Applying for a Schengen Visa

What is a Schengen visa?

The Schengen short-stay visa holder is permitted to visit the following states for a maximum of 90 days within any 180 days. Generally speaking, as long as the visa is valid, you are permitted to travel to any Schengen State within the same trip.
If you want to stay in a Schengen country for more than 90 days, work, or start a business, trade, or profession, you should apply for a long-stay visa instead of a Schengen visa.

Which countries are part of the Schengen Area?

No border controls exist between the 29 nations that make up the Schengen area. These countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. These countries apply the common visa policy for short-stay visas or uniform Schengen visas.

What type of Schengen visa do I need?

The first step in the visa process is to understand the different kinds of Schengen visas. Your travel goals, length of stay, and destinations will determine the type of visa you need.
Type of  Schengen Visa Issued :

1. Type A: Airport Transit Visa.
This visa allows you to pass through the international terminal of a Schengen airport without entering the country.
• Transiting through a Schengen country en route to a non-Schengen destination (e.g., India to Canada via Germany) requires you to stay at the airport and go through immigration.

2. Type C: Short-Stay Schengen Visa
This is the most popular visa issued to Indian tourists, professionals, and family members.
• Duration: Up to 90 days within the 180 days.
• Purpose: tourism, business, short courses, medical appointments, or visiting family/friends 
• Processing time: 15 working days, but apply at least 3-4 weeks in advance.

3. Type D – Long-Stay National Visa

This visa is required if you're planning to stay in a single Schengen country for more than 90 days, for reasons such as:
• Studying in a European university
• Employment
• Joining a family member or spouse (family reunification)
• Long-term residency
Although it is issued by one country, it allows short visits to other Schengen countries (up to 90 days in 180 days).

Required documents for applying for Schengen visa :

Checklist for Schengen Visa:

1. Valid national passport:

• Issued no more than ten years ago, with at least two blank pages, and valid for at least three months following the planned return date. Passports that are handwritten or contain biographical information on the front page will not be accepted.

2. passport size picture:

• White background, no more than six months old (35–40 mm wide, not a scanned or duplicate image).
• Pictures must be placed into the application; they cannot be pinned or stapled.

3. Visa application form:

•  Completed and signed by the applicant with a third party's consent, if appropriate.
•  If the applicant is a minor, have their legal guardian or guardians sign their visa application and, if necessary, have a third party's authorization. (Divorce documents, a death certificate, proof of custody of a minor kid, etc.).

4. Introduction letter:

• The original letter must be on business letterhead from the company or employer.
• A letter stating position and length of service must be signed and stamped by employees or the directorate.
• The planned journey to Switzerland and the Schengen States is accompanied by a "No objection statement."
• Mentioning travel dates and the purpose of the trip.

5. Travel Insurance:

•  By an approved Indian travel insurance.
• Minimum coverage of 30,000 euros per person.
• coverage of all potential costs associated with urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, and/or return for medical reasons.
• The entire stay inside the Schengen area must be covered by the insurance.
• Applicants do not need to furnish 180 (365) days of coverage if they want to apply for a six-month or one-year multiple visa. Submitting insurance coverage that covers the initial trip is sufficient.

6. Flight reservation:

• With names of all travelers.
• Proof of intra-Schengen travel, train schedule, or rental car, if applicable.

7. Proof of accommodation in Schengen states:

• Proof of hotel bookings, tour packages, and payments in advance.

8. Proof of financial status:

o If employed :

• Last 3 months' salary slips
• Statements of the last three months' personal bank accounts showing the salary credited
• Personal ITR for the previous two assessment years (only ITR-V, Indian Income Tax Return Verification Form, or Acknowledgment is acceptable).

o If self-employed and/or company owner :

• Certificate of business registration and GST Proof of proprietorship, partnership deed, annex A and B registration, or other ownership documentation
•  Last 3 months' personal bank statements.
•  Personal ITR for the previous two assessment years (only ITR-V, Indian Income Tax Return Verification Form, or Acknowledgment is acceptable).

o If retired :

• The last three-month period of personal pension bank statements.
• Evidence of regular income from property or business ownership

9. Families:

• The head of the family only needs to attach bank statements, personal ITRs (only ITR-V, Indian Income Tax Return Verification Form or Acknowledgment is accepted), travel insurance (with all the insured's names listed), flight bookings (with all the traveling family members' names listed), and hotel confirmations (if all the rooms are booked under the same booking and the head of the family's name). The visa applications must be submitted together.
• Students over 16: A copy of their college ID card and the school, college, or university's letter of introduction. Children under the age of eighteen who are not traveling with both parents: • A public notary-certified consent letter from the parent or legal guardian who is not traveling.
• Children under 18 years old, traveling alone: • Consent letter of both parents or legal guardians, certified by a public notary.
• In every case: a copy of your driver's license, PAN card, or passport from each of your parents or legal guardians.

10. Visa fees:

• Adults: EUR 90.00
• Children between 6 and 12 years old: EUR 45.00
• Children under 6 years old: free of charge.

Where do I submit my visa application?

The application for a Schengen visa must be submitted to the Consulate of the country you intend to visit, or, if you intend to visit more than one Schengen State, the Consulate of your primary destination.
If you want to visit multiple Schengen States for stays of equal length, you must apply at the Consulate of the nation whose external borders you will cross first while entering the Schengen area.
As a general rule, you must apply for a visa at the Consulate with territorial jurisdiction over the nation where you lawfully reside.

Can I enter the Schengen area in nation X with a visa issued by Schengen country Y?

As a general rule, you can enter any Schengen border with a visa from any Schengen country. However, a short-stay visa does not grant you automatic entry into the Schengen area.

How long may I travel in the Schengen area based on my visa?

The Schengen visa is a short-stay visa in the form of a sticker attached to the travel document. "Short stay" is defined as a stay of "90 days in any 180 days". This indicates that the overall period of stay is limited to 90 days.
The exact duration of validity of your visa is shown on the visa sticker under the heading "Duration of visit".
With a single-entry visa, you can only enter the Schengen area once. A two-entry or multiple-entry visa allows for two or more entries within its validity period. This is shown on the visa sticker as "01" "02" or "MULT" under the heading "Number of entries".

How long does the visa procedure take?

As a general rule, once a Schengen visa application is submitted to the Consulate, a decision is taken by the Consulate within 15 calendar days. The duration might be increased up to 30 or 60 days.

How far in advance should I apply for a visa for my planned visit?

Applications must be submitted no more than six (6) months before the start of the desired trip. It is best to apply at least 15 calendar days before the planned visit.

My passport expires in two months. Can I apply for a visa?

In principle, you cannot. It is required that your passport expire three months after you return from the Schengen State. In warranted circumstances of exigency, the Consulate may break from this regulation.

Is there anything else I need to produce at the Schengen external borders apart from my travel document and Schengen visa?

The short-stay visa does not guarantee entry into the Schengen area. At the border (or during other procedures), you may be required to present both the visa and extra papers, such as proof that you have adequate funds to cover your stay and return trip. It is therefore advised that you bring copies of the documentation you showed while applying for the visa (e.g., letters of invitation, travel confirmations, travel insurance, and other documents stating the purpose of your stay).

I have connecting flights, with a stop at a Schengen state airport. Do I need to apply for an airport transit or a short-stay visa?

There are two situations to consider: transit within an airport's international transit area (onward journey without leaving the region) and departure from the airport.
transit across a Member State's territory, albeit limited to an airport (onward journey outside the airport's international transit region).
An airport transit visa (ATV) allows you to enter the international transit zone at a Schengen airport and wait for a connecting flight to a non-Schengen country. The ATV will not allow you to enter Schengen territory. (To stay in a hotel or fly to another Schengen State, for example).
Please confer with the Consulate to determine whether an airport transit visa is required.
Traveling to a Schengen State from another Schengen State airport is not considered airport transit, nor is traveling to a non-Schengen country from two Schengen State airports. All flights between two or more Schengen States are considered "domestic" flights. Depending on your nationality, you may be required to obtain a short-stay visa while entering the Schengen area, even if your stay is only a few hours and you remain in the airport.

Do I need to get insurance for my Schengen visa application?

Yes, travel insurance should cover medical evacuation and repatriation. The minimum coverage is EUR 30,000 (in euros). The insurance business must maintain a representative office in European Union countries. The insurance must be valid for the entire period of your stay in the Schengen area.