How to get the Schengen Visa Easily

The Schengen visa is a document that allows you to visit any country from the Schengen zone, which includes 26 countries.

These are the main European countries, with the exception of Great Britain. If you have received a visa in any country belonging to the Schengen zone, then you can freely move around all the countries in this zone.

Between wide valleys and dense forests, between streams and lakes, the landscape of Schengen extends over fascinating habitats. Enjoying nature in Schengen means to discover quaint habitats, medieval castles or simply an incredibly beautiful landscape behind every curve. In the midst of imposing rocks, winding watercourses and a diverse plant world, you will still find spots of untouched nature in Schengen. Also, trips with the whole family, or romantic walks here usually lead through breathtaking landscapes with their own character, and in order to enjoy all these, a Schengen visa is required.

What is a Schengen visa for Indians ?

Today, the Schengen zone includes Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, the Czech Republic , Sweden, Switzerland and Estonia. Also, the Schengen zone includes three more European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican.

Think about which countries you would like to travel. If your journey takes you through several countries as listed above, you will need a Schengen visa. Also, with an open Schengen visa, you can visit Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Andorra and the British territory of Gibraltar.

How and where to apply for a Schengen visa?

As regards putting in for a Schengen visa, you must firstly download the application form from the website of the embassy/ consulate and complete it carefully and truthfully. The application form for a visa is the same for all Schengen countries.

Please note:

Download the most recent version of the application, as only this will be accepted.

The application form can either be completed by hand or written with the machine. The applicant must sign the form at the designated spaces provided.

Be careful not to leave any gaps unfilled. If the applicant thinks that certain columns do not fit his situation, they should be filled in with ‘na’ (not applicable).

If the applicant is a child, his parents must declare their written consent and sign it in the appropriate column of the application form.

If the applicant completes the form by hand, black ink is recommended for the font.

Where to apply for a Schengen visa?

It is correct that you can travel with a Schengen visa throughout the Schengen area, as the processing of a Schengen visa is the same in every Schengen state. However, there are some set rules and regulations, depending on the embassy/consulate where the person is applying for a Schengen visa to travel to the Schengen country he wants.

In cases where the applicant wishes to travel to only one Schengen country, he must file the application with the competent embassy/consulate of that country. If the applicant wishes to travel to two or more Schengen states, it is strongly recommended that you apply for a visa at the Embassy / Consulate of the country you would be spending most of your time during the trip.

This is also called the main destination. If there is no main destination and you wish to travel to several Schengen states at will, the applicant must apply for a visa at the embassy/consulate of the Schengen country where the first entry would take place according to his schedule.

Once you have determined which embassy/consulate you want to apply for, go to your country’s embassy in that country.

When should you submit the application?

Unfortunately, there is no unified response to this particular issue due to the different timelines of embassies / consulates in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that you apply for a Schengen visa for about six weeks before you travel, in order to be able to travel as planned.

Although it usually takes no more than 72 hours to process a visa, there are times when the procedure takes more time. In some countries,  the procedure sometimes takes between 14 to 21 days.

Schengen Visa Fees is Approximately Euro 60.

In some embassies, there are designated officers that you can go to at any time to hand in the documents, while in others, you have to make an appointment beforehand. If you plan a short stay, this appointment should not be longer than six weeks before departure. This rule does not apply to people applying for a long-term visa.

What should be done if there is no embassy/consulate of a specific Schengen state in the country of the applicant?

In some developing countries, there may be no embassy/consulate of the special Schengen country for which you would like to apply for a visa. However, this does not pose a problem, since in such cases embassies or consular agents are both in the interests of the country concerned and of their own country, who are responsible for issuing a visa.

If a visa is refused because the applicant cannot provide the necessary documents or evidence to prove that he/she meets the requirements for a trip to a Schengen state, there is the possibility of contacting a neighboring country at the Embassy / Consulate of the desired travel country to put the request again.

Can I apply in a country where I am not a resident?

Yes. If you need to apply for a Schengen visa in a country where you are not resident, it will be sufficient to justify why you are applying from that country.

The applicant should appear on the appointed date and submit the application and attached documents. Applicants must be unaccompanied unless they are underage, have health problems or are unable to move independently. If the applicant does not understand the language of the Schengen state, at the embassy/consulate of which he submits the application, an expert guide is recommended.

If you do not arrive at the embassy/consulate on the appointed date without giving notice 48 hours in advance, your application will be rejected, and you will have to go through the process again.

How can I extend a Schengen visa in urgent cases?

In the case of credible personal, work-related, medical or other reasons, the applicant must contact the competent authorities of the Schengen State in which he resides and request an extension of the Schengen visa. An extended Schengen visa entitles the person concerned to visit the same Schengen area where the visa was originally issued. An extension of the visa may not exceed the length of stay of 90 days.

Also, when applying for a Schengen visa online you should:

Get proof of sufficient funds. When submitting your application, you must, among other things, present bank receipts as proof that you have sufficient funds to complete the journey. Your account should be funded as far as possible if you do not want to get into trouble.

Check the working hours of the embassy or consulate;

Check if you need to make an appointment to apply for a visa;

Check the duration of the Schengen visa application and try to apply for the visa sufficiently in advance;

Search the website of the appropriate diplomatic mission to find out what documents you need to present along with your visa application.

Note that a different set of rules applies to the submission of documents for a long-term visa.

Applying for a visa is only the first step – and does not necessarily mean that it is would actually be granted or issued. All diplomatic missions have the arbitrary right to reject applications that are considered unacceptable.

Your application may be rejected for the following reasons:

Incomplete documentation. This is one of the most common reasons, so make sure you find out which documents are required and whether copies should be submitted along with the originals.

No confirmation of the flight reservation

No confirmation of hotel accommodation

Inadequate explanation of the purpose of your trip to a Schengen country

Non-compliance of the planned travel dates with the documents supplied by you.

No invitation letter from your host

No invitation letter in the case of a business trip

No employment certificate

Unauthorized personal documents such as the birth certificate or marriage certificate.

Insufficient documentation in case of child adoption from a country outside the Schengen area.

No guardianship.

No parental consent for the journey of a minor.

Inadequately completed visa application form

No signature on the visa application form.

Damaged passport.

Expired passport or an insufficient number of empty passport pages.

Fake travel document.

Criminal records.

No Schengen travel insurance.

List of previous violations of the Schengen rules during a previous visit to the Schengen area.

The Schengen visa application procedure can only be a formality. On the other hand, you may also be invited to a survey. In this case, you must answer questions from the official. We recommend that you answer briefly and truthfully. You will be asked about:

Your marital status

Your family situation

You and/or your spouse’s employment

The purpose of your journey

The planned duration of your visit to the Schengen area

Your company, if you own one

Your income

The availability of adequate funds during your stay abroad

The cover of your travel health insurance

Your previous visits to the Schengen area

In case of a private visit:

The occupation of your host in the Schengen country of destination

Family relationships with your host in the Schengen country of destination

Status of your hosts in the Schengen country of destination

If you travel to a Schengen country to marry or visit your spouse who is a resident or citizen of that country, you may be asked a number of very detailed and private questions. Additional questions may be asked if required by the authorities of the Schengen country of destination. All travel for the purposes of family reunification will receive special treatment, and the visa issued in such cases may entitle the holder to permanent residence in the country of destination.

Furthermore, even if the applicant submits all necessary documents and evidence, the embassy/consulate has the right to refuse the application for a visa, as there is no compulsory entitlement to a Schengen visa. Due to the size of the documents, the applicant might think that the application is being processed and approved, but there is no guarantee that the Schengen visa will be approved. In view of the above, it is strongly recommended that you seek the help of great travel specialists such as Fly For Holidays.

Fly For Holidays is an online travel company established in India, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Company is engaged in providing online travel services consisting primarily of booking holiday packages for domestic and international tours. It also engaged in the booking of air tickets, booking hotel reservations, and cab hiring services. The Company is registered under the Indian companies act, 2013 and it is limited by shares privately held by the family member.