Planning a Europe trip? For Indian passport holders, the Schengen visa is the single most important — and most stressful — part of the process. One visa covers 29 European countries including France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. Here’s everything you need to know before you apply.
What Is a Schengen Visa?
A short-stay Schengen visa allows you to spend up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the Schengen area. With a single visa, you can cross between member countries freely — perfect for multi-country itineraries like Switzerland + Paris or Italy + Greece.
Documents You’ll Need
- Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your return date, with 2 blank pages
- Completed visa application form
- Recent passport-size photographs (as per Schengen photo specifications)
- Confirmed round-trip flight reservation
- Hotel bookings or accommodation proof for your full stay
- Day-wise travel itinerary
- Travel insurance with minimum €30,000 medical coverage, valid across the Schengen area
- Bank statements for the last 3–6 months
- Income Tax Returns (usually last 2–3 years)
- Employment proof — leave letter from employer, or business registration for self-employed travellers
Fees and Timelines
The standard adult visa fee is €90 (children 6–12 pay a reduced fee; under-6s are free), plus a service charge if you apply through VFS or a similar visa centre. Fees are revised from time to time — always confirm the current amount when you apply.
Officially, processing takes up to 15 calendar days, but during Indian holiday season (April–June and October–December) appointment slots can run out weeks in advance. Our advice: apply 6–8 weeks before your travel date. You can apply up to 6 months in advance.
Which Country Should You Apply Through?
Apply through the country where you’ll spend the most nights. If your nights are split equally, apply through your first port of entry. Applying through the “easiest” country while actually spending your time elsewhere is a common — and risky — mistake that can lead to rejection.
Top Reasons Schengen Visas Get Rejected
- Insufficient funds — bank balance not matching the trip cost, or large unexplained deposits made just before applying
- Weak ties to India — the officer isn’t convinced you’ll return (stable job, family and property records help)
- Inconsistent documents — itinerary, hotel bookings and flight dates that don’t match each other
- Invalid travel insurance — wrong coverage amount or dates
- Previous overstays or incomplete applications
Let Us Handle It for You
Every Beond Journeys Europe package includes end-to-end visa assistance — document checklist, appointment booking, form filling, insurance and a complete itinerary file prepared for your interview. Explore our Europe tour packages or send us a WhatsApp message to get started.