Schengen visa: Indians’ Europe travel plans in limbo this summer over Schengen visa slot shortage

Indians planning to visit the Schengen Area this summer have said that they are not finding any available appointment slots and have called on the authorities to take measures, according to a report by Schengen News.Expressing their frustration with the low number of Schengen visa available appointment slots, some Indians have said that they had no other choice but to postpone or cancel their travel plans to the bloc, Schengen News said.

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Besides the applicants, Indian travel agents have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the current situation.

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Vice-President of the Travel Agents Federation of India, Anil Kalsi said that there are currently no available appointments until summer for the majority of Schengen member states, reported Schengen News.

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According to him, for Germany and Italy, the earliest appointment date is in July.

This implies that Indians intending to secure a German or Italian Schengen visa for travel to the Schengen Area in June or July will be unable to do so.

Longer Validity Schengen Visas for Indians
The European Commission recently introduced a new visa “cascade” regime for Indian nationals seeking Schengen visas, allowing for more straightforward access to multiple entry visas with extended validity periods. This new regime, effective from April 18, replaces the standard rules of the Visa Code and offers significant advantages for Indian travellers.Under the new rules, Indian nationals residing in India can be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after lawfully obtaining and using two visas within the previous three years. This initial two-year visa can then be followed by a five-year visa, provided the passport has sufficient validity remaining. This extended validity allows travellers to move freely within the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

The Schengen area, comprising 29 European countries, including 25 EU states, offers a unique travel experience. The following countries are part of the Schengen area: 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, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.