Community
Schengen
Short stay type C, every member state.
The statement closing date caught me out, not the balance
I had more than enough money for months. Refused on code 8, information not reliable. The consulate later told my agent the statement ended in March and I applied in June. To them that is not proof I have money now, it is proof I had money then. Order the statement last, not first. It goes stale faster than anything else in the file.
Bought insurance from a comparison site and it was EUR 25,000, not 30,000
The site called it "Schengen ready". It was not. The minimum is EUR 30,000 across all member states for the whole stay and mine was 25,000 for one country. Refused on code 7. Ninety euros gone over five euros of premium. Check the number on the certificate itself, not the product name.
Posts here are other travellers describing their own experience. Treat them as experience, not as advice or as a rule.