Schengen visa
Table of Content
About Schengen Visa
Schengen refers to the EU passport-free zone that covers most of the European countries. It’s the largest free travel area in the world. Schengen visa is your gateway to Europe. Province immigration can help you understand your options and guide you through the Schengen visa process with our dedicated visa services.There are 26 countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement :
ο Austria ο Belgium ο The Czech Republic ο Denmark ο Estonia
ο Finland ο France ο Germany ο Greece ο Hungary
ο Iceland ο Italy ο Latvia ο Liechtenstein ο Lithuan
ο Luxembourg ο Malta ο Netherlands ο Norway ο Poland
ο P
ο Switzerland
Schengen Visa
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area, per stay up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.
This visa is the most common visa for Europe. It enables its holder to enter, freely travel within, and leave the Schengen zone from any of the Schengen member countries. There are no border controls within the Schengen Zone.
However, if you are planning to study, work, or live in one of the Schengen countries for more than 90 days, then you must apply for a national visa of that European country and not a Schengen Visa.
Over 15 million people used their Schengen visa in 2019 to travel around Europe.
Indians traveling to Europe
India is one of the most important tourist markets for Europe with over 10 million Indians traveling to Europe every year. That number is expected to grow up to 15 million in 2020.
More than 900,000 applications for Schengen visas were submitted by Indians in 2017, according to recent statistics.
In total, 920,699 Schengen visas were submitted by Indians in 2017, or 128,428 more submissions compared to the previous year. From the total submissions, only 78,681 applications made by Indians were refused.
Do Indians need a visa to enter Europe?
Yes, Indian passport holders are required to obtain this visa in order to enter any European country in the Schengen Zone.
How to Apply for a Schengen Visa from India?
You will have to follow a step-by-step guideline to apply for a Schengen visa in India. The application procedure to obtain a Europe visa in India is pretty similar to that in every other country in the world.
In order to apply for the visa from India you must follow these steps :
- Figure out which visa type you need –There are different Schengen visa types depending on your purpose of traveling from India to Europe.
- Find out where you need to apply for a Schengen visa in India – Pay attention to the embassy / consulate / VAC of which country you need to apply at, as well as under the jurisdiction of which you fall.
- Decide when to apply for a Schengen visa in India – The earliest time you can lodge your Schengen visa application in India is 3 months before your planned trip while the latest time to file your visa application is at least 15 working days before you intend to travel to Europe.
- Collect the required visa s documents for Indian citizens
- Appoint an interview at a visa application center in India – Depending on the country, you may make an appointment online, through phone, or on person. Below in this article, you can find more information for each EU embassy/consulate located in India.
- Attend the interview on the day of your appointment –Show up on time and try not to be nervous. Remember that the interview is a crucial part of your visa application.
- Pay the visa fee – All Schengen states have fixed and synchronized visa fees. For more information check Schengen visa fees for Indian citizens.
- Wait for the processing of your visa – After the interview, you will have to wait for at most 15 days, for a response on your application.
All Schengen visa applications submitted by Indians are processed by the embassies/ consultants in India.
Schengen Visa Requirements for Indian Passport Holders
When applying for a Schengen visa in India, you will have to submit a number of required documents. These documents are crucial; therefore, you really need to be careful when collecting them. Make sure they all comply with the standards set by the embassy where you are applying.
To apply for a Schengen visa in India, you need to submit the following documents :
- Two recently taken photos must be attached – The photos should be of passport format – a recent whole-face capture with a light background.
- A valid Indian passport or other travel document – No older than 10 years, with a validity of at least 3 more months beyond your planned date of leaving Europe.
- Evidence of legal residence in India – as a national ID card, or residence permit.
- Travel Insurance for Schengen visa in India – You can book online through Europe Assistance website or via any travel insurance company in India that meets the following requirements: Medical coverage of at least Euro 30,000. Medical evacuation/ repatriation must be covered.
- A cover letter stating the purpose of visit and itinerary.
- Flight itinerary reservation from India to Europe and back – Including dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from the specified state/states. Learn how to get a flight reservation for visa from India.
- Proof of accommodation for the whole duration of the intended stay – Learn more about Hotel Booking for Visa application here.
- Proof of civil status – (marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, ration card if applicable)
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay.
Additional Schengen Visa Requirements based on your Employment Status in India
Depending on your occupational status in India, you will need to submit the following additional documents when applying for a visa to Europe from India :
If you are employed :
- Employment contract
- Current bank statement, of latest 6 months (Online Bank statements are not acceptable).
- Leave permission from your employer
- Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary
If self-employed:
- A copy of your business license in India
- Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
- Income Tax Return (ITR)
If a student :
- Proof of enrollment
- No-objection certificate from your Indian school or university
If retired :
- Pension statement of the latest 6 months
If applicable :
- Regular income generated by property proof of the latest 6 months
How Much Does a European Visa Cost?
The cost of a Schengen visa fee is €80 per adult. Still, depending on the age of the applicant, nationality and some other factors, there are categories that will have to pay a lower fee or no fee at all.
Schengen Visa Fees for Indian Passport holders in Indian Rupees and in EURO
* The applicable visa fee in Indian Rupees is as per the current exchange rate. It is subject to change without notice.
When to Apply for a Schengen Visa from India?
The allowed period to apply for a Schengen visa in India is as following :
- The earliest you can file a visa application – three months before you start your planned trip.
- The latest you can file a visa application – at most 15 working days before you intend to travel to Europe.
- The recommended time to file a visa application – at least three weeks before your trip.
When issued a visa, for how long one can reside in the Schengen Zone?
According to the type of visa issued by the certain embassy/consulate of any Schengen country there are different restrictions that apply to the particular visa in accordance to the nature of travelling and other relevant circumstances. However, the most common type of visa issued to the travelers can reach the maximum of 90 days in every six month period starting from the date of entry.
Schengen Visa Types for Short-Term Visits in Europe
You need to apply for a Schengen Visa if you intend to visit one or more European countries of this area for the following reasons :
- Business purposes
- Visiting friends and family.
- Tourism and holidays.
- Cultural and sport events.
- Airport transit and transit for seafarers.
- Official visit.
- Medical reasons.
- Short-term study and research purposes.
Depending on your reasons for visiting the Schengen countries and the frequency of your visits, the Schengen consulate can issue you a single-entry visa, double-entry visa, or a multiple-entry visa.
The validity of your single-entry visa depends on the number of days you stated you are going to be in the Schengen zone on your visa application form and the actual decision of the consulate that issues you the Schengen visa.
What should I do if my visa gets refused?
If you have been refused a visa, you have the right to appeal! All appeals must be conducted against the final decisive Member State in accordance with the national law of the specified EU Member State.
Every Member State, upon refusal, indicates the references to their exact national laws and the specific procedure that is related to the right of appeal, as well as the authorities with which you should appeal and the time limit for delivering the appeal.
What documents should I bring with me when travelling on a Schengen Visa?
At the external borders, all Indian citizens holding an EU visa can be requested to show the documents that justify the purpose and the conditions of their stay as well as proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the period intended to travel and stay as well as for returning to India or transit to a third state, for which you possess proof of admission.
If you do not have the above-mentioned documents, you must acquire such means lawfully !
Why Choose Province Immigration ?
Province Immigration the best immigration consultant in Delhi for Schengen/Europe. We as an Immigration consultants provide 100% transparency in the whole process, Starting from visa consultation to visa approval. Some of the main factor that make us the Best Immigration consultancy for Schengen/Europe Visa –
→ Processing fee – We don’t charge huge money on the name of sending you abroad, Very affordable and success based.
→ Working Days – We work 7 days for our clients.
→ Scope of services – We work with you for End to End Process and support you throughout.
→ Refund – We at Province immigration do our best to give you a positive result,Yet if an application gets rejected we will refund 100% of our Processing fee.
→ Complementary Services – Your visa application is just 50% of
settlement in abroad, So we provide complimentary services such as Job Assistance, Resume writing, Ielts training, Post Landing Services.
→ Success Rate – We have a success rate of close to 100%, Which is one
of the highest in industry.
→ Visa categories – We apply in multiple visa categories to confirm
your invitation from your dream Country without any extra charge.
In order to help us understand your unique visa needs, please drop in your query and our representative will get back to you.
