In recent years, India has become a flourishing tourism market for Europe.
With a growing economy and growing middle class, India is likely to become one of the most lucrative tourism markets in the world.
For instance, Europe had a 17% share of the Indian outbound tourism market in 2018, with a large number of Indian tourists travelling to Central and Western Europe.
Even if the number of tourist arrivals from India to Europe fell dramatically due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 130 thousand Schengen Visa applications were submitted from India in 2021, according to the official website of the European Commission.
However, unlike other countries such as Russia and China, India has a higher Schengen Visa rejection rate.
For example, the Schengen Visa rejection rate from India has increased from 16.9% in 2020 to 23.3% in 2021.
However, this doesn’t mean that getting a Schengen Visa from India has to be difficult or you have little chance of success.
If you’re one of the many Indians looking to apply for a Schengen Visa for Europe, read on.
The following post will provide answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the Schengen Visa requirements for Indians.
Table of contents:
- How to Apply for a Short-Stay Schengen Visa from India
- Schengen Visa for Indians: Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
1. How to Apply for a Short-Stay Schengen Visa from India
Follow these exact steps to apply for a Schengen Visa from India:
- Identify the Schengen Visa type you need to apply for
If you apply for a short-stay Schengen Visa (that allows you to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days), you are actually applying for a type-C Schengen Visa.
A type-C Schengen Visa is a short-stay Visa you can get for various travel purposes, such as tourism, family reunion, work, study and research, etc.
However, in most cases, Indian travellers apply for a Schengen Visa for tourism purposes.
- Find out where you need to apply
You have to apply to the Schengen Embassy or Consulate where you spend most days.
For example, if you plan on travelling to France and Italy and spend more days in France, you need to apply to the Embassy of France in India.
Depending on your city of residence, you may apply to:
- Consulate General of France in Bangalore
- Consulate General of France in Calcutta
- Consulate General of France in Bombay
- French Embassy in New Delhi
- Consulate General of France in Pondichery
- Decide when to submit your application
Ideally, you should submit your application at least three weeks before your departure date.
This typically depends on the volume of requests for your destination country.
For example, the Embassy of France in New Delhi recommends travellers apply for a Visa at least one month before their departure date.
Remember, however, that the Schengen Visa Code enables you to submit your application not less than 15 working days and not more than six months before your departure date.
- Book your Schengen Visa appointment
Make sure you book your appointment well in advance before even starting to collect your documents.
To be able to book a Schengen Visa appointment, you must first find out whether your destination country has outsourced the Visa application services to private companies.
For example, the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi has outsourced the Visa application to VFS Global.
This means you can submit your application upon appointment at the VFS Visa Application Centres in India.
- Gather the required documents
When applying for a Schengen Visa from India, you have to submit certain required documents that are crucial for the success of your application – click here to access the full list.
However, if you’re confused or stuck and don’t know where to start, feel free to consult one of our Schengen Visa experts.
We offer FREE, no-obligation Schengen Visa consultations where we can understand your personal situation and share what you should do next.
Once you have booked your Schengen Visa appointment and collected the required documents, all you need to do is submit your application and hold the Schengen Visa interview.
During the interview, the Embassy officers will ask you a set of questions concerning your personal situation and travel purpose.
2. Schengen Visa for Indians: Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Hopefully, the information above has made the Schengen Visa application process a little clearer for you.
However, if you have any further questions, below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the Schengen Visa application for Indians.
1. Who can apply for a Schengen Visa for India?
All Indian citizens and residents who meet the Schengen Visa requirements are allowed to apply for a Schengen Visa from India.
2. Where can I get the Schengen Visa application form for India?
You can find the Schengen Visa application form for Indians online.
The harmonised Schengen Visa application form that can be used by all applicants is free and available for download here.
3. How much does the Schengen Visa fee cost in India?
The Schengen Visa fee for Indians is 80 Euros for adults.
However, under certain conditions, some applicants are exempted from paying the Schengen Visa fee (you can read more here).
You can use this free currency converter to convert the Schengen Visa fee from Euros (EUR) to Indian Rupees (INR).
4. How easy is it for Indian citizens to get a Schengen Visa?
If you submit the right documents and prove that you have genuine intentions to return to India, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to get your Schengen Visa.
However, it’s true that India typically has a higher rejection rate than other countries that are required to apply for a Schengen Visa.
5. Which agency offers the best service for Schengen Visa in India?
Visas Association is known for providing some of the most reliable and affordable Schengen Visa services for travellers worldwide.
You can read more about our services here.
6.How long does it take to get a Schengen Visa in India?
Typically you can expect to wait around 15 working days to get an answer on your Schengen Visa application from India.
However, the Schengen Visa processing times typically depend on a number of factors such as the type of Visa you apply for, your destination country and the volume of requests.
7. Can I get a Schengen Visa from India in 3 days?
It is not impossible to get a Schengen Visa from India in 3 days, just highly improbable.
That’s why we strongly recommend you submit your Schengen Visa application well in advance.
8. How much bank balance is required for a Schengen Visa from India?
The minimum bank balance for Schengen Visa for Indians depends on your destination country.
For more information, please read this guide.
9. Which Embassy issues the fastest Schengen Visa in India?
As a general rule, all Schengen Visa Embassies take up to 15 working days to process your application.
However, the Schengen Member States with fewer requests are likely to have shorter processing times.
The countries that typically receive fewer Schengen Visa applications are Luxembourg, Iceland, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
10. How do I apply for a Schengen Visa in India if I have different citizenship?
You can apply for a Schengen Visa from India whether you are an Indian citizen or resident.
This means you can apply for a Schengen Visa even if you are not an Indian national. However, you must submit proof of legal residency in India.
Conclusion: Getting a Schengen Visa from India might seem challenging, but if you follow the steps above you should be able to get your Visa hassle-free.
However, if you’re tired of scrolling through Embassy websites and searching on Google for information, do not hesitate to contact us.
We would be happy to provide you with the Schengen Embassy Requirements Report (SERR) that tells you exactly what documents you need to submit based on your personal situation.
The best part?
Our proprietary Schengen Embassy Requirements Report (SERR) can be yours for as little as $7!
No more wasting time or being anxious about trying to figure out what documents you need to submit for your Schengen Visa from India.
For the price of a cup of coffee in Europe, you’ll get a personalised list of required documents so you can remove stress and confusion and look confident in your Schengen Visa interview.
