High Demand Leaves Indians Struggling to Secure Schengen Visa Appointments

High Demand Leaves Indians Struggling to Secure Schengen Visa Appointments

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Indians are struggling to find available Schengen visa appointment slots.
  • This situation is forcing them to change or cancel their travel plans to the Schengen Area.
  • In 2023, India ranked as the third-largest country for Schengen visa applications.

Indian travelers planning to visit the Schengen Area this summer are facing difficulties finding available appointment slots and are urging authorities to address the issue.

Due to the scarcity of Schengen visa appointment slots, many Indians have had to postpone or cancel their travel plans to the region. 

Indian travel agents have also voiced their dissatisfaction. Anil Kalsi, Vice-President of the Travel Agents Federation of India, stated that there are no available appointments for most Schengen member states until the summer, with the earliest slots for Germany and Italy being in July.

This situation means that Indians planning to travel to the Schengen Area in June or July won't be able to secure a German or Italian Schengen visa in time.

VFS Global Urges Early Visa Applications
In response to complaints, a spokesperson for VFS Global emphasized that the allocation of appointments is decided by Schengen member states and advised applicants not to wait until the last minute to apply for visas. According to recent EU Commission changes, Schengen visa applications can be filed up to six months before the intended travel date, with the latest application accepted two weeks before departure, depending on slot availability.

Indians Now Eligible for Multiple-Entry, Longer Validity Visas
In April, the EU Commission adopted more favorable Schengen visa-issuing rules for Indians. Schengen member states will now issue multiple-entry visas with longer validity to eligible Indians, such as those who have lawfully obtained and used two Schengen visas in the past three years and have an established travel history to the bloc. These travelers can receive two-year multiple-entry visas, followed by five-year visas if their passports have sufficient validity.

High Demand for Schengen Visas from Indian Citizens
In 2023, Indian nationals submitted 966,687 Schengen visa applications, making India the third-largest source of applicants, behind China and Turkey. However, not all applicants were successful; out of the total applications, 811,290 visas were granted, while 151,752 were rejected. The highest numbers of visas issued to Indians came from Switzerland, France, and Germany, with 166,919, 146,938, and 118,919 visas, respectively.

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