15+ years processing Schengen visas for Indian travellers. 95%+ first-time approval rate. Serving applicants from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune.
The Schengen visa lets Indian passport holders travel across 29 European countries with one document — Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, and 23 more. We’re a Banjara Hills travel agency, accredited by IATA and registered as a visa consultant under the Ministry of Tourism of India, with an in-house Schengen team that has filed thousands of applications since 2011. We handle eligibility review, document preparation, VFS appointment booking, consular-grade itineraries, travel insurance, cover letters, and re-applications after refusal. Free 15-minute eligibility check before you pay anything.
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Here’s a factual snapshot of what the Schengen visa is, who it’s for, what it costs, and how long it takes — current as of May 2026. If you want one-line answers before reading the full guide, this section has them. Complete Schengen documents checklist for Download for Indian travelers.
Quick-facts table:
| What it is | A short-stay visa allowing travel across 29 European countries with a single document |
| Number of Schengen countries (2026) | (2026) 29 — including Bulgaria and Romania (joined 2024) and Croatia (joined 2023) |
| Maximum stay | 90 days within any 180-day rolling period |
| Visa fee (2026) | €90 (~₹9,810) for adults · €45 (~₹4,905) for children 6–11 · Free for children under 6 |
| VFS service charge | ~₹2,000–₹3,700 (varies by country) |
| IMAD service fee | Starts at ₹3,500 per applicant |
| Total cost (typical) | ~₹16,810–₹20,010 per person all-inclusive |
| Processing time | 15 working days standard · up to 45 days in peak season (May–August) |
| Apply when | 6 weeks to 6 months before travel (max 6 months in advance, min 15 days) |
| Where to apply | VFS Global Hyderabad (1.2 km from our office) |
| Insurance required | Travel insurance covering minimum €30,000 medical |
| Validity | Single-entry, multiple-entry (3 months / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 years) — depends on your travel history |
| Indian passport requirement | Minimum 6 months validity beyond return date · 2+ blank pages |
| First-time approval rate (IMAD clients, 2025) | 95%+ for cases we accept |
| # | Country | Why it's easier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | Largest consular bandwidth in India, fastest-processing standard slots, Indian-friendly | First-time applicants, families |
| 2 | Spain | Generous interpretation of "tourist purpose," strong Indian volume | Honeymoon couples, multi-city Europe trips |
| 3 | Iceland | Very low rejection rate for Indians (~3-5%), small consular workload | Adventure travellers, photographers, Northern Lights trips |
| 4 | Lithuania / Latvia / Estonia | Latvia / EstoniaBaltic consulates approve quickly, less scrutiny on first applications | Solo travellers, business visits, multi-country routings |
| 5 | Greece | Tourism-friendly consular policy, fast slot availability | Cruise passengers, island-hopping itineraries |
| # | Country | Why it's harder |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | Demands very specific financial documentation; strict on "ties to home country" |
| 2 | Switzerland | Smallest consular team in India; longest waits; high documentation bar |
| 3 | Belgium | Very strict on travel purpose; low tolerance for vague itineraries |
“Easiest” depends on YOUR profile, not just the country. A Bangalore IT professional with a strong salary, ITRs, and prior US/UK travel will be approved by Germany without trouble. A first-time international traveller from a tier-2 city without strong financial documents may struggle with even France. There’s no universal “easiest” — there’s the country that’s easiest for you. We figure that out in the free 15-minute eligibility check before you pay anything.
Apply-from-the-easiest-country trick (Schengen first-entry rule):
Schengen rules require you to apply at the consulate of the country where you’ll spend the most time, OR the country you enter first if time is split equally. You can’t apply for a French visa just because France is easier and then fly into Germany. Plan your itinerary around the consulate you want to apply to — that’s a strategy, not a hack.
Want to know which Schengen country gives YOU the best approval odds? WhatsApp +91 70752 02850 with your destination, dates, and a 1-line description of your work and previous travel. Free 15-minute eligibility check, no payment up front.
A weak case is a wasted ₹19,500 in fees AND a black mark on your passport that hurts the next attempt. We do a free 15-minute eligibility review covering your purpose, financials, prior travel history, and ties to India before you commit. If we see a red flag, we’ll tell you what to fix. If your case looks rejection-prone, we’ll either give you a 6-month plan to strengthen it, or recommend you wait — not take your money.
Every Schengen consulate has unwritten rules. France wants 6 months of bank statements; Germany insists on 3 months but very recent. Italy needs every flight booking paid in full; Belgium often accepts unpaid reservations. Our team has filed thousands of applications and knows the country-specific quirks for the 5 consulates that handle 90% of Indian volume — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Netherlands.
During peak season (May–September), VFS Hyderabad slots sell out 6–8 weeks ahead. We hold reserve slots, refresh availability twice daily, and can usually get you in within 2–3 weeks even in the worst weeks. If your travel date is tight, ask — we don’t promise miracles, but we have more options than someone refreshing the public VFS page.
About 30% of our Schengen workload is re-applications after refusal. We get the Article 32 refusal letter, identify exactly which clause was triggered, fix the underlying weakness (usually financial documentation or itinerary), and re-file 2–4 weeks later. Most of our re-applications get approved.
We won’t take a Schengen case we don’t believe will be approved. That’s not a sales line — it’s the operating policy that keeps our approval rate above 95% for the cases we accept.
Yes — you can come to IMAD Travel for the Schengen visa alone and book your own flights, hotels, and day-by-day plan yourself. Visa-only assistance is a standard service for us, not a favour or an exception, and it doesn’t cost more than coming to us for the full trip.
We know why people hesitate to call a travel agency for visa help. The worry is that the “free” visa consultation turns into a hard push to buy a package, that you’ll lose control of the dates and route you’ve already planned, or that the agent will quietly steer you away from the do-it-yourself trip you were looking forward to. It’s a fair worry. It’s just not how we work.
Here’s what visa-only actually means with us:
Why offer it this way? Because a visa client who has a clean, low-pressure experience tends to come back for the next holiday, or sends a cousin, a colleague, or a parent. We’d rather earn your trip booking later than push it on you now. That’s also why we’d rather tell you your case is simple enough to do yourself (see the next section) than take a fee for work you don’t need.
What visa-only includes: eligibility review, a document checklist built for your destination and profile, document review, VFS appointment booking, cover letter, optional consular-grade itinerary, travel insurance arrangement, status tracking, and re-application support if it’s ever needed — with zero pressure to book anything else.
WhatsApp our Schengen visa desk (Anusha): +91 99597 77776 — tell us “visa-only, I’m booking my own trip,” and that’s exactly what you’ll get.
You can absolutely apply for a Schengen visa yourself — thousands of Indian travellers do it every year without an agent. Whether you should comes down to your profile and how complicated your trip is. Here’s the honest breakdown we’d give you on a call.
You probably don’t need an agent if:
If that’s you, applying yourself is genuinely fine. Start with our free Schengen documents checklist for Indians and the country guide for the easiest Schengen country to get a visa from India, and you may not need to speak to us at all.
An agent genuinely earns its fee if:
What we add in those cases is covered just above in How IMAD Travel Makes Your Schengen Visa Application Simple — honest pre-screening, consular-grade documentation, a held VFS slot, and re-application support if it’s needed.
And if you show us your case in the free 15-minute check and it turns out to be simple and strong, we’ll tell you that you can likely do it yourself and point you to the checklist. Turning away cases that don’t need us is part of how we keep a 95%+ approval rate on the cases we do take.
Not sure which side you’re on? WhatsApp +91 99597 77776 with your destination, dates, and a one-line description of your work and past travel. We’ll tell you honestly.
The Schengen visa process from India is straightforward when you know the order. Here’s the real-world workflow, the way we run it for clients — from the day you decide to travel to the day your passport comes back with the visa stamp.
This is the step everyone gets wrong. You don’t pick “easiest country” and then plan your trip. You plan your trip, find the country where you’ll spend the most nights, and apply at THAT country’s consulate. If your itinerary is 3 nights in Paris, 4 in Rome, 3 in Barcelona, you apply at the Italian consulate (most nights). Wrong consulate = automatic refusal.
Schengen consulates accept applications up to 6 months before travel and require a minimum of 15 working days lead time. Realistic safe window is 6–8 weeks before departure. May–August needs 8–10 weeks. We’ve had clients get visas in 7 working days — we’ve also seen 30-day waits in peak season. Plan for the longer end.
VFS Global handles applications for most Schengen countries. Centers in Hyderabad (Hitec City), Mumbai (BKC, Andheri), Delhi (Shivaji Stadium, Vasant Vihar), Bangalore (Whitefield), Chennai (Anna Salai), Pune (Yerwada). Some countries (Italy, Greece, Czech Republic) require documents to be couriered to Mumbai or Delhi consulate after Hyderabad biometrics. We handle all that.
Standard checklist (full version in Section 6 below): passport with 6+ months validity, 2 photos (35×45mm, white background, 80% face), filled application form, travel insurance €30,000+, paid flight bookings, hotel bookings, day-by-day itinerary, cover letter, last 6 months bank statements, last 3 years ITR, employer NOC and salary slips, marriage certificate (if applicable), Aadhaar, PAN. Specific countries add their own asks.
You attend VFS in person. Biometrics (fingerprints + photo) are mandatory unless you’ve given them in the past 5 years for a previous Schengen application. Total fees on submission day: visa fee (~₹8,500) + VFS service charge (~₹2,000) + premium services if you opt in. Plan for 90 minutes at VFS, 30 minutes if you’re well-organized.
You’ll get a VFS reference number. Standard processing is 15 working days. Your passport returns to VFS, then to you (courier or pickup). We track every IMAD client’s application twice weekly and notify you the moment a decision is made.
If approved: you’ll receive your passport with the visa sticker. Verify dates, number of entries, and validity carefully. If refused: you’ll get an Article 32 refusal letter listing the reason code. Don’t panic, don’t re-apply immediately. Send us the refusal letter — we’ll tell you whether to fix-and-re-apply (usually 2–4 weeks later) or wait longer.
Want us to run your Schengen application end-to-end? WhatsApp Ms. Anusha at +91 70752 02850 with your destination and travel dates. Free 15-minute eligibility check.
Document collection is where most Schengen applications go wrong. The wrong photo size, an unstamped bank statement, or a cover letter without dates can trigger a refusal. We review every document before it goes to VFS — that single review prevents most preventable rejections.
Ready to start your application? WhatsApp Ms. Anusha at +91 99597 77776. We’ll send you a country-specific checklist within 24 hours.
The most common rejection trigger by far. Bank statement shows large unexplained deposits, average balance is too low for the trip cost, or financial proof doesn’t match the trip’s price tag. How we prevent it: review 6 months of statements before submission, prepare a brief explanation note for any large credit, and recommend a sponsor letter where balance is borderline.
Consulates need to be confident you’ll come back. If you’re young, single, no property, freelance income, no dependents — the consular officer worries you’ll overstay. How we prevent it: strengthen the cover letter to highlight job continuity, family commitments, property holdings, business ownership, or other anchors. We’ve gotten approvals for solo female applicants and freelancers many times — it’s about how the case is presented.
Vague itinerary, no flights, no hotels, or “I’ll book once visa is approved” — all rejection triggers. The consulate needs a coherent, specific trip plan. How we prevent it: every IMAD application includes a detailed day-by-day itinerary, refundable hotel bookings for every night, and refundable flight reservations. Itinerary makes geographic sense (no zig-zagging across Europe).
Insurance below €30,000, not valid across all Schengen countries, or with date gaps at start or end of trip. How we prevent it: we recommend three Schengen-compliant insurance providers (Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz, ICICI Lombard), verify the certificate before submission, and ensure 2-day buffer at both ends.
Applying at France’s consulate when most of your trip is in Germany. Schengen rules say you apply where you’ll spend the most time. How we prevent it: we map your itinerary against the rule, recommend consulate, and adjust trip if your preferred consulate doesn’t fit.
A Schengen refusal in the last 5 years, a US visa refusal, an overstay — all flagged in the consular system. How we prevent it: we ask up front. If there’s history, we adjust strategy — sometimes we wait, sometimes we apply through a different consulate, sometimes we provide additional clarification documents.
Dates that don’t match your supporting documents, employment field that contradicts your salary slips, gaps in travel history. How we prevent it: every application form is cross-checked against every supporting document before submission. One person fills, a second reviews.
Our 95%+ first-time approval rate isn’t because we cherry-pick easy cases — it’s because we prevent these seven failure modes systematically. If you’ve been rejected before, we’re a strong choice for re-application. If you’re worried about being rejected, we’re a stronger choice for first-time.
Worried your case might be borderline? Free 15-minute eligibility check, no obligation. WhatsApp +91 99597 77776.
| Component | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa fee (adult, 12+) | €90 (~₹9,810) | The consulate (via VFS) |
| Schengen visa fee (child 6–11) | €45 (~₹4,905) | The consulate (via VFS) |
| Schengen visa fee (child under 6) | Free | - |
| VFS service charge (per applicant) | ₹2,000–₹3,700 | VFS Global |
| VFS premium services (optional) | ₹2,500–₹6,000 | VFS Global |
| Travel insurance (per person, ~14 days) | ₹1,500–₹3,000 | Insurance provider |
| IMAD Travel service fee | ₹3,500 onwards | IMAD Travel |
| Document attestation (if needed) | ₹500–₹1,500 | Notary |
| Typical all-in cost per adult | ~₹16,810–₹20,010 | - |
Use IMAD’s free Schengen visa cost calculator to get an accurate all-in estimate for your specific application — embassy, VFS, insurance, and our service fee — based on country, applicant type, and duration.
→ Open the Schengen Visa Cost Calculator
Schengen Visa Cost from India PDF for download.
The VFS service charge is what most guides get wrong. It is not a fixed ₹2,000 — it varies by country because different Schengen consulates have different service agreements with VFS Global. This is the component that changed most significantly in late 2025 when VFS revised its charge structure. Here is the current breakdown by country for Indian applicants.
VFS Service Charges for Schengen Visa from India (2026)
| Country | VFS Service Charge (per person) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| France | ₹2,800 | Highest volume; most Hyderabad applications |
| Germany | ₹3,200 | Includes premium VFS handling |
| Italy | ₹2,400 | Standard |
| Spain | ₹2,200 | Standard |
| Netherlands | ₹3,700 | Highest VFS charge; factor in when choosing consulate |
| Switzerland | ₹2,600 | Not a Schengen fee — Switzerland has its own VFS fee schedule |
| Greece | ₹2,000 | Lowest of major countries |
| Portugal | ₹2,000 | Standard |
| Austria | ₹2,400 | Standard |
| Czech Republic | ₹2,200 | Standard |
Source: VFS Global India fee schedules, June 2026. Charges are subject to revision — confirm with VFS at time of booking.
What the VFS service charge includes: Biometrics capture, document forwarding to the consulate, application status tracking, and passport return by courier or counter collection. It does not include optional VFS add-on services (premium lounge, form-filling assistance, photocopying, SMS alerts) which are charged separately and are entirely optional.
What the VFS service charge does NOT include:
The total cost for Germany (most expensive combination):
Embassy fee ₹9,810 + VFS ₹3,200 + insurance ~₹2,000 + IMAD ₹3,500 = ~₹18,510 per adult
The total cost for Greece (most economical combination):
Embassy fee ₹9,810 + VFS ₹2,000 + insurance ~₹1,500 + IMAD ₹3,500 = ~₹16,810 per adult
The embassy fee is fixed across all countries (€90 = ₹9,810). The variation comes from VFS charges and insurance. This is why “how much is a Schengen visa?” has no single answer — it depends on which consulate you apply through.
Free 15-minute eligibility consultation · Country-specific document checklist · Document review and verification · Application form filling and review · VFS appointment booking and slot management · Cover letter drafting · Day-by-day itinerary preparation · Travel insurance arrangement · Flight and hotel reservation support · Application tracking and status updates · Re-application support if refused (no additional service fee for one re-attempt)
Get a written, itemized quote for your specific application. WhatsApp Ms. Anusha at Schengen Visa desk + 91 99597 77776. We’ll send a written quote within 24 hours.
Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden
Iceland · Liechtenstein · Norway · Switzerland
Cyprus (expected to join in 2026) · Ireland (maintains opt-out for Common Travel Area with UK)
Required only if you’re transiting through a Schengen airport without entering the Schengen Area, AND your nationality requires one (Indian passport holders generally don’t need Type A for transit through Schengen airports for most onward destinations). Niche — most travellers can skip this.
Allows stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day rolling period for tourism, business, family visits, or short cultural/sports events. Issued as single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry. Validity ranges from your specific travel dates to 5 years for repeat travellers with strong history.
Issued by individual Schengen member states for stays longer than 90 days — for study, work, family reunification, or long-term residence. Not a Schengen visa in the strict sense. Each country has its own Type D visa rules. We don’t handle Type D — it’s an immigration matter, not travel.
There’s no separate visa type for special events — special-purpose travel (cultural, sports, conferences) is processed under Type C with the appropriate documentation.
Most-asked clarifications:
Office: 5th Floor, Urmila Heights, Banjara Hills (1.2 km from VFS Hyderabad in Hitec City). Walk-ins welcome Mon–Sat, 10 AM–7 PM. Local advantage: Same-day document review possible. Direct VFS Hyderabad submission. We can accompany you to VFS for consultation. Most-applied countries from Hyderabad: France (40%), Italy (20%), Switzerland (15%), Germany (12%), Spain (8%), others (5%).
Process: Remote consultation by WhatsApp + video call. Documents couriered to our Hyderabad office for review (or we have a Mumbai courier-pickup partnership). VFS appointment booked at VFS Mumbai BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex) or VFS Mumbai Andheri depending on country. Best for: Mumbai-origin Europe departures (more direct flights from BOM than HYD), Italy and Greece consulate applications (both consulates are in Mumbai for South India). Mumbai contact: [Mumbai office support details / WhatsApp]
Process: Remote consultation. Documents either couriered to Hyderabad or reviewed on video call. VFS slot at VFS Delhi Shivaji Stadium or VFS Delhi Vasant Vihar depending on country. Important: The German consulate in Delhi is particularly thorough — we adjust documentation strategy for Delhi applicants applying for Germany. Best for: Delhi-NCR origin Europe departures, Germany / Austria / Czech Republic applications (Delhi has the largest German consulate in India).
Process: Remote consultation. VFS appointment at VFS Bangalore Whitefield. Bangalore-specific note: Bangalore tech professionals often have high salaries but weak documentation around domestic ties — we help structure financial proof and itinerary to address this directly. Strong India-domestic-ties section in the cover letter is crucial for Bangalore applications. Best for: IT corporate travel, family visits to Schengen countries with relatives, multi-country honeymoon routings.
Process: Remote consultation. VFS appointment at VFS Chennai Anna Salai. The Italian and Czech consulates in Chennai serve all of South India. Best for: Tamil Nadu and South India residents, multi-generational family Europe trips.
Process: Remote consultation. VFS slot at VFS Pune Yerwada (limited countries) or courier to VFS Mumbai for full coverage. Best for: Pune-based corporate travel, individual leisure applications, MICE groups.
All applications are filed at VFS centers in person — that’s a Schengen requirement (biometrics). What we handle remotely is everything before and after: eligibility check, document review, application drafting, slot booking, post-submission tracking, and refusal recovery.
VFS Global Hyderabad handles Schengen visa applications for France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and others in the same centre (Hitec City, Madhapur — about 1.2 km from IMAD’s Banjara Hills office). The process is straightforward when slots are available. In peak season (May to August), it is not.
VFS Global has separate portals for each country’s consulate. The booking link for France is different from Germany’s. A common mistake is booking the wrong country’s slot, then having to cancel and rebook — wasting 1–2 weeks in peak season. IMAD books slots on behalf of clients, which eliminates this error entirely.
Correct VFS portal links:
VFS slots for Hyderabad open at midnight and 6 AM most days. In peak season, France and Germany slots for Hyderabad can fill within minutes of release. The public advice of “check back later” is useless in May–August. What works: check at 11:55 PM and 5:55 AM with your login ready, or work with IMAD — we monitor slot availability daily and book the moment a window opens.
Schengen rules allow you to submit your application no earlier than 6 months before travel and no later than 15 working days before. Most consulates prefer 4–6 weeks before travel. Booking your VFS slot too early (3+ months before travel) may get your application returned — the consulate doesn’t want documents for a trip 4 months away.
Every applicant must attend in person. Bring your complete document folder (original + photocopies), the VFS appointment confirmation printout, and the visa fee payment confirmation (some countries require pre-paid visa fees; others accept cash at VFS). Biometrics are taken on-site — plan 45–90 minutes depending on queue.
You’ll receive a tracking reference. Standard processing is 15 working days from submission date. Your passport is returned to VFS, then available for courier or counter pickup. IMAD tracks every client application and notifies you immediately when a decision is made.
VFS Hyderabad location: VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd Unit 1, Lower Concourse , Punjagutta Metro Station, 8-2-340/1, Punjagutta Rd, Punjagutta Officers Colony, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana 500082 India
Open Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM (slots assigned; walk-ins not accepted).
Can’t get a slot? WhatsApp IMAD at +91 99597 77776. We hold reserve capacity with VFS for client applications and can usually get you in within 2–3 weeks even in peak season.
Most Schengen applications from India don’t involve a separate interview — biometrics + documents are the only consular contact. But Switzerland, Netherlands, France for some categories, and any “borderline” application can trigger a short interview at VFS or the embassy. Here’s what gets asked, and how to prepare.
A 30-minute mock interview with one of our Schengen team members. We run through the 10 most-likely questions, give feedback on weak answers, and prepare you for any consulate-specific quirks.
1. We’re a travel agency, not just a visa office. Most Schengen agents file the visa and disappear. We file the visa AND book the trip — flights, hotels, insurance, transfers, sightseeing. One coordinator from inquiry to homecoming. If a hotel cancellation triggers a refusal-flagged itinerary change, we fix the booking AND the visa documentation.
2. IATA-accredited, with consequences. IATA accreditation isn’t a logo — it’s an annual audit, a financial bond, and an accountability mechanism. If something goes wrong with a flight or hotel booked through us, you have legal recourse. With Justdial-listed agents, you have a phone number that may or may not pick up.
3. We pre-screen Schengen cases before you pay. A weak Schengen case is ₹19,500 wasted AND a refusal stamp on your passport that hurts the next attempt. Our 15-minute free eligibility review tells you whether to apply now, fix something first, or wait. We’ve turned away cases where we couldn’t see a path — that’s why our approval rate is 95%+, not because of luck.
4. 345+ Google reviews — many from Schengen clients. Public, unfiltered. Search “IMAD Travel” on Google Maps. Look specifically at reviews mentioning “Anusha,” “visa,” “Schengen,” “Europe” — that’s the team member and the service you’ll be working with.
The eligibility-check-before-payment model. No fee charged until we both agree your case is worth applying.
Country-specific itinerary drafts. We tailor itineraries to consular preferences, not template trips.
WhatsApp updates throughout the process. You never wonder “what’s happening” — we update you the moment status changes at VFS.
Anusha M. is a Senior Visa Consultant at IMAD Travel Pvt Ltd, a Banjara Hills (Hyderabad) travel agency that is IATA-accredited, certified by the Ministry of Tourism of India, and licensed by the Ministry of Hajj & Umrah, KSA. She has been processing Schengen, US, UK, Australia, and Umrah visas for Indian travelers since 2018. She can be reached on WhatsApp at +91 99597 77776 for a free 15-minute Schengen eligibility review — no payment required up front.
IMAD Travel has filed over 5,000 visa applications since 2011 and maintains a 95%+ approval rate on Schengen cases we accept. Read 345+ verified reviews on Google.
The total cost is approximately ₹16,810–₹20,010 per adult applicant. This breaks down as: visa fee €90 (~₹9,810) paid to the consulate via VFS, VFS service charge ~₹2,000, travel insurance ₹1,500–₹3,000, IMAD service fee ₹3,500 onwards. Children 6–11 pay half the visa fee; under 6 are free.
Standard processing is 15 working days. In peak season (May–September), expect 21–30 working days. We recommend applying 6–8 weeks before travel to leave a safety margin. Some consulates offer expedited processing for urgent cases — we’ll advise based on availability.
For Indian applicants, France, Spain, Iceland, Lithuania, and Greece have the highest first-time approval rates. France in particular has the largest consular bandwidth and fastest standard processing. The “easiest” country depends on your specific profile — we make this assessment in your free 15-minute eligibility check.
The Schengen Area average rejection rate for Indian applicants was ~16% in 2024 (about 1 in 6 applications denied). For IMAD clients, the rejection rate is under 5% because we pre-screen cases and only accept applications we believe will be approved.
29 countries. Bulgaria and Romania joined fully in 2024 (air/sea borders March 2024, land borders January 2025). Croatia joined in January 2023. Cyprus is expected to join in 2026 but isn’t yet a member. Ireland has a permanent opt-out.
Yes. VFS Global Hyderabad processes Schengen visas for most countries directly. Our office is in Banjara Hills, 1.2 km from the VFS center in Hitec City. For some countries (Italy, Greece, Czech Republic), documents are couriered to Mumbai or Delhi after Hyderabad biometrics — we handle the courier coordination.
Core checklist: passport (6+ months validity), application form, 2 photos (35×45mm), travel insurance €30,000+, paid flight reservations, hotel bookings, day-by-day itinerary, cover letter, last 6 months bank statements, last 3 years ITR, employment letter or business proof, Aadhaar, PAN. Country-specific add-ons apply.
Most Schengen applications from India don’t require a separate interview — only biometrics at VFS. Switzerland, Netherlands, and some borderline applications for Germany or Belgium may trigger a 5–10 minute interview. We provide free mock interview prep for cases flagged as interview-likely.
Yes — and we recommend it. Schengen consulates accept applications up to 6 months before travel, with a minimum of 15 working days’ lead time. For peak season (May–September), apply 8–10 weeks ahead. For winter / shoulder season, 4–6 weeks is usually safe.
Yes. About 30% of our Schengen workload is re-applications. The first step is to read your refusal letter (Article 32 cites the specific reason). Wait 2–4 weeks before re-applying to avoid a “duplicate application” flag. We review the refusal, fix the underlying weakness (usually financial documentation or travel purpose), and re-file.
Up to 90 days within any 180-day rolling period across all 29 Schengen countries combined — not 90 days per country. The 180-day window is calculated at every entry, looking back 180 days. Days spent in non-Schengen Europe (UK, Ireland, Cyprus) don’t count.
Yes. About 40% of our Schengen clients are based in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, or other Indian cities. We handle the entire process remotely — consultation by WhatsApp, document review online, courier coordination, and VFS appointment booking in your home city.
Send us a message and we’ll respond as soon as possible
5th Floor, Urmila Heights, 8-2-594/A, Road No. 10, opp. Rainbow Children’s Heart Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500034
info@imadtravel.com
+91-40-35416875
+91 70752 02850
+91 91009 66744
