Need an Indian visa to go to Europe?
Yes. People from India need a visa to go to Europe. A Schengen visa lets you visit 26 countries in Europe with just one visa. A Schengen visa makes it easy for tourists to move between countries in the Schengen area because almost all of them have open borders. Still, remember that it is up to the people who guard the borders in each country to decide who can enter and leave. ¹
Different kinds of EU visas
The different kinds of Schengen visas are broken down into long-term (National D Visa) and short-term (Schengen C Visa). They can be given out for one or more entries. The main papers needed for all Schengen visas are the same, but each type of visa needs different supporting documents. Check the websites of their embassies in India for more information. Each country may have its own rules and procedures. ²
Indians can get a Schengen visa for Tourist
With a short-term Schengen tourist visa, people with an Indian passport can visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Tourists need to apply for a Schengen visa in the first country they visit. However, they can’t live or work in another country while they have this visa.
A visitor visa is not the same as a tourist visa. A Schengen visitor visa lets you visit family and friends, but you need to include a letter of request with your application.
Indians can get a Schengen work visa
If you are from India and want to work in one of the 26 Schengen countries, you need to apply for a Schengen Work Visa. For this visa, there must already be a job contract between the applicant and a Schengen-country employer. With a work visa, Indians can go from one Schengen country to another. ⁴
Indians can get a Schengen student visa
You can get a Schengen Student Visa if you are an Indian student accepted to a university or college in a Schengen country. Most of the time, this visa is used for longer-term courses or classes lasting more than 90 days. For a student visa, the candidate must show a letter of acceptance from the school, college, or university.
How much does it cost to get a German visa?
This is how much a Schengen visa costs for people with an Indian card. The registration fee and the VFS Global service fee are added together to make the fee. You can pay the visa fees with a Visa, Mastercard, Demand Draft, or sometimes a UPI, American Express, or Rupay card. 3
Some of VFS Global’s extra premium services, like courier delivery or entry to premium lounges, can cost extra on top of the visa fees.
How Indian people can get a Schengen visa
Fees for applying for a Schengen visa depend on the country and the reason for the visa. If you are an Indian citizen and want to apply for a vacation or visitor visa in Schengen, here are the general requirements:
- Original Indian passport that is good for at least three months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area
- Proof of where you will stay, like a hotel reservation, an Airbnb listing, or the names of family and friends in the Schengen country
- Full schedule for the round trip, including plane tickets.
- Health protection for travelers.
- Proof that the visa fee has been paid in full
- Cover message that goes over the trip.
- If you have them, copies of your past Schengen visas
- Proof of birth and permission from a parent or guardian for children
- Bank records are one type of proof of money.
- For each type of visa and each mission, applicants may need to send extra paperwork along with their application. The exact papers you will need for your type of visa can be found on the website of the country’s embassy or on VFS Global. It may be different in each country.
How to get a visa for Schengen
A lot of Schengen countries work with VFS Global to help people apply for visas in India. VFS Global will get your paperwork, record your fingerprints, and send your application to the right Embassy.
Once you know which country you need a Schengen visa for, go to the website for that country’s Embassy in India. The list of websites can be found on page 7 of the paper for people applying for a Schengen visa in India.
You can find the steps to apply for a visa under “Visas” on either the website of the office or the VFS Global portal for that country. Fill out the application, pay the fees for applying for a visa, and make an appointment for recording your biometrics. You will need to send in your passport. Once a decision is made on your visa application, your passport will be returned to you.
Time it takes to get a Schengen visa
Processing a Schengen visa can take a long time, so it’s best to start the application process a few weeks ahead of time. It may take the Embassy anywhere from 15 to 45 days to make a choice after an application is sent in. You can apply up to six months ahead of time, according to the rules.
Schengen Visa Expiration Date
A short-term Schengen visa usually only works for 90 days out of every 180 days. But, based on the situation, the embassy can decide how long the Schengen visa is valid for.
