Apply For Schengen Visa In India
If you’re planning to travel to Europe and beyond the next year and want to know the Schengen Visa requirements, this article is for you. We’ll guide you through what documents are required and how you can apply for a visa from within India itself.
Do you want to travel to Schengen countries, who are members of Schengen Agreement? If yes, then you should apply for a Schengen visa. This article aims the comprehensive guideline on how to apply for a Schengen visa in India.
Applying for a Schengen Visa in India – EU Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens
Indians travelling to Europe
India is one of the most important tourist markets for Europe with over 10 million Indians travelling to Europe every year. That number is expected to grow up to 15 million in 2020.
More than 1.1M applications for Schengen visas were submitted by Indians in 2019, according to recent statistics.
In total, 1,141,705 Schengen visas were submitted by Indians in 2017. Compared to the previous year, the number of applications filed in India saw an increase of 5.5 per cent. Alongside the increase in the number of applications, the rejection rate also increased. From 9.3 per cent as it was in 2018, the rejection rate increased to 10.8 per cent in 2019, or 123,175 visas not issued.
Do Indians need a visa to enter Europe?
Yes, Indian passport holders are required to obtain a Schengen 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 Schengen visa in India is pretty similar to that in every other country in the world.
In order to apply for a Schengen visa from India you must follow these steps:
- Figure out which Schengen visa type you need. There are different Schengen visa types depending on your purpose of travelling 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 Schengen visa documents for Indian citizens.
- Appoint an interview at the visa application centre in India. Depending on the country, you may make an appointment online, by phone, or in person. Below in this article, you can find more information for each EU embassy/consulate located in India