national visas | Check the rules for your specific category: tourist, visitor, study, work or long-stay visa. Requirements can differ even within the same country. |
These are examples, rather than an exhaustive list of visa regimes. A country’s absence from the table does not mean insurance is unnecessary. Equally, a requirement for a special visa must not be applied to every visit to that country.
Sum insured: what does the minimum cover mean?
For a standard short-stay Schengen visa, the minimum cover is EUR 30,000. This is the limit of insurance protection, rather than the policy price or an amount automatically paid to a traveller who becomes ill.
Programmes offering EUR 50,000 or EUR 100,000 may provide a higher overall limit if available from your chosen insurer. Compare individual restrictions too: a high overall limit does not remove sublimits for particular services or programme exclusions.
Check the currency. The figure “30,000” without a currency is insufficient to assess compliance. If the amount is not stated in euros, establish in advance whether the consulate accepts that equivalent and how compliance is confirmed in the document.
For a family trip, check the limit applicable to each person. Review the deductible separately: the portion of expenses borne by the insured person under the contract. A programme is not automatically suitable for a visa simply because it has the required sum insured; all conditions matter.
Which risks should be included?
Medical insurance for a Schengen visa must provide for urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, repatriation for medical reasons and expenses related to death. The policy and programme should make clear how these services are arranged and paid for.
- Urgent medical care: check the terms for consulting a doctor and obtaining necessary tests following sudden illness or injury.
- Emergency hospitalisation: clarify cover for inpatient treatment and necessary medical intervention.
- Medical repatriation: this means arranging return travel on medical grounds; it should not be confused with an ordinary ticket home at the traveller’s request.
- Expenses in the event of death: locate the relevant repatriation terms in the programme.
- Transport, medicines and additional services: check the scope of cover, approval procedure and individual limits.
If you plan skiing, diving, mountain itineraries or other activities, disclose these when choosing a policy. Formal compliance with visa requirements does not mean every activity is insured. Clarify conditions for chronic illnesses, pregnancy and other special circumstances separately.
How long should insurance for a visa last?
For a short-stay Schengen trip, the policy must cover the entire planned stay. Use the actual itinerary and border-crossing dates, rather than just hotel nights. For overnight flights and connections, carefully compare calendar dates and the time cover begins.
When applying for a multiple-entry Schengen visa, you provide cover for the first planned visit; valid medical insurance is also needed for subsequent trips. Visa validity and the insurance period are different: a long-validity visa does not mean that one short policy automatically covers every future journey.
If choosing a multi-trip insurance programme, check not only its expiry date but also the number of insured days, limits on each trip and the insured territory. For study and other long-stay visas, the required insurance period is determined by the relevant stay programme.
We recommend insuring your trip for 2–3 extra days
Polis24.kz’s practical recommendation is to add 2–3 days of insurance protection to your planned trip, usually after your expected return date. This provides a small buffer if your return flight is rescheduled, your connection changes or your return is otherwise delayed.
Example: you plan to stay from 10 to 20 June inclusive. Instead of ending the policy on 20 June, you could select 22 or 23 June, after checking the start of cover and programme conditions. If you leave home earlier, account separately for the travel period you need covered.
The additional days must form part of actual insurance cover, rather than merely the calendar window in which a policy can be used. This buffer does not extend your visa or permitted stay, guarantee cover for every cause of delay or automatically pay for tickets or accommodation.
If the consulate requires a longer additional period, meet that requirement in full. A 2–3 day buffer is our planning recommendation, rather than a universal visa rule. Before travelling, also ask about extension options: these may be restricted by the insurer’s terms once the policy has expired or an event has occurred.
Checklist before submitting your documents
- Your name and other details match your passport.
- The insured territory meets visa and itinerary requirements.
- The coverage amount and currency are unambiguous.
- Required medical risks and repatriation are included.
- The period of protection covers your trip and chosen additional days.
- You have checked requirements for the insurer, deductible, document language and format.
- You have saved the policy, insurance rules and assistance contact details.
Frequently asked questions
Does insurance guarantee a visa?
No. A policy demonstrates compliance with the relevant requirement, but the visa decision is based on the complete application and its circumstances.
Can I simply buy the cheapest insurance?
First check suitability for your visa and trip. Compare prices after reviewing the territory, dates, amount, risks, deductible and assistance arrangements.
What if my trip is rescheduled?
Contact the insurer before the new trip to ask about changing dates, reissuing the policy or buying a new one. Do not assume the old dates change automatically. Also clarify refund conditions in the event of a visa refusal before paying.
To choose cover, have your destination, visa category, dates and travellers’ details ready. Calculate the insurance cost on Polis24.kz and check your selected programme’s terms. For assistance procedures, read “How medical insurance works”.
Requirements checked as of 1 November 2026. Confirm the current conditions for your visa category before submitting documents.