Ah to be in Europe. One of the most exciting regions to travel to is Europe. Stunning landscapes, huge dollops of history, art galleries & museums, cafes and bars and so much more. The best thing about Europe is that one visa allows to access to so many of the mainstream European countries. The Schengen Visa, which allows visitors to stay for 90 days in any of the Schengen countries. So, here’s how to kick start your European holiday with a primer on how to apply for a Schengen Visa. A step by step explanation by the author. Team RetyrSmart
Get set for your European holiday. Get started on your Schengen Visa
Are you planning to stay up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes in any of the Schengen countries? Then, a Schengen visa is the answer to what you are looking for.
Schengen visa is a short-stay visa which allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen area as it enables its holder to freely travel within and leave the Schengen zone from any of the Schengen member countries.
Schengen area countries
Currently, the Schengen Area consists of 26 member countries. All of these countries are located in Europe. Indian passport holders do not get a visa on arrival in these 26 countries. Countries include France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Switzerland and many more.
How to apply for a Schengen Visa from India?
One must have to follow a step-by-step guideline to apply for a Schengen visa in India. These are the steps you must follow to apply for a Schengen visa from India:
- Figure out Schengen visa type
Firstly, you have to figure out which Schengen visa type you need. There are different types of Schengen visa depending on your purpose of travelling from India to Europe.
- Find out where to apply
Before applying for it, you have to 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
You need to 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 required visa documents
It is recommended to collect the required Schengen visa documents for Indian citizens.
- Appoint an interview
Appoint an interview at the visa application centre in India. Depending on the country, you may make an appointment online, through phone, or in person.
- Attend interview
Attend interview on the day of your appointment. Show up on time and be relaxed. Remember that the interview is a crucial part of your visa application.
- Pay visa fee
All Schengen states have fixed and synchronized visa fees. You need to check Schengen Visa Category for your Schengen Visa Fees.
- Wait for processing of visa
After the interview, you will have to wait for at most 15 days, for a response on your application.
Please note, all Schengen visa applications submitted by Indians are processed by the embassies/consulates in India.
