Planning a Europe trip? Schengen visa process is now made easier for Indian frequent fliers

Travel website MakeMyTrip’s recent India Travel Trends Report found that 25% of Indians have taken more than three trips per year since 2019, with some of the emerging international destinations including Tbilisi, Georgia. Other top destinations for long-haul flights include London along with Toronto and New York.

Schengen visa, now made easy

So, recently, in order to foster stronger relations with India, the European Union (EU) introduced a few welcomed changes to their visa process. EU ambassador Herve Delphin took to X on Monday (April 22) to announce that “Travel to Europe made easy!”

The Schengen visa (( ₹7,111 for adults, ₹3,555 (40€) for kids aged 6 to 12 and while children under six years are free) gives you access to the EU which includes 29 European countries. They are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

With the new visa ‘cascade’ regime, Indians “with an established travel history, if the passport validity allows” are at an advantage. They can access long-term, multi-entry visas, which will streamline travel plans for those venturing into the Schengen area.

According to the European Commission, a Schengen visa is an entry permit for a short visit. It can allow you temporary entry of up to 90 days in any 180-day period This visa can be obtained in two forms – a single-entry visa, which allows a person to enter the Schengen area once, or a multiple-entry visa, which grants several visits to different areas as long as it’s valid.

So what is cascade visa?

Indians can be issued Schengen visas valid for two to five years. Once a person has applied for and used two visas within the previous three years, they can get a two-year visa, followed by one that’s valid for five years, subject to passport validity. These visas are not purpose-bound and don’t allow you to work in any of the EU countries.

According to a statement by the European Commission (European Delegation to India and Bhutan), these visa holders can enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals aka citizens. Travel in the Schengen area and enjoy short stays for a maximum of 90 days in 180 days per year and 900 days over five years, although not consecutively. The system is designed to reward frequent travellers with progressively longer visas. Another benefit is that Indians can also visit over 37 countries outside of the Schengen area, visa-free.

Previously, Schengen visas were tiresome due to their short validity, unlike US visas, which gave visitors a year. It also required multiple applications, which included a lot of paperwork for those who were frequent travellers. Also, earlier, there was no standard policy for the states to issue long-term visas. Some followed a quicker process, while others took anywhere from a month to two.

How long does it take to get the visa?

Previously, the time it took to obtain a visa was depended on the place you wanted to visit in the EU. While some countries completed their process in around 15 days, other embassies can take upto 30 to 60 days to process a visa.

Travellers has to submit their visa application to the Consulate at least 15 days before their journey. However, it cannot be submitted earlier than six months before the date you intended to travel.

Travel agencies on the new rules

Rajeev Kale – President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa – Thomas Cook (India) Limited, says, “While the appeal of exceptional/exclusive locales is undeniable, the fundamental shift is the new-age Indian consumer’s increasing desire to invest in themselves, against traditional options like gold, real estate, and luxury goods. So, travel experiences are moving to the top of the Indian consumer’s consideration set. We are also seeing an uptick in the cohort of young India’s millennials. Europe continues to be a favourite for Indian travellers and consumers are displaying increased spending appetite as our data reflects an uptick of over 60% for premium/luxe destinations.” According to their data, there is an increase in demand, over 35%, for Scandic countries like Finland with Iceland and inclusions of husky safaris, stays in a glass igloo or traditional log cabins which have spectacular views of the Northern Lights.

“The Indian traveller is discerning, seeking offbeat destinations and keen to explore locales in-depth. Destinations in the EU like Bulgaria and Romania have emerged [as a new favourite for travellers] after their entry into the Schengen visa,” explains Daniel D’souza, President and Country Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel. He goes on to add that searches for these regions have seen an increase of 25-30%.

Bulgaria and Romania now part of visa-free Schengen zone

After a 13-year effort, Bulgaria and Romania are now a part of Europe’s Schengen area, as of March 2024. It will facilitate seamless air and sea travel, eliminating the need for border checks within the Schengen zone. With this move, tourists flying into these countries won’t need a separate visa and can use their Schengen visas. Those travelling by road will need additional documentation.