Europe is one of the coolest destinations in the world & visiting this place is a dream of every person who is not from Europe. Indian citizen requires a tourist visa to visit the much beautiful European countries. This post is for all those people who are willing to travel to Europe & want to know about the Schengen visa. Here is the guide to Schengen Visa For Indians.
Like China, Europe also required a stamped visa before entering the place. For tourism purposed one is required to apply for tourist visa, the validity of tourist visa can be a maximum of 90 days. To get stamped a few steps must be followed.
Like China, Europe also required a stamped visa before entering the place. For tourism purposed one is required to apply for tourist visa, the validity of tourist visa can be a maximum of 90 days. To get stamped a few steps must be followed.
List of Requirements:
Schengen visa needs to be applied for the place where one is going to spend the most number of nights. In my case, it was Netherland as I planned to stay for 5 nights in Netherland.
Flight Tickets:
It is mandatory for a tourist to submit return flight tickets at the time of submission of documents. The best place to find the cheapest flight is through skyscanner.com. I have always used this website to find the cheapest flights. In my case, my inbound flight in Europe was to Amsterdam & outbound flight was from Barcelona & the cost of the flights was as good as a to & fro flight from the same destination or may be marginally higher. I preferred to keep my inbound & outbound flight from a different destination so that I can explore as much as I can. You can check my article on Where To Find Cheap International Flight Tickets
Accommodation In Europe
A confirmed booking in your name for each night till the time you are in EU is a must. I know it is difficult to predict exact duration at a place. However, there are many sites which allow you to make a confirmed booking with minimum or no cancellation fees for a certain duration. This is best when the itinerary is not fixed. The best way to make a booking is through booking.com . If one is looking for hotel comparison website one can surely try Agoda. I prefer booking.com than the other portals as I feel, this is the most transparent portal at the present moment. Their interface is simple & easy to eyes. I rely on booking.com for booking hostels. I mainly chose the hostels which are cheap. You can check Where To Find Cheapest Hotels or Hostels
Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance is mandatory documents that need to be submitted during the submission of application. You can either buy travel insurance online or through some agents. Note that travel insurance shall be of 30,000 Euros which will cost around Rs 1,300 or Rs 1,400.
Bank Account Statement:
Each country in EU has specific guidelines for the minimum amount required for a day in Europe. Usually, it varies from 20 Euros to 50 or 60 Euros per day depending on the country you are visiting. Following documents can be used for proving sufficient amount.Bank account statement having a balance of at least 2 to 3 times the minimum amount required for the whole trip.
Credit card statement.
Letter from employer (Leave approval on a letterhead duly signed by the administration).
Proof of prepaid booking of youth hostels or hotels.
Proof of prepaid transport if any, like any inter-city flights or train tickets or bus tickets. Euro rail is a good option to book trains between the cities, I used flexi bus for booking bus tickets. Flexi bus uses online payment hence it is advisable to book the flexi bus prior.
Credit card statement.
Letter from employer (Leave approval on a letterhead duly signed by the administration).
Proof of prepaid booking of youth hostels or hotels.
Proof of prepaid transport if any, like any inter-city flights or train tickets or bus tickets. Euro rail is a good option to book trains between the cities, I used flexi bus for booking bus tickets. Flexi bus uses online payment hence it is advisable to book the flexi bus prior.
Cover Letter:
Submit a signed cover letter addressed to the royal embassy of the place mentioning the reason of travel along with the dates of travel.
Itinerary:
A tentative itinerary about travel plans. The best way to make an itinerary is by bifurcating it into three sections, morning, afternoon & evenings. Try to start with activities like breakfast some sightseeing & then again same thing with lunch & evening snacks. Please note that this is required by the consulate to figure out how are you going to spend your time in the cities. A detailed version of your itinerary can help the cause of getting a visa. If there is something unrelatable it is very likely that the consultants will call you for an interview.
Visa Application Form:
A duly filled visa application form. There is a checklist which must be followed. Tick mark points which are valid & arrange documents in the order of they are mentioned in checklist.
I took the copy of all the above-mentioned things while submitting the documents, after submission of documents, there is a round of biometric in which I submitted my fingerprints & a photo. Once, all these steps are complete, the file is sent to the respective consulate for final review & approval or disapproval of the application.
For Indians, VFS Global is single stop solution for applying for Schengen Visa. Their offices are in major cities & all the documents need to be submitted here only. I submitted my document at VFS Global Netherlands Mumbai office. All the visa related fees need to be paid at the VFS Global office only that too in cash. Tourist visa fees is approx. Rs 6,000. Further, there are additional services like courier, SMS tracking which can be availed for extra cash.
It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to get a visa. But, there is one more aspect which needs to be considered. The INTERVIEW CALL. For the first timer, this is pretty usual, the person is called for an interview at the consulate to inquire about trip details. The interview is not difficult, they ask about the plan. I went to Delhi for the interview, the person asked me everything from hotel bookings to transport I will take & places I will visit. My advice would just be calm & composed & answer everything in confidence. I felt it was just a formality to check is there anything wrong or not with the person.
I was among the unlucky who was called for an interview. However, there are my friends who got the visa without any interview. But, all the efforts are little compared to the happiness that we experience during the trip. The vastness of the place & mesmerizing views help you to forget all the efforts taken to get the visa.
For more information on Schengen visa for global citizens here is the link
Schengen Visa
For Indians, VFS Global is single stop solution for applying for Schengen Visa. Their offices are in major cities & all the documents need to be submitted here only. I submitted my document at VFS Global Netherlands Mumbai office. All the visa related fees need to be paid at the VFS Global office only that too in cash. Tourist visa fees is approx. Rs 6,000. Further, there are additional services like courier, SMS tracking which can be availed for extra cash.
It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to get a visa. But, there is one more aspect which needs to be considered. The INTERVIEW CALL. For the first timer, this is pretty usual, the person is called for an interview at the consulate to inquire about trip details. The interview is not difficult, they ask about the plan. I went to Delhi for the interview, the person asked me everything from hotel bookings to transport I will take & places I will visit. My advice would just be calm & composed & answer everything in confidence. I felt it was just a formality to check is there anything wrong or not with the person.
I was among the unlucky who was called for an interview. However, there are my friends who got the visa without any interview. But, all the efforts are little compared to the happiness that we experience during the trip. The vastness of the place & mesmerizing views help you to forget all the efforts taken to get the visa.
For more information on Schengen visa for global citizens here is the link
Schengen Visa
Handy Resources:
Here are some of the handy resources to help you plan better.
Agoda: Best place to book hotels of your liking. Agoda provides the best solution & great offer while booking a hotel.
Skyscanner: Skyscanner compares various sites & sort the flights based on the rates. A great way to check flight cost. Although the only drawback is that rates are flexible. Hence, the cost might change while you are making the payment.
Jetradar: Jetradar is a comparing site which is just like Skyscanner. But, is much more accurate & much more handy in use.
Booking: Best place to book hostel rooms. There are plenty of options available & with so many properties booking becomes much easier.
Couchsurfing: Best place to find free accommodation. It is as easy as filtering people & messaging. If you will get lucky you will find free accommodation in local resident house.
Travel Insurance: There are numerous options available to get one. So, you can choose anything which suits your requirement. Make sure you read the terms & conditions before buying one.
Agoda: Best place to book hotels of your liking. Agoda provides the best solution & great offer while booking a hotel.
Skyscanner: Skyscanner compares various sites & sort the flights based on the rates. A great way to check flight cost. Although the only drawback is that rates are flexible. Hence, the cost might change while you are making the payment.
Jetradar: Jetradar is a comparing site which is just like Skyscanner. But, is much more accurate & much more handy in use.
Booking: Best place to book hostel rooms. There are plenty of options available & with so many properties booking becomes much easier.
Couchsurfing: Best place to find free accommodation. It is as easy as filtering people & messaging. If you will get lucky you will find free accommodation in local resident house.
Travel Insurance: There are numerous options available to get one. So, you can choose anything which suits your requirement. Make sure you read the terms & conditions before buying one.
I need to apply for Schengen visa for my Amsterdam visit which is scheduled on 29th Aug but before that I need to travel to London on 18th Aug .
I applied for UK visa on 6th July and once I get my passport back from British embassy , I will immediately apply for Schengen .
Both are business trips.
The thing which concerns me is the current Peak season . Will I be able to secure both my visas before 18th August
I applied for Schengen Visa through Netherlands on 29th June 2018. I already have a valid UK Visa. My date of travel is 10th August 2018 to London. I will be travelling to Amsterdam on 15th August 2018. I got an email which says my visa application has been received in the Netherlands embassy on 2nd July 2018 and due to peak season, the processing time has been increased to 30 days. What are the chances of getting the Visa before ? I have included confirmed air tickets, hotel bookings and travel insurance and all the necessary documents. I have held a Schengen Visa before in 2016.
Will mail you.
I’m going Amsterdam on 18th july… and I have applied for schengen Visa on28th june….. they said in 15 days ill recieve….. all my itinerary is placed perfectly well….. hope I get it fast…my agent said in 8 to 10 days they send …. 30 days is like a safety they say
Hey Vivek,
Let me know once you receive it . I need to apply for Schengen visa for my Amsterdam visit which is scheduled on 29th Aug but before that I need to travel to London on 18th Aug .
I applied for UK visa on 6th July , once I get my passport back from british embassy , I will immediately apply for Schengen .
Both are business trips.
The thing which concerns me is the current Peak season . Will I be able to secure both my visas before 18th August
Hey Nitin,
Did you get any update from Embassy on this ?
Also How much time it took for you to secure UK visa ?(Processing time in peak season)
I have a similar case as yours. I have to travel to London on 18th Aug. and further to Amsterdam on 29th August.
I have submitted my docs for UK visa on 6th July and can apply for schengen only once I get my passport back.
I plan to visit Iceland and Poland. Entry and exit in Iceland for 12 days and in between plan to visit Poland and come back to Iceland. Which visa should I apply.
If the entry to poland is within the 12 days. Then you need Tourist Schengen Visa short term single entry.
Hi,
I am going to France for study purposes and my trip of 2 months is sponsored by the university. Now one of my family member/friend wants to accompany me. She will be sponsored as she is not working. I will be staying at a private flat and the owner has sent me a letter for allowing temporary accommodation. Now the question is, can I show the same letter as a proof of accommodation for her too, for issuance of her visa.
If not, please suggest, because booking hotel rooms for her for 2 months would get very costly.
Kindly help
Hii.
I am planning to got to France for academic conference from 15-20 july 2018
I want to visit other place also so need 5 extra days. which purpose of visit shall i write ?
Hi,
you should go for tourism visa.
Hey
I am going to apply my the short stat visa at French embassy. However my itinerary is not fixed it, I may visit to other schengen countries as well. So my question is can I change my itinerary after getting the visa? and is there any probability that they can grant me Limited territorial visa, limited to France only?
Hi,
yeah, you can change the itinerary after getting the visa.
Regards,
Hi , Do I need to get fully paid Air ticket & hotel booking for applying visa. we are 5 family members and flight cancellation charges are almost 50% which will cost me too much( Around 1 lac for five people) same for hotel cancellations if i dont get the visa. so is there any other option for filght & hotel booking. can I apply with dummy online bookings for visa ?
Will mail you the details
Hi.
My husband and I am working and has salary income but our bank balance every month is only between 10k to 20k maximum. We transfer the excess amount to our joint account every month. How will this have an impact on his visa processing bcoz bank balance is not there. He holds credit card. Will that statement be of any use?
Also is intra schengen travel tickets mandatory ? We are going to France , Swiss and Italy , do we need to train tickets from France to Swiss, Swiss to Italy ?
We have only booked tickets to and fro from India alone
Regards,
Shilpa
Hi,
Will mail you the details
Do they keep the passport with them till they give you a visa , coz two weeks is too much to issue a visa
yeah, they keep the passport as the visa is stamped. Time of receiving the passport varies. Some receive in one week some in two weeks.
Hi. My husband is working and has salary income but his bank balance every month is only between 10k to 20k maximum. He transfers the excess in his salary account to my account and I make FD out of those excess funds in my name. How will this have an impact on his visa processing bcoz bank balance is not there. He holds credit card. Will that statement be of any use? Thanks in advance
Hi,
Will mail you the details