Published 27 July 2026 · Updated 14 August 2026
One visa, twenty-nine countries
The Schengen visa admits you to 29 European countries on a single sticker, from France to Finland and Portugal to Poland. That reach is also why it is the most closely assessed file most Indian travellers ever submit, and why the quality of preparation decides the outcome more than for any other visa we handle.
Which country do you apply through?
The rule consulates enforce: apply to the country of your main destination, meaning the most nights, or the purpose of the trip. Equal nights everywhere? Then the country of first entry. Applying to a consulate you think is more lenient while spending the trip elsewhere is the classic self-inflicted refusal; itineraries are read.
Applications route through each country's contracted centre in India: VFS Global for most (France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain among them), BLS for a few. Slots in Delhi NCR swing hard with season, so in summer and December book the appointment before you build the rest of the calendar.
The file that succeeds
- Passport: valid 3+ months beyond return, issued within 10 years, two blank pages
- Schengen form + 35×45 mm biometric photos
- Travel insurance: €30,000 medical minimum, covering the whole area and stay. The consulate will not accept less
- Flight reservations both ways and hotels for EVERY night (day-wise, matching the form)
- Funds: 3–6 months of statements sized to the trip; consulates think in per-day terms
- Employment proof with sanctioned leave, or business registration + ITRs
- A one-page cover letter tying it together: routing, purpose, funding, ties to India
First-time applicants give biometrics at the centre; prints stay valid in VIS for 59 months, so repeat applications skip that step.
Fees and timelines
The standard adult fee is €90 (children discounted), plus the centre's service charge, and neither is refunded whatever the outcome. Legal processing is 15 calendar days from submission; in peak season it runs longer, and appointment scarcity adds weeks before you even submit. Our standing advice: start 8–10 weeks before summer travel.
What refusal letters cite
Insufficient justification of purpose and means; doubts about intention to return; inconsistent bookings. Each of these is a file-construction problem, which is why we check Schengen files line by line against the consulate's own checklist before submission.
FAQ
Does a Schengen visa cover my whole Europe trip's borders?
Within Schengen, yes; there are no internal passport controls. The UK and Ireland are NOT Schengen and need separate visas.
Single or multiple entry: what will I get?
First-time applicants tend to receive a visa matched to the itinerary. A clean travel history earns longer multiple-entry visas over time, because consulates reward compliance.
Can I extend a Schengen visa from inside Europe?
In practice, no. Extensions are exceptional (force majeure). Plan the full trip before applying.