Planning To Visit Europe This Summer? Expect Delays Due To Shortage Of Schengen Visa Slots

We know every summer brings about wanderlust and exciting travel plans for most of us. And going on a trip through Europe is on many summer bucket lists. However, this year, it is proving to be a tad troublesome. The number of Indian travellers making summer holiday plans is increasing, leading to greater difficulty in obtaining a Schengen visa due to the high demand for travel to Europe in 2024. Reports indicate that the next available appointment slot for Germany and Italy is in July 2024. That's quite a long wait and will scupper many plans. The shortage of available visa interview slots has caused many a travel plans to be cancelled. In High DemandEurope is quite popular as a travel destination for Indians. There has been a 44% increase in visa applications for Schengen countries from India, with last year seeing 9.7 lakh applications compared to 6.7 lakh in 2022. In April 2024, the European Union made some changes to the existing rules for Indian travellers frequenting Europe. As a result, Indian citizens can apply for multiple-entry Schengen visas with up to five years of validity. Herve Delphin, European Union's ambassador to India, described the new visa regime as a move towards enhancing people-to-people contact between the two sides. The new visa rules make it easier for Indian travellers to obtain visas under the "new cascade regime". Read more about it here.The processing timelines for visa decisions are determined by individual foreign missions, emphasising the necessity of meticulous planning to prevent last-minute complications. According to a study by Schengen Visa Info, Indians lost close to INR 90 crore in 2022 due to Schengen visa denials. In 2022, applications for Schengen visas from India increased by 415 percent, leading to more visas being issued. However, with nearly 100,000 visas rejected, India still ranked second internationally in the number of Schengen visa rejections. Also, India spent about Rs 480 crore on visa applications in 2022, but nearly INR 90 crore was lost because 121,188 were denied.About Schengen VisasSchengen visas allow the holder to travel freely within the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. These visas are not tied to any specific purpose, but they do not grant the right to work. Travelling across Europe on a single continent-wide visa is a seamless way for tourists to hop from one destination to the next without the hassle of multiple visas. In April 2024, it was announced that two more countries have joined the Schengen area. Romania and Bulgaria egan issuing Schengen C visas to foreign travellers from April 1, 2024. Their addition to the Schengen area takes the total number of countries that have a common visa policy for international travellers to 29.The Schengen area now comprises of 29 European countries, out of which 25 are EU states. These countries 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, and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.