Schengen Visa for Indians: 2026 Guide to Fees and Rules

Last checked: 25 October 2026

Yes, Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa for tourism or business trips to the 29-country Schengen area, allowing up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply through the visa centre for your main destination no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before travel, and expect a decision in about 15 days.

Do Indians need a Schengen visa?

Yes. Indian nationals need a Schengen short-stay visa to enter any of the 29 Schengen countries for tourism, family visits or business, and it allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa is issued by the country you will visit longest, not by a central Schengen authority.

The Schengen area has 29 member countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, 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. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025. Cyprus and Ireland are EU countries outside the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa does not cover them.

There are three visa types you may be given:

Single-entry: one entry during the validity of the visa.
Multiple-entry: several visits while the visa is valid, within the 90/180 rule.
Airport transit visa: only covers the international transit area of an airport, not entry to the country.

Which country takes your application:

One country only: apply at its consulate.
Several countries: apply to the country where you will spend the longest time, the main destination.
Equal stays: apply to the country you will enter first.
As a general rule, apply in the country where you legally live.

Our Schengen visa guide covers the wider rules, and the Schengen calculator helps you count days.

Which embassy and visa centre to use in India

Each Schengen country runs its own application route in India, usually through a visa application centre, and the rules on where you may apply differ by country. Check your main destination before booking anything, because some countries let you choose any centre and others tie you to your place of residence.

Examples from the main destinations:

Germany: applications can be lodged at any VFS Global centre in India regardless of where you live, and they are forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for a decision.
France: people living in India whose main destination is France apply at a VFS Global centre in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Puducherry or Pune, and may choose any of these centres. Decisions are made by the French consulates in Mumbai, Puducherry, Kolkata and Bengaluru and the visa section of the French Embassy in Delhi.
Italy: a short-stay application must be made in the country where you have lived continuously for the last six months, with proof of residence. The Consulate General in Mumbai takes applications through VFS centres in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Cochin, while applications at the Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad centres go to the Consulate General of Italy in Bengaluru.
Spain: applications are handled by BLS International at centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Jalandhar. Jurisdiction depends on where you have lived for the past six months, not where your passport was issued, and applications cannot be processed from people, Indian nationals included, who do not live permanently in India.
Netherlands: apply at a VFS Global centre in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune or New Delhi if you live in India, Afghanistan or Bhutan.
Switzerland: all Swiss Schengen visa applications made in India are processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi. See our Switzerland visa guide for Indians.

If you are travelling to more than one country, confirm the main destination first, then check that country's centre list before you pay for an appointment.

The cascade rule: longer multi-entry visas for Indian travellers

On 18 April 2024 the European Commission adopted Implementing Decision C(2024) 2434, which sets adapted rules for issuing multiple-entry Schengen visas to Indian nationals living in India and applying in India. It can give you a two-year multi-entry visa, then a five-year one, but there is no entitlement to either.

The cascade in practice:

Two-year visa (C2): an Indian applicant who meets the entry conditions is issued a multiple-entry visa valid for two years, provided they have obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years.
Passport shorter than the visa: if the two-year visa would outlast the passport, the multiple-entry visa is issued with validity ending three months before the passport expires.
Five-year visa (C5): the German Missions in India say that after the two-year (C2) visa, applicants qualify for a five-year (C5) visa under the regular cascade, although applicants have no entitlement to either.

This matters for planning an Europe trip from India: a multi-entry visa removes the need to repeat the full application for each trip, but every stay still counts against the 90/180 rule. Keep your earlier visas and entry records, since lawful use of two visas in the previous three years is what triggers the two-year step.

Schengen visa fees in Indian rupees and service charges

The standard Schengen visa fee is EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 12, and Indian missions publish rupee equivalents that change with the exchange rate. Visa application centres add their own service charge on top, so the amount you pay is higher than the visa fee alone.

Published figures from Indian missions and centres:

Germany: EUR 90 (INR 9,900) for adults and EUR 45 (INR 5,000) for children aged 6 to 12, subject to change without notice, on a page dated 1 October 2026.
Italy, Mumbai consulate: INR 9,630 for adults and INR 4,820 for children aged 6 to 12 from late March 2026, plus a VFS service charge of INR 631.
Italy, Bengaluru consulate: INR 9,630 for adults from 1 April 2026 for applications at the Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad centres.
Spain: INR 9,599 for adults and INR 4,799 for children aged 6 to 12, plus a BLS service charge of INR 1,802 including 18% GST.
Netherlands: VFS Global charges a service charge of INR 1,855 including GST per application submitted with biometrics, on top of the visa fee.
Switzerland: the adult fee of EUR 90 is listed as INR 9,600 from 1 April 2026.

The fee can be waived for some categories of applicant. Because rupee amounts are revised, treat these as a planning figure and confirm the current amount on the centre's page before you pay.

Documents required for Indian applicants

A Schengen visa application needs a passport valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, a completed application form, an ICAO standard photo, travel medical insurance and supporting documents on purpose, money, accommodation and return. Fingerprints are taken when you apply, with some exemptions, and a consulate may ask for more.

Checklist for a typical application:

Passport valid at least 3 months beyond your exit from the Schengen area.
Completed and signed application form.
One photo meeting the ICAO standard.
Travel medical insurance meeting the Schengen minimum.
Documents on the purpose of the trip, such as bookings or an invitation.
Proof of money for the stay.
Proof of accommodation.
Evidence of your plan to return home.
Proof of residence where the country requires it, for example Italy's six-month continuous residence rule and Spain's six-month jurisdiction rule.
Approved Indian travel insurance for Germany: the German Missions accept Indian travel medical insurance only from approved Indian travel insurance companies.

Fingerprints are collected at the application, with some exemptions. Keep copies of everything you submit, because a consulate may request further documents and the decision period can be extended when it does.

Booking the appointment and processing time

Submit the application no earlier than 6 months before the trip and at least 15 days before it, and book an appointment first where the centre requires one. A decision is normally made within 15 days, extended to up to 45 days when the file needs a closer look or more documents.

Appointment rules vary:

Netherlands: you book your own VFS Global appointment, each person needs a separate appointment, and you should not book through an intermediary.
Germany: processing can take up to two weeks and sometimes longer, and the clock starts only when the file reaches the Consulate, which can take up to six working days.

A practical sequence for a Europe trip from India:

Confirm the main destination and the correct centre for your residence.
Book the appointment, one per traveller where required.
Collect the documents and insurance.
Attend the appointment for submission and biometrics.
Track the file and allow for the centre's forwarding time before the 15-day decision clock starts.

Because the earliest submission is 6 months before travel and the latest is 15 days before, aim for the middle of that window so a request for extra documents does not put the trip at risk.

Travel medical insurance

Travel medical insurance for a Schengen visa must cover emergency medical care, hospital treatment and repatriation, including in case of death, be valid in all Schengen countries for the whole stay, and have minimum cover of EUR 30,000. Germany adds a national condition on which insurers it accepts.

What the policy must do:

Cover emergency medical care and hospital treatment.
Cover repatriation, including in case of death.
Be valid in all Schengen countries, not just the main destination.
Be valid for the whole stay.
Provide at least EUR 30,000 of cover.

For Germany, the German Missions accept Indian travel medical insurance only from approved Indian travel insurance companies, so check the insurer against the mission's list before you buy. Buy the policy to match your visa dates, and if the visa is issued with a longer validity than your first trip, remember that insurance is checked for the stay you are applying for.

The 90/180 rule on your Europe trip

The 90/180-day rule is a moving window: on each day of a stay, count back 180 days, and the days spent in the Schengen area in that window must not exceed 90. The day of entry and the day of exit both count, and all Schengen countries share one allowance.

How it works in practice:

Every Schengen country counts against the same 90 days, so a multi-country trip does not reset anything.
Days spent in the UK do not count towards the 90 days.
Time spent under a residence permit or long-stay visa from a Schengen country is not counted either.
After 90 days in a row outside the Schengen area, a new stay of up to 90 days is possible.

Because the window moves, a long trip can be legal on the day you enter and illegal a week later. Run your dates through the Schengen calculator before booking flights, and keep your entry and exit dates, since the Entry/Exit System now records them electronically.

Arriving in Europe: the Entry/Exit System

The EU Entry/Exit System records non-EU nationals on a short stay at the external Schengen border: passport details, fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of each entry and exit. It started on 12 October 2025, has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, and replaces passport stamping.

What to expect at the border:

Registration is free and there is nothing to apply for in advance.
Children under 12 do not give fingerprints.
Holders of a long-stay visa or residence permit from an EES country are not registered.
The system detects people who stay longer than allowed, which is why your 90/180 count matters.

ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation for visa-free visitors only. People who need a Schengen visa do not apply for ETIAS. ETIAS is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20. Read more on our EES page.

Phone, data and keeping your Indian number active

Keep your Indian SIM in the phone for bank codes and calls, turn off its data roaming, and use a data eSIM for maps and messaging in Europe. Slashtel's Europe+ eSIM works in all 29 Schengen countries, plus the UK and Turkey, so data keeps working when you cross a border.

How the setup works:

Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS. WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data.
Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges.
The eSIM is bought online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Someone else can buy the eSIM and enter the traveller's email, so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it.
Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination, so it can be bought and installed at home before the flight.
The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand.
More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code.
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible.

Slashtel also sells mobile top-ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active. Support is on WhatsApp and email, 7 days a week. See the Europe eSIM, our guide to calls, texts, OTPs and data on an eSIM, keeping your Indian SIM active abroad and India top-ups. Size your data with the data calculator.

See Europe eSIM plans.

Sources

Checked 25 October 2026. Rules and dates can change, so check the official pages before you rely on them.

Questions, answered

What are the Schengen visa fees in Indian rupees?

The standard fee is EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 12, and missions publish rupee equivalents. Germany lists EUR 90 (INR 9,900) and EUR 45 (INR 5,000), Italy lists INR 9,630 for adults, Spain lists INR 9,599 and Switzerland lists INR 9,600 from 1 April 2026. Centres add service charges, such as INR 631 at VFS for Italy, INR 1,802 including GST at BLS for Spain and INR 1,855 including GST at VFS for the Netherlands.

What are the Schengen visa requirements for an Indian applicant?

You need a passport valid at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen area, a completed form, an ICAO standard photo, travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 of cover, and documents on purpose, money, accommodation and return. Fingerprints are taken when you apply, with some exemptions. Some countries also require proof of residence, such as Italy's six-month rule and Spain's six-month jurisdiction rule.

Which Schengen visa documents required list should I follow?

Follow the checklist of the consulate or centre handling your main destination, because national additions differ. The common core is passport, form, photo, insurance, purpose of trip, funds, accommodation and return plan. Germany, for example, accepts Indian travel medical insurance only from approved Indian travel insurance companies, so check the insurer against the mission's list.

How do I get a Schengen visa appointment in India?

Book through the visa application centre that serves your main destination, such as VFS Global for Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, or BLS International for Spain. Some countries let you choose any centre, like Germany and France, while Italy and Spain tie you to where you have lived for six months. For the Netherlands you book your own VFS Global appointment, one per person, and should not book through an intermediary.

What is the Schengen visa processing time?

A decision is normally made within 15 days, extended to up to 45 days when the application needs a closer look or more documents. Germany says processing can take up to two weeks and sometimes longer, and the clock starts only when the file reaches the Consulate, which can take up to six working days. Submit no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before the trip.

Can Indians get a two-year or five-year multiple-entry Schengen visa?

Yes, under Implementing Decision C(2024) 2434 adopted on 18 April 2024, which sets adapted rules for Indian nationals living in and applying in India. An applicant who meets the entry conditions gets a two-year multiple-entry visa if they have obtained and lawfully used two visas in the previous three years. The German Missions say applicants then qualify for a five-year visa under the regular cascade, but there is no entitlement to either.

How does the 90/180 rule affect a Europe trip from India?

On each day of a stay, count back 180 days, and the days spent in the Schengen area in that window must not exceed 90. The day of entry and the day of exit both count, and all Schengen countries share one allowance. Days in the UK do not count, and time under a Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa is not counted either.

Do I need ETIAS if I have a Schengen visa?

No. ETIAS is a travel authorisation for visa-free visitors only, and people who need a Schengen visa do not apply for it. ETIAS is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20. The Entry/Exit System is separate: it records short-stay travellers at the border, started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026.

Which countries does a Schengen visa cover?

It covers the 29 Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, 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. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025. Cyprus and Ireland are in the EU but not in the Schengen area.

How do I keep my Indian number and get data in Europe?

Keep the Indian SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes and turn off its data roaming, then use a data eSIM for maps and messaging. Slashtel's Europe+ eSIM works in all 29 Schengen countries plus the UK and Turkey, is data only with no number, and its validity starts when it first connects at the destination, so it can be installed before the flight.

See Europe eSIM plans →