Schengen visa for Indian passport — which embassy to apply through
All 27 Schengen countries issue the same visa, but Belgium and Czech consulates process Indian applications 3x faster than France or Germany. The strategy if you're flexible on routing.
Schengen visa policy: you apply through the embassy of the country where you'll spend the most days. If equal days across countries, apply through the country you enter first. The visa, once approved, lets you enter and exit any of the 27 Schengen states without further checks.
The unspoken rule: embassies have wildly different processing times for Indian applications. France and Germany are slammed with applications, 25-35 day processing. Belgium and Czech Republic process in 7-12 days for the same trip. Italy and Spain are middle, 15-20.
Strategy: if your trip is flexible on which Schengen country you enter first, route through Brussels or Prague. Same ₹8,500 visa fee, same multi-entry options, but you'll have your passport back in your hands 2-3 weeks earlier.
This matters most for last-minute trips. A Schengen application submitted 4 weeks before departure is high-risk through France (might be 28-32 days), low-risk through Belgium (likely 10-14 days).
Document checklist (universal across Schengen): 1. Travel insurance covering ≥ €30,000 — Tata AIG or ICICI works, ~₹1,500/week 2. Confirmed return ticket (or full multi-country itinerary) 3. Hotel bookings for every night of the trip 4. Bank statements (last 3 months) showing ≥ ₹2,00,000 balance 5. Salary slips (last 3 months) + Form 16 6. Letter from employer (leave approval + return guarantee) 7. ITR last 2 years 8. Cover letter explaining trip purpose
Common rejection: insufficient bank balance. Schengen looks for ₹50,000 per day of trip minimum. A 14-day trip means ₹7L liquid in savings. Workaround: include a fixed deposit certificate or property documents.
Once approved, the visa is typically 30 days single-entry for first-time applicants, valid 6 months. Second application onwards, multi-entry up to 5 years is possible.
Multi-country plan: Europe Schengen 14 days budget covers Paris + Amsterdam + Berlin + Prague in one trip.