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There’s no better way to kickstart your Europe trip excitement than to ensure you have all the primary requirements ready. So before you go full force on building your dream trip itinerary, here’s a simple guide you can follow on how to obtain one of the most important EU travel prerequisites – your Schengen Visa! Keep reading this article for additional tips from Klook on how to get a Schengen Visa!
Where a Schengen Visa can take you
Explore the historical city of Paris by applying for a Schengen Visa! Credits: Yovan Verma from Unsplash
A Schengen Visa is a visa allowing the citizens of participating countries worldwide (Indian nationals included!) to travel within the Schengen Zone. This normally allows for a short-stay trip, which means travelers who have it would be allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days per entry into a Schengen Area nation within 180 days. As it stands, the Schengen Zone or Area consists of 27 member countries, including many popular Europe travel destinations. So, if you are planning to visit Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, and the like, applying for this visa should be at the top of your to-do list!
Beginning your Schengen Visa application
Once you prepare all you need, the Schengen Visa application process should flow seamlessly! Credits: Glenn Carstens-Peters from Unsplash
The Schengen Visa application process can definitely be quick and hassle-free with proper preparation. Since there are a few key details you need to set straight before determining the steps of your specific visa application journey, here are three things we suggest you should take note of before you begin your application:
Identify where to apply for a Schengen Visa.
A quick rule of thumb is to apply for your Schengen Visa through the embassy/consulate/visa application center of the country you will be visiting. Planning a longer trip across multiple EU countries? In that case, you should apply for your Schengen visa through the embassy/consulate/visa application center of the country you'll be staying the longest.
Identify when you will be traveling.
The embassies/consulates/visa application centers in India that you course your applications through typically require you to book visa application appointments four to six weeks in advance. However, to spare yourself any unnecessary hassle in planning for your trip, we highly recommend applying for a Schengen Visa as early as possible, keeping in mind that you can apply for it as early as six months in advance.
Identify the specific Schengen Visa type you need.
If you’re just a tourist planning a vacation or a quick visit to Europe for the holidays, it is likely that you should be looking into applying for a Type C (short-term) visa. In some instances, the Type A (Airport Transit Visa) and Type B (Transit Visa) visas may also be applicable for tourists, while the Type D visas would apply for more long-term visits.
Collation of Requirements
Caption: Make sure all the needed documents for your visa application are complete and in check! Credits: Gabrielle Henderson from Unsplash
Once you’ve got all three key points of information, you’re ready to start collating all the requirements needed for your Schengen Visa application! These consist of documents and fees you need to prepare to secure a successful submission.
Basic Document Requirements for Indian Passport Holders
Before anything, secure a visa application appointment with the embassy/consulate/visa application center relevant to your travels! Then, make sure you have the following documents prepared:
- Schengen Visa Application Form
- Your Indian passport (original plus a copy) and copies of previous Schengen visas (if applicable)
- 2 recent ID pictures following Schengen visa photo guidelines
- Civil status certificate (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.)
- Round-trip flight itinerary
- Proof of accommodation
- Travel health insurance with at least medical coverage of EUR 30,000 (equivalent to ₹ 30000 as of November 2023)
- Cover letter (reason for visa application in India)
- Birth certificate and proof of parental consent (if applicable)
- Proof of sufficient financial means
- Bank statements from the last six months
- Affidavit of support
- Travel itinerary
- Proof of payment of visa fee
Note that additional travel documents may be required depending on the country/embassy that you are applying through, and/or depending on your travel companions (if any).
Fees
On top of the numerous documentary requirements, an application for a Schengen Visa requires applicants to pay a visa fee worth 80 Euros (₹7,200) . However, this amount may vary depending on the age of the applicant. It’s always worth noting as well that visa fees in INR are based on the current exchange rate and are expected to fluctuate along with economic inflation.
Submitting your application
Once you have accomplished the feat of collating all the documents necessary, you can finally embark on the next application step: attending your in-person visa appointment! During this appointment, you can expect to submit all collated requirements, submit biometrics, undergo a visa interview, and pay all required visa fees. There is no need to fret about the visa interview; it normally focuses on the intention of your visit, details about your trip and travel itinerary, and the like.
For additional ease of going through the application process, it would be good to consider that there are a number of external service providers that offer Schengen Visa online application. For example, iVisa provides options to fill out the Schengen visa application form online with additional assistance for processing and booking the needed visa appointments.
Wait and Processing Time
To err on the safe side, our pro tip would be to allot a 15-working day processing time for your visa application. It is the Embassy through which you have applied for a visa that will ultimately decide on the approval or rejection of your application, as well as the number of entries your visa would allow you (single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry). But if you have prepared all requirements, documents, and fees appropriately, there is normally no need to worry about the outcome of the embassies’ decisions.
Begin planning your Europe adventure!
The picturesque Swiss Alps are well within every Schengen traveler's reach! Credits: Ricardo Gomez Angel from Unsplash
The moment you retrieve your visa is when the real fun begins; this means that you can officially and more securely plan your Europe adventure itinerary!
Whether you’re planning a visit to Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, or any of the other countries within the Schengen Zone, there are wide varieties of experiences, must-do activities, and offers you can find here on Klook!
