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Top 9 Easiest Schengen Countries from India to Get a Visa

If you are an Indian passport holder and plan to travel to the Schengen Area, you must first apply for a Schengen visa.

The majority of travelers struggle with the rejection of the Schengen visa, because of unclear requirements and abundant paperwork. However, do not worry, as the following guide will help you understand all the basic requirements of the process.

Moreover, it is advisable to apply to countries with a lower rejection rate. So, the blog below will highlight the easiest Schengen countries from India to get a visa.

Easiest Schengen countries from India

What is a Schengen Visa?

A Schengen visa is an official permit that allows you to travel to the Schengen countries. The Schengen visa has various types depending on the purpose and length of your stay in the target country.

For example, a short-stay visa is valid for short-term purposes such as a study program for one hundred and eighty days (6 months). On the other hand, you can apply for a long-term visa if you are planning to stay in the host country for a long duration. For instance, it includes traveling to the Schengen region on a work visa, valid for one year that you can also extend.

Schengen member countries

The Schengen Area consists of the following 29 European Countries. Bulgaria and Romania are the latest to join the Schengen zone.

Pros of having a Schengen visa

Indian citizens can enjoy the following benefits of having a Schengen visa.

How Can I Apply for a Schengen Visa from India?

The application process for a Schengen visa is similar for almost all European countries. So, follow the steps given below to learn about the application process for a Schengen visa.

  1. The first step requires you to determine the type of Schengen visa you need. The visa type depends on the duration and purpose of your trip to the target country. Moreover, it also varies considering the number of entries you have when visiting a country of your choice.
  2. Next, collect all the required documents depending on the visa type you have applied for.
  3. Then, visit the embassy or consulate of the target country and submit all the documents and the visa application form.
  4. After that, you have to attend the visa interview by paying a specific fee to the embassy or the visa application center.
  5. Lastly, make sure to submit your application not earlier than six months and not later than two weeks before your intended departure from your home country.

9 Easiest Schengen Countries from India to Get a Visa

Easiest Schengen Countries from India to Get a Visa

Among the 29 countries, the following nine are the easiest Schengen countries from India that you can get a visa for. This is mainly because these countries have the lowest rejection rates.

Iceland

Iceland is at the top of the list among all the Schengen countries that have the lowest rate of visa rejection. In 2021, the rejection rate for Iceland was 9.7% which has decreased to 2.2% in 2023.

Because of the detailed information on the immigration website and easy consular operations, an increased number of international travelers have visited the country in recent years.

Switzerland

Switzerland is a country surrounded by Italy, Germany, and France. This makes it an ideal place for international visitors especially coming from India.

The transparent guidelines and improved applicant support lowered the rejection rate from 13% to 10.7% in 2023.

Therefore, one out of every 9.35 applications face rejection when applying for a Schengen visa for Switzerland.

Latvia

The third easiest Schengen country from India is Latvia with a rejection rate of almost 11.7%. Although this Schengen country receives less number of applications as compared to the rest of the countries, it still manages to effectively communicate with the applicants.

All you need is to fill out a visa application form online and submit it to the nearest embassy in your home country.

Italy

Italy is a famous spot among tourists from all over the world. That’s why, the number of travelers visiting this country has been increasing day by day. Besides, Italy receives almost one million applications in 2023. This results in a downfall in the rejection rate from 12.7% (2021) to 12% in 2023.

The streamlined and easy application process along with the country’s prime location make Italy the most visited state in the Schengen Region.

Luxembourg

Over the past five years, Luxembourg has managed to keep its visa rejection rate below 13, which is 12.7%, making it the fifth easiest Schengen country to apply for a visa.

Due to less population and a limited tourism market, the country receives a tiny number of applications every year. This allows them to focus on each application very carefully, thus making the application process smooth and easy for the applicants.

Lithuania

A significant change has been witnessed in the rejection rate of Lithuania in the past five years, leading to 12.8% in 2023. Besides, the country is an attractive destination for travelers.

The detailed and easy guidelines, timely feedback, and fast customer support sustain the rejection rate within the limits. Moreover, the diplomatic missions are efficient in providing fast reviews of the applications.

Slovakia

An increase in the visa rejection rate for Slovakia has been seen in the past two years. The figure rises from 9.7% to 12.9%.

Despite the increased percentage of visa rejections, Slovakia managed to make the application process smooth for the applicants. In 2021, the country received almost 3887 applications. This is less as compared to the 13,470 visa applications of 2023.

Germany

Germany’s Oktoberfest attracts millions of travelers from all over the world each year. This is because the country received almost 1.4 million visa applications in 2023, among which, more than 1.2 million were approved.

With a rejection rate of 14.3%, Germany is trying to strengthen its visa application process. The clear document guidelines and online completion of the visa application form make it one of the easiest countries to apply for a visa.

Greece

Despite the increased rejection rate (14.7%) over the past five years, Greece is still considered among the top ten easiest Schengen countries from India to get a visa.

This is because the country has been making continuous efforts to reform its visa application process to quickly review the applications. Moreover, they have also introduced a new system to fill out the visa application forms online and submit them to the nearest embassy.

Besides these, Malta, Estonia, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden are the toughest countries to apply for a visa from India because of the highest rejection rates.

Legal Requirements to Apply for a Schengen Visa from India

When applying for a Schengen visa, you are required to submit the following standard documents to the embassy. Besides, you also need additional documents depending on your visa type.

Visa application form

Visa application form

The first important requirement is an application form for a Schengen visa. You can get it from the embassy of the target country or download it online. Also, make sure that you do not leave any blank unfilled when completing the visa application form. 

Passport

Furthermore, submitting your Indian passport is an important element of the process. This is because it is a travel document required to identify your citizenship. So, it should have a validity period of at least three months beyond your stay in the target country. In addition, it must have two blank pages to affix the visa stamps.

Photo

The Schengen visa application process also requires you to attach two passport-size pictures to the form. These photographs should be according to the Schengen photo guidelines.

For instance, this includes the dimensions of the photo, its background color, etc. Moreover, in the case of a Schengen visa, the photos should not be older than the last three months.

Proof of accommodation

Proof of accommodation

Another important requirement is to submit your proof of accommodation. This will show the embassy that you have a place to stay in the target country. 

For this purpose, you can submit documents such as,

Flight itinerary

Flight reservation

Submitting a flight reservation document also builds credibility of your application status. This document shows that you have genuine intentions of traveling to the target country. Besides, the documents contain important information to prove that you will not overstay your visa.

It may have, 

Cover letter

Cover Letter for Visa

Writing and submitting a cover letter will help you discuss your travel plans with the embassy official from a personal point of view. Therefore, you can add as many details as you want. For example, the purpose of your visit, planned countries you want to travel to, when you will come back, etc.

However, make sure to keep your document at a specific length as lengthy cover letters are not encouraged.

Travel health insurance

Purchasing travel health insurance is mandatory when traveling to the Schengen Area. This policy will help you bear unexpected medical and travel expenses during the entire duration of your stay in the host country. It must have a coverage amount of at least 30,000 euros to 45,000 euros.

For example, it manages costs related to,

Proof of financial means

Your trip to the Schengen country also requires you to show your financial health. For this purpose, you can present financial documents such as a bank statement or a salary slip to demonstrate that you can manage your expenses instead of burdening the target country.

Proof of civil status

Moreover, provide proof of civil status by submitting documents such as your marriage certificate, birth certificate of your children, or death certificate of a spouse.

Visa payment receipt

Lastly, make sure to deposit the payment of the visa, after that, provide proof by submitting the paid receipt.

Schengen Visa Cost

The Schengen visas have a universal fee structure irrespective of whether you belong to India or any other South Asian country.

So, the processing fee for a Schengen visa for Indian adult citizens is around 90 euros. This is equivalent to almost 8,208 Indian Rupees.

On the other hand, children between the ages of six and twelve can pay 45 euros when traveling to a Schengen region. Surprisingly, minors under the age of six can travel free without any cost to the Schengen country. The same rule applies to researchers, pupils, and teachers who are traveling abroad for educational purposes.

Moreover, the cost of a Schengen visa may also increase depending on the medium through which you have applied for a visa. For example, in the case of a visa application center, you have to pay the administrative or service charges as well.

This fee is non-refundable in case your Schengen visa is refused.

Processing Time for a Schengen Visa

The embassies or consulates of Schengen countries in India usually take almost two to three weeks to process your applications. Therefore, they may advise you to book your appointments at least four to six weeks before submitting the required documents.

Besides, the standard processing time also depends on the period and season of your trip. So, it may get extended for up to 30 to 60 days in rare circumstances. Thus, make sure to apply as early as you can. The ideal time frame is applying for up to six months in advance.

FAQs

In case the embassy or consulate refuses your visa to Schengen countries, you can appeal the decision. This will require you to identify the reason for a visa denial.

On the other hand, the second option is to reapply or re-submit a new application after correcting all the mistakes made in the previous application.

Two instances should be considered in this regard. When traveling to the Schengen Area, if you are planning to visit most of your days in a country, e.g., Germany, then you should apply through the Embassy of Germany in India.

Secondly, if an equal amount of days is to be spent in multiple countries, then visit the embassy of that country which will be your first destination state.

Mostly, this is not the case. However, if your host country has no embassy in India, you can visit the consulate of another country which is responsible for receiving and processing your applications.

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