Europe (Schengen) Visa for Indians

Do Indians need a Schengen visa?

Ordinary Indian passport holders generally need a visa before a short tourist visit to the Schengen area. India appears in the EU's visa-required nationality list. Special residence, family-member or passport circumstances can change an individual's requirements, so check those separately.

This guide covers Schengen short stays, not every country in Europe. The United Kingdom and Ireland are not part of the Schengen visa scheme. Check every country in a multi-country itinerary, including transit, rather than assuming one European visa covers the whole route.

Which country's consulate should receive the application?

The European Commission says to apply to the consulate of the country you intend to visit. For a multi-country holiday, use the country where you will spend the longest time. If stays are equal, use the country whose external border you cross first when entering Schengen. The consulate normally needs jurisdiction over where you legally reside.

Do not choose a country only because an appointment looks easier if it is not the correct main destination. Use the consulate's official website to reach the authorised application centre and current checklist. An agent can help organise documents but cannot guarantee approval.

The 90-in-180 rule and your actual visa

A short stay is no more than 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area, not 90 days per country. Earlier Schengen visits count. Your visa may allow fewer days, fewer entries or a shorter validity period, so follow the more restrictive permission actually issued.

Read the visa sticker for validity dates, duration of stay, territorial validity and number of entries. A single-entry visa does not let you leave Schengen for the UK and then return on the same entry. A long-validity multiple-entry visa does not allow continuous residence for that entire validity.

Fees and when to apply

The Commission lists a standard visa fee of EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged six to below twelve. Children under six and some other categories have fee exemptions. Application-centre service charges can be additional; do not treat the visa fee as the final bill.

The Commission's general application window is no earlier than six months before travel and at least fifteen days before the intended journey. Appointments can be required. Normal processing is fifteen days, with up to forty-five days possible when further examination or documents are needed. Those are not guaranteed approval dates or appointment availability. Check the responsible consulate's current instructions and leave enough time for a family application.

Passport, insurance and supporting documents

The Commission requires a passport valid for at least three months after departure from Schengen, an application form, a compliant photograph, medical insurance and supporting evidence of the trip, financial means, accommodation and intention to return. Additional documents may be requested.

France's official application guidance also specifies a travel document issued less than ten years ago and at least two blank pages. Its insurance guidance requires at least EUR 30,000 cover for medical repatriation, emergency and hospital treatment across the relevant Schengen territory for the stay. Use the current checklist from the country deciding your application, including any India-specific document and translation rules.

Fingerprints are generally collected during the application, with exemptions for specified categories. Do not assume age alone removes an appointment requirement. Check the consulate or application centre's current biometric and accessibility instructions.

EES is not another visa

The EU says its Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026. It digitally records entries and exits for covered non-EU short-stay travellers and records personal and biometric data at external borders. It does not replace the Schengen visa an Indian tourist needs.

Allow time at the border and follow staff instructions. Visa-application biometrics and entry-border checks are different stages. Carry the approved visa and supporting travel documents; holding a visa does not automatically guarantee entry.

ETIAS does not replace a Schengen visa

As checked on 22 October 2026, the official ETIAS website says it is not in operation and is not collecting applications. ETIAS is intended for visa-exempt travellers, not as an alternative to a Schengen visa for an ordinary Indian passport tourist. Use the official EU website for any future start-date announcement, rather than paying an unofficial site to apply early.

Planning a parents' holiday

Check every passport early, including issue date, expiry and blank pages. Make sure insurance is valid for the destinations and dates and is suitable for the traveller's age and medical history. Arrange application-centre access and airline mobility assistance separately. Keep accommodation, return tickets, insurance and contact details together, and check the full route for countries outside Schengen.