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Schengen (Europe) visa for Indian passport holders

One visa, twenty-nine countries — but you must apply to the right consulate, and appointment slots in India disappear months ahead of the season. Start twelve weeks out.

Package from: ₹14,900
Processing: 15–45 calendar days
Permitted stay: 90 days in any 180
Visa type: Type C short-stay visa, biometrics required

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How the Schengen (Europe) visa works

A Schengen Type C visa lets you move freely across the Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Two things decide the outcome for Indian applicants. The first is where you apply: the consulate of your main destination, judged by nights spent, or of your first entry point if the trip is evenly split. Apply to the wrong one and the file is returned unprocessed. The second is the appointment. Slots at VFS and BLS centres for the summer season are taken within minutes of release, which is why a visa that formally takes fifteen days needs three months of runway.

Issuing authority: Consulates via VFS Global / BLS / TLScontact

Where Schengen (Europe) applications go wrong

The wrong consulate means an automatic return

Jurisdiction follows your main destination by number of nights. A trip with four nights in France and three in Italy belongs to France, regardless of which country you fly into. Consulates check this before they look at anything else.

Travel insurance has hard minimums

Cover of at least 30,000 euros for medical emergency, hospitalisation and repatriation, valid across all Schengen states and for the whole trip. Corporate policies that exclude repatriation are rejected.

The 90/180 rule is calculated on a rolling basis

It is not per calendar year. Every day you spend in the Schengen area counts against a moving 180-day window, and previous trips in the last six months reduce what you can ask for now.

Bank balance without history reads as borrowed

Consulates look at six months of statements, not the closing figure. A deposit that appears three weeks before the application, unmatched by salary credits, is the classic reason a financially adequate applicant is refused.

Visa types

C — Tourism

Short-stay tourist visa

For holidays and visiting friends and family, with an itinerary, bookings and proof of funds.

C — Business

Short-stay business visa

For meetings, conferences and trade fairs, filed with an invitation from the European company or organiser.

C — Family visit

Visiting relatives

Filed with the host's invitation, proof of their legal status and, where relevant, a sponsorship declaration.

MEV

Multiple entry visa

Cascade rules allow longer multiple-entry visas to applicants who have used previous Schengen visas correctly.

Documents required

Core documents

✓Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid 3 months beyond departure, with two blank pages
✓Completed and signed Schengen application form
✓Two photographs, 35mm × 45mm, ICAO standard, taken within 6 months
✓Confirmed round-trip flight reservation and hotel bookings for every night
✓Day-wise itinerary consistent with the bookings

Financial documents

✓Personal bank statement for the last 6 months, bank attested and stamped
✓Income Tax Returns for the last 3 assessment years
✓Salary slips for the last 3 months
✓Proof of assets or property, where available

Employment and insurance

✓Employer letter with leave approval, or business registration and GST filings for the self-employed
✓Travel medical insurance with minimum 30,000 euros cover including repatriation
✓Cover letter explaining purpose, funding and return intent

The process, step by step

1
Jurisdiction and route
We work out which consulate owns your itinerary and, where two are possible, which one currently has realistic appointment availability.
2
Appointment capture
We monitor slot releases at the relevant centre and book as soon as a workable date appears, which is often the longest part of the timeline.
3
File preparation
Financial documents, itinerary and cover letter are assembled in the consulate's required order, with every gap explained rather than left to the officer's imagination.
4
Biometrics and decision
You attend the centre for fingerprints and photograph. The consulate decides in fifteen to forty-five days and the passport is returned to the centre.

Schengen (Europe) visa cost

Package	Processing	Stay	Price
Tourist visa, single applicant	15–45 calendar days	Up to 90 days	₹14,900
Family or group, 3 or morePer applicant	15–45 calendar days	Up to 90 days	₹12,900
Business visaIncludes invitation coordination	15–45 calendar days	Up to 90 days	₹17,900

Included: Consular fee, VFS or BLS service charge, appointment booking, cover letter, itinerary and full document preparation.

Prices are starting packages for a single standard applicant and change with visa type, stay length, express processing and group size. Government fees are set by the issuing authority and can change without notice. You receive a fixed written quote before any payment.

Schengen (Europe) visa questions

Which Schengen country should I apply to?＋

The one where you will spend the most nights. If the nights are evenly split, apply to the country you enter first. Applying to the wrong consulate results in the file being returned.

How far in advance can I apply?＋

Up to six months before travel. Given appointment scarcity in India, applying at the earliest permitted date is strongly advised for summer travel.

Does a Schengen visa cover the UK or Ireland?＋

No. The UK and Ireland are outside the Schengen area and require their own visas.

What is the 90/180 rule?＋

You may spend a maximum of 90 days in the Schengen area within any rolling 180-day period, counted backwards from any given day, not per calendar year.

Are flight tickets to be purchased before applying?＋

A confirmed reservation is enough and is what we recommend. Buying a non-refundable ticket before the visa is decided puts your money at risk.

Official source

Rules, fees and processing times change. Always confirm the current requirements with the issuing authority before you travel.

EU — Short-stay Schengen visa information ↗

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