Short-stay visa
One visa for 29 European countries
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Indian passport holders need one to visit for tourism, family or business.
Schengen countries list
The Schengen area has 29 members: 25 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, 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.
Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but not in the Schengen area, and the UK is outside both. Each needs its own visa.
What a Schengen visa covers
- Holidays and sightseeing
- Visits to family and friends
- Business meetings, conferences and trade fairs
- Short trips across several Schengen countries
You cannot work or study long term on a Schengen visa. Longer stays need a national visa from the country concerned.
Where to apply
Which country should you apply to?
The country you apply to is set by a rule, not a choice of the easiest consulate.
Your main destination
You apply to the country that is the main purpose of your trip, or where you will spend the longest time.
Equal stays
If no main destination can be identified and your stays are equal, you apply to the country you will enter first.
Why it matters
Applying to a country that does not match your itinerary can lead to a refusal. Searching for the "easiest Schengen country" is risky for the same reason: your application must follow your real travel plan.
Eligibility
Schengen visa requirements for Indian citizens
- Passport
- Valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two blank pages.
- Travel medical insurance
- Cover for emergency treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation, of at least EUR 30,000, valid across the Schengen area.
- Funds
- Recent bank statements covering the period required by the consulate, showing enough money for your trip.
- Purpose and plans
- Genuine flight and hotel bookings, or an invitation, that match your itinerary.
- Return
- Evidence of your job, business, studies or family that show you will return to India.
- Biometrics
- Fingerprints are collected when you submit your application, unless you are exempt.
Schengen Visa Documents
- Signed visa application form and ICAO-compliant photos
- Passport, plus old passports with earlier visas
- Travel insurance certificate
- Flight and hotel bookings, and a day-wise itinerary
- Bank statements and income tax returns
- Employer letter with leave approval, or business proof if self-employed
- Invitation letter, for family or business visits
Each consulate publishes its own checklist, so the final list depends on the country you apply to.
How our Schengen review works
- Itinerary check. We confirm your main destination and the consulate you must apply to.
- Timing plan. We set your application date within the allowed window.
- Funds check. We review whether your statements fit the length and cost of your trip.
- Booking review. Your flights, hotels and itinerary are checked against each other.
- Checklist match. Your documents are compared with the consulate's own checklist.
- Gap list. We identify gaps before you submit, although the consulate may still ask for more.
The process
How to apply for a Schengen visa from India
- Plan your trip. Fix your route, dates and main destination.
- Check the window. Apply at least 15 days before travel, and no earlier than six months before.
- Book an appointment. Book with the consulate or its official visa service centre.
- Submit your file. Hand in your form and documents, pay the fee and give your fingerprints.
- Decision. The consulate decides your application.
- Travel. Follow the dates, entries and length of stay printed on your visa.
Costs and timelines
Know your Schengen visa charges
Children under six are normally exempt from the visa fee. Visa service centres can charge an additional service fee. The rupee amount depends on the exchange rate on the day you pay.
Travel insurance is a separate cost. Our professional fees come to you in writing after your review.
Multiple-entry Schengen visas for Indians
Under EU rules adopted in 2024, Indian nationals residing in India and applying in India who have obtained and lawfully used two Schengen visas within the previous three years can be issued a two-year multiple-entry visa. A five-year visa may normally follow if the passport has enough validity left. Issuance is not guaranteed, as each consulate still assesses the application. A multi-year visa permits no more than 90 days in total across the Schengen area in any rolling 180-day period.
Why KINBRIDGE
Why travellers choose KINBRIDGE for their Europe trip
A Schengen application depends on applying to the right country, at the right time, with a file that matches your plans.
The Right Consulate
We apply the main destination rule to your real itinerary, so you apply where you should.
Itinerary That Holds Together
Your flights, hotels and day plan are checked so they agree with each other and with your form.
Application Timing
We plan your submission inside the 15-day to six-month window, with time left for extra requests.
Multiple-Entry Guidance
If your travel history may qualify, we explain the multi-year visa cascade for Indian nationals applying in India.
Refusal Review
If you were refused before, we read the reasons and address them before you reapply.
Clear Fee Breakdown
Our fees come to you in writing, kept apart from consulate, service centre and insurance costs.
FAQs
Your Schengen visa questions, answered
Which is the easiest Schengen country to get a visa from?
There is no easiest country to choose freely. You must apply to your main destination, or to your first point of entry if your stays are equal.
Can I visit several countries on one Schengen visa?
Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries, within the dates, entries and stay on your visa.
Can I get a 5-year Schengen visa?
Indian nationals residing and applying in India with a qualifying travel history may be issued a two-year visa, which may normally be followed by a five-year visa. A multi-year visa permits no more than 90 days in total across the Schengen area in any rolling 180-day period.