Are you planning a trip to Europe? With a Schengen Visa, you can travel to any 26 nations in the European Schengen Area without difficulty or paperwork. In this blog, we’ve covered everything you need to know about Schengen visas for Indians and the key points to remember for hassle-free visa clearance.
Continue reading to see how you may quickly apply for a Schengen Visa with an Indian passport and prepare for an unforgettable European journey!
A “Schengen Visa Cover Letter” is a letter you compose and submit to the Schengen Embassy or Consulate along with your other Schengen Visa application. Additional information regarding your vacation’s purpose and intended return home should be included in the letter.
In the letter, you introduce yourself and provide the consular personnel at the Embassy/Consulate with a brief overview of your travel history, including travel dates, hotel stay and employment history. Because immigration officers rely on their decisions on the documentation you submit, it is strongly recommended that you write an outstanding cover letter outlining everything for them.
Obtaining a Schengen visa quickly was previously difficult. However, things have changed, and you can now mail your visa application if you have the necessary documentation.
Many visas were denied because applicants waited until the last minute to apply and missed an important document. It is advisable to initiate the visa process three to four weeks ahead of your European trip.
Regaining your passport takes two weeks, even if you can apply for your Schengen Visa at a less complicated Schengen Embassy or Consulate. For individuals who take last-minute flights, there may be more time. Under such circumstances, applying for a Schengen visa from a smaller Schengen nation is wise.
The best options are Switzerland or Luxembourg since if you email them with your trip schedule, they will typically try to return your passport on time. Once you get your Schengen Visa for Indians, you can travel to any country in the Schengen area.
Travel is fun, but you never know when an emergency situation develops. It can be particularly daunting if you are in a foreign land.
Hence, buy a well-rounded overseas travel insurance that covers multiple situations financially, such as emergency accidents, treatment and evacuation, trip cancellation, loss of baggage, loss of passport, trip extension, etc.
Read more about: What should you buy: multi-trip or single-trip travel insurance?
Try applying for your Schengen Visa through a less-refusal Schengen nation. For instance, you need to apply for a Schengen Visa for one of the following nations for better chances of visa approval:
Visa applications can be processed in 74 hours by the governments of France and India. This is the fastest of the group. But the paperwork is just as convoluted as other Schengen embassies.
These beautiful nations are also called “honeymoon embassies” since they manage most of the honeymoon application processing. The typical documents have a processing time of eight to fifteen business days.
This letter from your company states that you intend to return to base and resume work following your trip. This is an essential document in the visa process as it amplifies the authenticity of the traveller.
Visa at Your Doorstep (VAYD) is a new mobile application service that allows you to apply for a visa without having to deal with the inconvenience of visiting a visa application centre. A representative of the visa agency will call your home at a predetermined time to gather all of your biometric data for this service, also known as a doorstep visa.
They would also obtain the passport and any other supporting papers required to finish the visa application, apply for the visa on your behalf, and even handle the application processing. The group size determines the cost of having a visa delivered to your door. If you live in a metropolitan city, the average price of having a visa delivered to your door is 9,900 INR for one person.
For tourism purposes, you must apply for a short-term Schengen tourist visa. You can choose a single-entry or multiple-entry visa based on your travel requirements. The validity of a multiple-entry visa is up to three months. Given that you can visit numerous countries with a single visa, you should apply to the embassy/consulate of the country where you want to stay for the most extended length.
If the address on your passport differs from your current address, you must produce a copy of your rental agreement or appropriate address verification. Proof of permanent address is a significant document needed to validate the actual residence of the traveller.
The list of documents required for a Schengen visa is similar to that for any other visa. In addition to completed application papers, you will need:
Depending on the country you visit, the list of papers may be added or changed.
How to Apply for a Schengen Visa?
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to apply for Schengen visa from India:
Wait for the Schengen Visa to be processed! This is, without a doubt, the most challenging and exciting step. You may need to wait around 15 days to determine whether your visa was approved or rejected