Saturday, November 9, 2013

Visa

Most countries of Europe are covered under Schengen Visa Agreement and therefore you need a single visa for about 15 countries that are covered by this Agreement. You can apply at the embassy of any of the countries that you are visiting. However, it is preferable to apply to the one where you intend to spend maximum number of days. If you are travelling for the first time, you may have to appear for a personal interview. For those, who have travelled to Schengen Area in last 3 years, application at VFS centers is sufficient.

It is better to freeze your itinerary and make your reservations before applying for visa. You may keep the flight reservation pending and book just the accommodation and flights/trains within Europe to avoid cancellation charges in the eventuality of visa getting rejected. You don't need to have millions on your balance sheet to get a visa. But a healthy bank balance (2-3 lakhs should suffice) is recommended as an evidence that you will be able to meet all your travel expenses for the trip. Read the terms & conditions carefully on the website of the Embassy that you intend to apply to.

Don't forget to get travel insurance as it is mandatory to attach with the application. You can get it for as low as Rs 800/- for a basic plan. Make sure all countries that you are travelling to fall under Schengen Area. If the country is out of Schengen Area, then you need to apply for it separately.

If you have a friend/relative living in a Schengen country then you can also ask for an invitation letter from him/her and apply for Visitor visa instead of a Tourist visa. However, the country of your host should feature in your itinerary i.e. there should be a clear evidence that you are going to spend some time in the country of your host.

Start preparing well in advance and apply at least 20 days before your date of travel.

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