Schengen Visa for Indians - Check Fees, How to Apply & Benefits

A Schengen visa is an authorization that allows people to travel freely in certain European countries. In this article, we will cover all the aspects of applying for a Schengen visa from India.

The idea behind the Schengen agreement was to create a free-travel zone for aiding economic activity, work, study, family visits, etc. Not only has the visa aided in travel, but also has economic benefits. Let us understand all the details of visas for Schengen countries from India.

What is the Schengen Area?

The genesis of the Schengen area is in the agreement, signed in Schengen (a small town in Luxembourg) in 1985 (Schengen Agreement) and 1990 (Schengen Convention). Currently, there are 26 European countries in the Schengen area. Out of these 27, 23 are Member states of the EU (European Union). Following are the countries that issue a Schengen visa:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia (latest country to join the Schengen Area on 1 January 2023)
• The Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland (part of the European Free Trade Association)
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein (part of the European Free Trade Association)
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• Norway (part of the European Free Trade Association)
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland (part of the European Free Trade Association)

As per the data of the European Council, the Schengen area aids in the free travel of more than 400 million people without border controls. 3.5 million people cross internal borders every day and 1.25 billion journeys are completed every year. This free-travel policy has led to excellent economic benefits (€2.8 trillion by transport of goods by road alone). An example of this would be just-in-time manufacturing. In the case of Volkswagen, engines are sent to the assembly line in Germany from Hungary. The need to have a storage and warehouse is removed because of this, leading to a reduction in cost. This policy is beneficial for non-EU nationals as well such as exchange students or businesspersons as they can travel across the Schengen countries without border controls.

Also Read: Cost of Living in Luxembourg for International Students

What is a Schengen Visa?

Before we understand the Schengen visa from India and how to apply for a Schengen visa from India, it is vital to know what exactly a Schengen visa is.

A Schengen visa is an authorization, issued by a Member country (where you want to travel first), which allows a person to travel in the Schengen region for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, business, short-term studies, etc. The Schengen provisions eliminate border checks at the EU's internal borders while establishing a common set of guidelines for border checks at the external borders that apply to anybody entering the Schengen area temporarily.

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Details of Schengen Visa

Let us now get into the details of the Schengen visa. The following are the types of Schengen visas:

1) Tourist Visa: On a tourist Schengen visa from India, a person can go to any Schengen country for travel, visit family or friends, etc. A person can stay in the area for a maximum of 90 days in the 180-day period.

2) Business Visa: On a business Schengen visa from India, a person can visit the Schengen area for business and professional work. The duration of stay remains the same.

3) Student Visa: On a student Schengen visa from India, a student can visit the Schengen area for short-term courses that last not more than 90 days.

4) Transit Visa: If a person obtains an airport transit visa, he/she may transit through the areas of the issuing country. The visa may allow transit through other countries as well.

5) Medical Visa: The duration of the Schengen visa from India stays the same. You will have to provide proof of medical treatment requirements.

Based on the travel purpose, applicants might receive any of the three Schengen visas from India:

• Type A: For airport transit
• Type C: Short stay (90 days in any 180 day period)
  • Single Entry: No re-entry after leaving the Schengen area. You will have to reapply from scratch.
  • Double Entry: Two entries in the Schengen area.
  • Multiple Entry: No restriction on the number of entries; however, the time of stay remains the same (90 days in any 180-day period).

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa from India?

In order to apply for a visa for Schengen countries from India, applicants need to follow the given steps:

• You must arrange your documents based on the purpose of your visit. If you are visiting the Schengen area for medical treatment, you need to arrange your medical documents, and so on.
• Decide the countries you wish to travel to in the Schengen region. As an example, let us consider that you wish to travel to Finland (7 days) and then to France (4 days). Since you will be staying in Finland for the longest time, you need to apply Finnish Visa Application Centre.
• Go to the VFS website for Finland. You will have an option of the documents required. It will help you understand Schengen visa requirements for Indians. If you are visiting for Business purposes, we have provided the list of documents required for a Schengen visa from India.
• Fill out the application form and attach the necessary documents.
• If someone in the Schengen area is sponsoring your trip, you need to provide their details such as their identification proofs, sponsorship letter, etc.
• You may provide a cover letter stating the purpose of travel, places you plan to visit, accommodation details, etc.

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Documents Required for Schengen Visa from India

As mentioned above, we have considered our visiting place as Finland. The list of documents has been taken from the official website (Finland Online Application for Schengen Visa). Here are the documents required for a Schengen visa from India:

• Fill the Schengen visa application form carefully. Photograph specifications are given in the points below:
  • It should not be more than 6 months old
  • 35-40 mm width
  • The face should cover 70-80% of the photograph
  • Face the camera directly
  • No filters

• Here are the travel document requirements:
• They must be valid for at least 3 months after the journey
• They must have been issued within the last 10 years
• They must have at least 2 blank pages
• Minimum coverage of the medical insurance must be €30,000 and it must be valid for the entire trip
• You need to show your flight bookings at the time of Schengen visa application submission (outgoing tickets to Finland and return tickets from France)
• This involves details of where are you going to stay, how are you going to travel between countries, places you will visit, etc.
• If you are travelling for business purposes, you need to provide the details of the invitation for the company in Finland.
• Your employment details.
• Employment letter of the company where you are working
• GST Registration if self employed
• University certificate (if you are a student)

• Proof of Finances
  • Bank statement for the last 3 months
  • Salary slips of last 3 months
  • Income Tax Return for the past 2 years
  • If you are a student, provide your parents’ bank account details
• A Valid Passport
• Application for a Schengen visa from India cannot apply more than 6 months before the start of the visit. Moreover, you should apply at least 15 days before your visit.
• Schengen visa processing time in India is 15 calendar days. It may stretch up to 45 days under certain circumstances. Hence, it is vital to apply well in time to avoid any last-minute delays.

Read: Steps to Check Student Visa Status in Europe

Schengen Visa Fee for Indians

The following points provide details of the Schengen visa charges from India:

• Schengen visa fee for Indians is €80 (Rs. 7,000 as of October 2023)
• Schengen visa charges from India for children from 6-12 years is €40 (Rs. 3,500 as of October 2023)
• The visa fee is waived for the following:
  • Children under 6 years
  • Students and teachers who visit for study or educational training
  • Researchers (as per Article 3(2) of Council Directive (EU) 2016/801[1])
  • Representatives (of non-profit organizations) not more than 25 years of age

Benefits of Schengen Visa from India

The Schengen Visa offers several benefits for Indian citizens who wish to travel to the Schengen area. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Schengen Visa allows Indian citizens to travel freely within the 27 countries in the Schengen area for a maximum stay of up to 90 days per entry within a 180-day period
• If you apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa, you may enter the Schengen zone multiple times without the need to submit a fresh application each time.
• For businesspersons who wish to travel, it is a great way to save their costs.

For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.

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