Schengen visa from India in 2026: fee, documents, funds, insurance and the new multi-entry cascade
Indian citizens need a visa for short stays in the Schengen Area, which covers 29 countries. A Schengen visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, business or visiting family. This guide explains what to pay, what to submit and how first-time applicants can build towards a multi-year visa.
Which country do you apply to?
Apply to the country where you will spend the most nights. If you split your time equally, apply to the country of first entry. Applications from India are normally handled through each country's visa application centre (VFS Global and similar providers), with centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and other cities. Which centres handle which country varies, so check the embassy's own page.
What it costs
- Visa fee: EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, and free for children under 6. The fee rose to EUR 90 on 11 June 2024. Some guides still show EUR 80, which is the old figure.
- Service charge at the application centre: roughly INR 1,500 to 3,100, depending on the source and the country, charged on top.
- Travel insurance: roughly INR 1,500 to 3,000 for a short trip.
- Typical total for one adult: around INR 13,000 to 16,000 in one guide, before optional extras such as courier or lounge add-ons.
Documents most consulates ask for
- Passport issued in the last 10 years, valid at least three months beyond your planned departure, with two blank pages.
- Completed and signed application form and recent biometric photos.
- Travel insurance covering all Schengen states for the full trip.
- Round-trip flight reservation and accommodation bookings for the whole stay (refundable bookings are common).
- Cover letter explaining the purpose and itinerary.
- Bank statements, usually for the last three to six months (guides differ; check the specific consulate).
- Proof of employment or business (employer letter, payslips, income tax returns; for the self-employed, business registration and GST filings).
- Proof of ties to India, such as property, family or a job you are returning to.
Documents not in English or the country's language usually need a certified translation. See our guide on how to prove funds for a visa.
How much money do you need to show?
There is no single official figure for India. Each country sets its own daily reference amount. One guide suggests aiming for about EUR 100 per day of stay in accessible funds, while another gives country-specific examples such as roughly INR 1.3 to 1.6 lakh for a 7 to 10 day France trip. These are guides, not rules. Consulates care more that your balance looks stable and consistent with your income than about a large recent deposit.
Insurance
Mandatory. The policy must cover at least EUR 30,000 for emergency medical costs and repatriation, be valid in all Schengen states and cover the whole stay. Policies with gaps or country exclusions are a common reason for refusal.
Processing time
The official standard is up to 15 calendar days, extendable in some cases. In practice, guides report anything from a few days to several weeks, with summer the slowest. Apply no earlier than six months and ideally four to eight weeks before travel. Some embassies offer a faster service for an extra fee.
The cascade: how to get a multi-year visa
Since 18 April 2024, an EU rule (the "cascade") lets consulates issue longer multiple-entry visas to Indian citizens who have used earlier Schengen visas lawfully:
- First application: usually a single or short multiple-entry visa.
- After a visa used lawfully within the last two years: a 1-year multi-entry visa can follow.
- Then: a 3-year multi-entry visa after another lawful use.
- Then: a 5-year multi-entry visa.
The rule is not automatic and tiers cannot be skipped. An overstay or a mismatch between what you declared and what you did can reset your progress. The 90-in-180 limit still applies on a multi-entry visa.
The new border checks
The EU has been rolling out its Entry/Exit System (EES), which records biometric data at the external border instead of stamping passports. It matters for overstay tracking, and for Indians it does not replace the visa. ETIAS, the separate travel authorisation, targets visa-exempt nationals, not Indian passport holders, according to the guides we read, but its start date has moved before, so check the official EU page.
Common reasons for refusal
- Insurance that does not meet the rules.
- Weak, sudden or unexplained funds.
- Unclear purpose or an itinerary that does not match the bookings.
- Doubt that you will leave on time.
- Inconsistent documents.
Read our guide to the common reasons visa applications are refused for what to do next after a refusal.
Sources
Figures in this guide were gathered in October 2026 from news reports, travel-industry guides and law-firm summaries. These sources sometimes disagree with each other and with official pages, and entry rules for Indian passport holders change often. Check the destination's official immigration site or the Indian embassy page before you book. Visa Ray is a rule-based reference tool, not a law firm. You can run a free assessment on Visa Ray for your own profile.
