Getting Schengen Visa From India – Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

Introduction

Every year, nearly 1 million Indians apply for Schengen Visa and the numbers are expected to surpass 1.5 million in 2021. Out of 1 million Indian Schengen Visa applications, only 78,681 were turned down by the visa officers.

Do Indians need to apply for Schengen Visa?

Yes, Indian nationals are required to obtain a short-stay visa or Schengen Visa to enter the European territory/territories located in the Schengen Zone.

Applying for Schengen Visa from India

The general requirements for acquiring a Schengen Visa from India is pretty similar to other countries [that require a visa to enter the territory of Schengen Zone].

In the outset, the itinerant must figure out the category of the Schengen Visa that s/he belongs to. It is because there are various types of the Schengen Visa depending upon the nature of the itinerant’s visit. These include:

Schengen Tourism Visa

Schengen Medical Visa

Schengen Business Visa

The Schengen Area includes the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

When to apply for Schengen Visa from India?

The earliest itinerant can apply for Schengen Visa is three months before the intended date of departure while the least is a minimum of 15 days before departure.

Where to apply for Schengen Visa from India?

Just like you need to figure out the category of the Schengen Visa, you must also carefully determine the consulate or embassy where you are going to file the Schengen Visa application.

If you want to travel more than one Schengen state, then you will select the embassy or consulate where you want to stay the most. For instance, you are planning to spend seven days in France, five days in Germany and nine days in Slovenia, then you will apply at the embassy or consulate general of Slovenia as you want to spend most of the duration of your stay there.

Now that you’ve figured out both category of the Schengen Visa and the embassy/consulate to apply for, collect all the mandatory documents that will accompany your Schengen Visa application.

After amassing the required documents, the itinerant will book an appointment at the visa application center in India. Just like any other country, you will pick an appointment date by online means.

Appear for the interview on the day and time that you’ve earlier picked by the online booking system.

Usually, the visa officer takes up to 15 days to process your Schengen Visa application. The duration might exceed if the visa officer is not satisfied with the papers that the itinerant has submitted.

Schengen Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

There is a certain number of Schengen Visa Requirements that the itinerant is required to submit along with the Schengen Visa application. The list of the document is as follow:

Download the application form: In the outset, you will fill the Schengen Visa application form. You can fill it both online and after downloading it. Carefully fill all the categories with utmost honesty. Print a hard copy and signed it at the end.

International standard passport size pictures: Attach two latest clicked passport size pictures. You must ensure that your whole-face is captured in a light background.

Passport or travel document: You must ensure that your Indian passport must not be older than 10-year-old and must possess validity beyond itinerant’s date of return from the Schengen territory.

Proof of legal residence status in India. This may include a residence permit or national ID.

Roundtrip flight reservation from Indian to EU destination (s): Attach a ‘verifiable roundtrip reservation/verifiable roundtrip itinerary’ with your Schengen Visa application.

The roundtrip flight reservation must entail proposed flight route, IATA codes, reservation codes and the full name of the itinerant. For acquiring a verifiable flight itinerary at most affordable rates, click on the banner below.

Travel Health Insurance for Schengen Visa: For acquiring a travel health insurance for Schengen Visa in India, you must keep the following points in mind:

• The travel health insurance must provide minimum coverage of 30000 euros or USD 50000.
• Travel health insurance should be valid in the whole Schengen Area.
• It must cover expenditures of repatriation after death.

Hotel Bookings for Schengen Visa: Attach a hotel bookings for Schengen Visa elaborating to the visa officer that the itinerant has sorted out his means of accommodation in the host destination. A hotel booking document is also dubbed as hotel booking document.

To acquire a verifiable hotel booking for your Schengen Visa application in India, click on the banner below.

A cover letter illustrating the purpose that why you are going to apply for Schengen Visa from India.

Invitation letter

Evidence of civil status. This may include a marriage certificate, ration card, birth or death certificate of the spouse.

Means of subsistence/Proof of financial means: Attach a piece of evidence explaining it to the visa officer that you’ve enough sufficient means to sponsor your trip of the Schengen Area. It can be proved by a bank statement enlisting transactions of the previous three months. For finding out minimum means of subsistence for each Schengen state, click here.

Additional Schengen Visa requirements as per status of Indian citizens

If employed:

Contract of the employment

Bank statement illustrating the transactions of the previous six months

Additional Schengen Visa Requirements based on your Employment Status in India

If self-employed:

• Photocopy of business license in India
• 6-month bank statement
• ITR

 If you are employed:

• Employment contract
• Current bank statement, of latest 6 months (Online Bank statements are not acceptable).
• A letter stating that itinerant’s employer has granted him leave for the trip
• Income Tax Returns (ITR)

If retired:

6-month pension statement

If a student:

• Proof of enrollment
• NOC from the education institution

If applicable:

The regular income produced by property evidence of previous six months

Who can apply for Schengen Visa from India?

The signatories to the Schengen Agreement have embassies, consulates, and visa application centers across India responsible for procession and admission of Indian visa applications.

Following people can submit Schengen Visa applications at the Schengen embassies or consulates or visa application centers in India.

Those in possession of Indian passport

Third countries nationals currently living in India under temporary or permanent residence permit.

Schengen Visa fees for Indian passport holders

The adults are charged INR 4400 or 60 EUR whereas the minor are charged INR 2600 or 35 EUR.