How to score a Schengen Visa on an Indian Passport in 3 days !!!

Looking to score a Schengen Visa on an Indian Passport. Checklist! Flight bookings!! Hotel Bookings!!! Quite confusing right?

I know! I can get it!

The more you read about getting Schengen visa, the more scary you become. 

Don’t worry. It’s not as complicated as you think.

You will be stunned to know that we had received our Schengen Visa in 3 days time.

WHAT?? Puzzled!! Isn’t it?

Even we were surprised.

Having read a lot about Schengen Visa, I thought it will be a good idea to share my insights on some of the points to make your Schengen visa process easy.

Which country to apply?

i)     Visiting only one single country, simple, apply for your Schengen visa at that country's embassy.

ii)   Visiting multiple countries, then you have to apply for your Schengen visa at the embassy where you intend to spend maximum number of days.

iii)  Visiting multiple countries but spending equal number of days in different countries, then you have to apply for your Schengen visa at the embassy where you intend to land.

Preparation of itinerary

•  Have a rough plan in your mind where you want to travel
•  Zero in on the destinations you want to see.
•  Check the best time that suites you to travel to those destinations.(I am someone who would  prefer to visit a place during off season rather than visiting when there is heavy crowd).
•   If you intend to travel to multiple countries, have a rough itinerary to check where you will be  spending maximum number of days.
•   Now you will be able to arrive at a conclusion which embassy you should be applying.

Checklist and Preparation of documents

Search for the checklist of  your respective visa category on the relevant VFS website(For instance VFS Switzerland). 

Having got Short Term Schengen Tourist Visa, I am going to layout all that which made me break my head with, in order to save you hours of research.

Documents mentioned in VFS Checklist

Though VFS Checklist in itself is self-explanatory, I will throw some of the key points to be noted.

Flight Bookings

Flight Reservation!!

The what?

Confirmed Return Flight ticket?

What if I am denied visa?

How much will I get refund from my flight tickets?

Do I need to risk so much money to travel to these destinations?

Pheww!! The questions which popped up in my head were endless!!

This is the first tricky part. The first point I had to debate to myself was getting to spend on a confirmed Flight booking in the doubt of Visa getting rejected. I started reading lot of sites as to find a solution for this.

Even though fully refundable tickets seemed a better option, I was not completely satisfied with that idea of spending so much money before Visa.

Voila!! There comes the life savior – "Flight Itinerary".

Instead of spending a hefty amount in actual flight bookings before visa, you can get a return flight itinerary for INR 1000.

How attractive is this deal?

Wondering what I am talking about?

Well!! Check out this site.

Yey!! That was a Eureka moment for me.

There are various sites for getting flight itinerary like transvisabookings, Schengenvisaflightreservation. I found the latter cost effective (Half the price of the former site).

You can even check the airline reservation code of the flight itinerary given by the Schengenvisaflightreservation site on the airline database. You will be able to see your name against that Reservation code. That solves your problem right? :)

Hotel Bookings

Thanks to Booking.com where you can reserve a booking without actually paying your money. But you may have to give your credit card details in order to secure a booking.

Do check for the prepayment clause in Booking.com. Even though the common thing about Booking.com is like we have to pay at the time of check in at the hotel, there are some hotels which operate Prepayment policy. In my case, I was charged INR 18000 after I had booked.

So don't forget to check Prepayment clause! 

Proof of Financial status

If employed, you may have to attach your salary slips of last 3 months and Income Tax return for the last two years. That's all!

Bank Account Statements 
This is the next tricky part I would say. Different sites mention different details about the money you should be having in your account for visiting Schengen countries.

For instance; In schengenvisainfo site, it was mentioned to have 100 CHF per day per person after booking your flights and hotels.

Various bloggers had mentioned much higher amount than the above site.

To be on a safer side, we had shown a balance of 3.5 lakhs for two persons. Note that we hadn’t done flight bookings when we applied for the visa.

You should get an endorsement from the bank manager on a print out of online statement of your savings account.

Online statement without the sign of bank manager cannot be produced as a proof.

My account was savings plus account(i.e savings account linked to MOD(Multi Option Deposit), wherein surplus funds above a threshold limit from the savings account is transferred automatically to Term deposits. Payments in excess of available balance in the savings bank account can be made by breaking MODs last in first out.

Because of the above fact, I had produced a Bank certificate signed by Branch Manager stating the amount available in my savings account.

Marriage certificate 
Though it was not mentioned in the VFS Switzerland checklist, I had heard it is better to provide a copy of your marriage certificate as proof of your civil status, if you are married for more than 3 months.

If you are just married and yet to receive a marriage certificate, you can submit a NOC signed from both of your parents.

Disclaimer - I seriously dont know whether a copy of marriage certificate is necessary for applying Schengen visa. To be on a safer side, I did submit a copy of my marriage certificate.

Other Documents

Passport
Your passport should have at least 3 months validity after the scheduled return planned. If you have previous passports, bind it together with the new one while submitting.

Photo
2 Passport size photos not older than 6 months. Your face should take up 70-80% of your photo. Here's the photo representation given in the checklist!

VISA Application 
While making an online appointment, you have to fill your application form online at VFS site of the embassy you are applying to.

Personal Covering letter 
This should contain purpose, rough itinerary indicating the dates and plans for the day. You have to mention the supporting documents you are attaching with the application. 

Introduction letter on the business letterhead from the employer

No Objection certificate regarding your visit to the Schengen countries from the employer mentioning your position and duration of your service. 

Travel Insurance 
Before applying, you may please check the approved list of Indian Travel Insurance agencies. Your Travel Insurance should have a minimum coverage of 30000 Euro/50000 USD/50000 CHF. We got our travel insurance from BAJAJ ALLIANCE.

Photocopies of your passport 
Don’t forget to bring Photocopies of first and last page of your passports.

Appointment at VFS consulate

You have to make an appointment online at VFS consulate site of the embassy you are applying to.(For instance, VFS Switzerland)

There are two parts in the visa fee. One is Schengen fee (INR 6000) and another one is VFS service fee (INR 1350).

You can either pay the total fee at the VFS consulate(Cash or Demand draft only) or pay the VFS service fee online and the Schengen fee at VFS office. There are some VFS which accept cards too. (VFS - Chennai doesn’t accept cards)

Along with passport and supporting documents mentioned in the checklist, don’t forget to bring the Appointment letter and online payment confirmation receipt.

Yeah You heard it right.

You have to appear in person along with all the documents mentioned above.

You will be allowed to enter only 15 minutes before your appointment time. You will be allotted a queue number inside. Look for your queue number in the display screen and the counter you should be going.

At the counter, a VFS official will check all your documents. If all your documents are fine, you will have to give your fingerprints. (If not given in the last 5 years(Precisely 59 months) in any VFS office)

Processing time 

The processing time of the application varies based on the embassy you are applying to. Though the processing time mentioned in VFS site was 15 days, when your documents are in order, you will be able to receive your passport back with Schengen visa stamping within 7 days.

If Embassy requires additional documents, they may ask you to submit additional documents. If required, you may be called for an interview. 

Usually for honeymoon couples, if all documents are in order, they will clear as early possible. 

After processing your visa application at the embassy, you can either collect your passport at the VFS office or pay for the courier charge of INR 400 and get it delivered at your door step.

Good Luck for your Schengen Visa. 

Happy travelling!!