In short
A Schengen visa lets you visit 29 European countries for up to 90 days in any 180. From India, you apply to the country where you spend the most nights. The fee is €90 per traveller aged 12 or over. Apply 15 days to 6 months before you travel. A decision takes 15 days, and up to 45.
What is a Schengen visa?
It is a short-stay visa for the Schengen area. One visa from any member lets you travel across all 29 states. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You can use it for a holiday, a family visit or a business trip.
The 29 states are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Cyprus is in the EU but not in the Schengen area. Liechtenstein has no visa office in India, so Switzerland issues its visas.
Source: Common Information Sheet for India (EU Delegation to India) (opens in a new tab); Schengen area (European Commission) (opens in a new tab).
Do Indians need a visa for Europe?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa for a short trip to any of the 29 Schengen states. You apply before you travel, not at the airport. ETIAS, the new EU travel permit, is for visa-free travellers, so it does not apply if you hold a visa.
Since 10 April 2026, the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) records your entry and exit at the border. It replaces the stamps in your passport.
Source: Entry/Exit System (European Commission) (opens in a new tab); ETIAS (European Commission) (opens in a new tab).
Which country do I apply to?
You apply to your main destination. That is the country where you spend the most nights, or the main reason for your trip. If there is no main destination, you apply to the country you enter first. This is Article 5 of the EU Visa Code.
You can’t pick a country for better odds. Your trip decides where you apply.
How much is the Schengen visa fee?
The fee is €90 per traveller aged 12 or over. It is €45 for children aged 6 to 11, and free under 6. You pay it in rupees, at the rate each country sets. It is not refunded if you are refused. The visa centre adds its own service charge.
For example, Germany charges ₹10,100 for adults from 27 August 2026 (German Missions in India, 2026).
What documents do Indians need?
The EU has one document list for all Schengen states in India. It asks for a cover letter, your travel and stay bookings, and travel insurance. It also asks for 3 months of bank statements, stamped by the bank. Add tax returns for the last 2 years.
- A signed visa form and one recent photo.
- A passport issued in the last 10 years, valid for 3 months after you leave, with 2 blank pages.
- A cover letter: why you travel, your dates, who goes with you, and where you stay.
- Flight and hotel bookings, or a host’s letter, for every night.
- Travel medical insurance of at least €30,000, for every day of the trip.
- Bank statements for the last 3 months, stamped and signed by the bank.
- Income tax return acknowledgments for the last 2 assessment years.
- Proof of your job, business, studies or pension, such as pay slips and a leave letter.
- Schengen Visa Document Checklist From India (2026)
- Schengen Visa Cover Letter From India: What the Rules Require and a Template That Fits Them
Source: EU document list for India, C(2025) 4379 (opens in a new tab); EU Visa Code, Articles 12, 14 and 15 (opens in a new tab).
How much bank balance do I need?
There is no single amount for all of Schengen. Each country sets a daily amount, from €14 a day in Latvia to €122.10 in Spain. Multiply it by your days in Europe. Your last 3 months of bank statements should show you can cover it.
Source: EU border guards’ handbook, Annex 25 (DG HOME, 1 April 2026) (opens in a new tab).
When should I apply?
Apply no more than 6 months before your trip. As a rule, apply at least 15 days before it. A decision usually takes 15 days, but it can take up to 45. So in busy months, apply 45 days or more before you fly.
- Schengen Visa Processing Time From India (2026): 15 Days, 45 Days, and What Moves the Clock
- Schengen Visa Appointment at VFS, BLS or GVC in India: How It Works (2026)
Source: EU Visa Code, Articles 9 and 23 (opens in a new tab).
How long can I stay?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, across all 29 states together. Every day you are in the area counts, including the day you arrive and the day you leave. Your visa sticker also shows how many days it allows.
Source: Schengen Borders Code, Article 6 (opens in a new tab).
Schengen visa refusal rates for Indians, 2025
In 2025, Indians made 1,153,748 Schengen visa applications. 181,111 were not issued, a ‘not issued’ rate of 15.8% on DG HOME’s own measure. The same measure for all countries was 14.6%. Worked out like the table, refusals divided by applications, India’s rate was 15.7%. The table shows each state’s figures.
These are past averages, not advice. You can’t pick a country for better odds: Article 5 of the Visa Code decides where you apply. Your own documents decide your result.
| Country | Applications from India | Refused |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 48,761 | 21.6% |
| Belgium | 33,333 | 7.7% |
| Bulgaria | 3,434 | 37% |
| Croatia | 2,615 | 27.1% |
| Czechia | 27,388 | 20.1% |
| Denmark | 17,038 | 6.9% |
| Estonia | 1,706 | 30.1% |
| Finland | 17,564 | 13.9% |
| France | 204,184 | 15.2% |
| Germany | 153,179 | 10.5% |
| Greece | 41,009 | 33% |
| Hungary | 16,251 | 13% |
| Iceland | 10,906 | 25.6% |
| Italy | 53,423 | 12.7% |
| Latvia | 1,314 | 18.6% |
| Liechtenstein | Issued by Switzerland, no separate figure | |
| Lithuania | 944 | 35.7% |
| Luxembourg | 3,684 | 22.1% |
| Malta | 8,587 | 31.7% |
| Netherlands | 97,650 | 20.6% |
| Norway | 29,104 | 14.7% |
| Poland | 9,673 | 17% |
| Portugal | 15,422 | 20.3% |
| Romania | 1,931 | 18.1% |
| Slovakia | 1,437 | 21.1% |
| Slovenia | 1,141 | 46.1% |
| Spain | 90,720 | 15.2% |
| Sweden | 32,536 | 11.4% |
| Switzerland | 226,044 | 13.6% |
Source: EU visa statistics, 2025 edition (European Commission, DG HOME) (opens in a new tab), published 28 May 2026. Table rates: refusals divided by applications. The India and all-countries ‘not issued’ rates are DG HOME’s own measure.
Can I get a multiple-entry visa?
Yes, you can ask for one. The EU’s 2024 rules for India cover people who travel often. Used two Schengen visas lawfully in the last 3 years? Then you can be given a 2-year multiple-entry visa. A 5-year one can follow. Ask for it on the form, and show your old visas.
Source: EU visa cascade for India, C(2024) 2434 (EU Delegation to India, April 2024) (opens in a new tab).
Country guides
One page for each Schengen state. Each has its 2025 figures for Indians, its money-per-day rule, where to apply and what to bring.
Free tools
Guides from our blog
- Travel Insurance for a Schengen Visa From India: The EUR 30,000 Rule Explained
- Schengen Visa Processing Time From India (2026): 15 Days, 45 Days, and What Moves the Clock
- Schengen Visa for Students From India: Documents, Fee Waiver and Who Pays (2026)
- Schengen Visa for Self-Employed and Business Owners From India: Documents, ITR and GST (2026)
- Schengen Visa for Parents and Senior Citizens From India: Documents, Sponsorship and Insurance
- Schengen Visa Fee in Rupees From India (2026): What You Actually Pay
- Schengen Visa Cover Letter From India: What the Rules Require and a Template That Fits Them
- Schengen Visa Appointment at VFS, BLS or GVC in India: How It Works (2026)
- Schengen Visa for December: Apply-By Dates From India
- Schengen Visa Bank Balance for Indians, by Country
- EES Europe for Indian Travellers: At the Border
- Schengen Visa Rejected: What to Do Next From India
- Schengen 5-Year Visa for Indians: Who Qualifies
- Schengen Visa Rejection Reasons for Indian Applicants (2026 Data)
- Which Schengen Country Should You Apply To From India?
- Schengen Visa Document Checklist From India (2026)
Questions people ask
Can I get a Schengen visa on arrival?
No. You must apply before you travel, through the visa centre of the country you mainly visit.
Does a Schengen visa guarantee entry?
No. The border guard checks your passport and papers again when you arrive, and can still refuse entry. Carry your bookings, insurance and proof of funds.
Does one visa cover all 29 countries?
Yes, in most cases. A normal Schengen visa is valid in all 29 states. A visa with limited territorial validity only covers the states named on the sticker.
Is Cyprus in the Schengen area?
No. Cyprus is in the EU but not in the Schengen area. Check Cyprus’s own visa rules before you plan a visit there.
Do I need ETIAS if I have a Schengen visa?
No. ETIAS is a travel permit for people who can visit without a visa. If you travel on a Schengen visa, ETIAS does not apply to you.
Is the visa fee refunded if I am refused?
No. The €90 fee is not refunded after a refusal. That is why it helps to check your file before you pay it.
Can I pick the country with the lowest refusal rate?
No. Article 5 of the EU Visa Code decides which country handles your visa. It is your main destination, set by your trip. Refusal rates play no part in it.