A Schengen visa from Chandigarh gives you access to 26 European countries on a single permit — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and 22 more. Hike Visa handles your complete application from documents to submission.
All accessible on one Schengen visa
Valid for short stays up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the Schengen zone.
The Schengen Area is a group of 26 European countries that have abolished passport controls at their mutual borders. For Indian travellers, this means a single Schengen visa allows you to enter and move freely between all 26 member countries — you do not need a separate visa for each country you visit.
The Schengen Area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement signed in Luxembourg. It is not the same as the European Union (EU) — some Schengen countries are not EU members (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), and some EU countries are not yet in the Schengen zone (Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus).
For Indian applicants from Chandigarh and Punjab, a Schengen tourist visa is the single most common Europe travel document we process. The visa is typically issued as a short-stay permit valid for the specific travel dates of your itinerary, with single or multiple entry options depending on your travel history.
All accessible on one visa. No separate border checks between Schengen states once you enter.
You may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Overstaying is taken seriously and affects future applications.
Switzerland and Norway are Schengen but not EU. Ireland and Romania are EU but not Schengen. Each operates independently.
If visiting multiple countries, apply at the embassy of the country where you will spend the most time.
Minimum €30,000 medical coverage valid across the entire Schengen area. Not optional — missing this is a common refusal reason.
Your Schengen visa allows free movement between all of the following countries. This is the complete, official list of Schengen member countries as of 2025–26.
* Schengen Area membership as of 2025. Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Zone in 2024 for air and sea travel; full land border integration ongoing.
A common source of confusion for first-time applicants. A Schengen visa does not give you access to every EU country — and some Schengen countries are not EU members at all.
Most Indian applicants from Chandigarh apply for a Category C short-stay tourist visa. Here is the full breakdown.
Required if you need to pass through a Schengen country airport and are a citizen of a country on the transit list. Does not permit entry into Schengen territory.
The standard Schengen tourist visa. Valid for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Can be single-entry, double-entry, or multiple-entry depending on your travel history and purpose.
For stays exceeding 90 days in a single Schengen country. Issued by the specific country, not as a general Schengen document. Typically for study, work, or family reunification.
Allows entry into the Schengen Area once only. Once you exit, the visa is used. Common for first-time applicants with no prior Schengen travel history.
Allows multiple entries within the validity period. Typically issued to applicants with a strong Schengen travel history. Validity ranges from 1 year to 5 years for frequent travellers.
A special visa valid for one or more Schengen states but not the entire Schengen area. Issued in specific circumstances at the consulate’s discretion.
The Schengen visa fee is set by the EU and applied uniformly across all 27 member countries’ consulates. Below are the current standard fees.
Important: Visa fees are non-refundable even if the visa is refused. The VFS service charge is paid separately at the time of appointment booking. Insurance must be purchased before application submission.
€90 for adults — paid at the VFS centre at the time of application. Non-refundable.
Approximately ₹1,750 paid to VFS Global for appointment booking and biometric collection services in India.
Mandatory €30,000 minimum coverage. Cost varies by trip duration and insurer — typically ₹800–₹2,500 per trip.
Hotel bookings, flight itineraries, bank statements, cover letter — we guide you through every document at no hidden cost.
This is the standard document checklist for a Schengen tourist visa from India. Requirements may vary slightly by consulate. We review your specific file before submission.
Valid passport — must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your return date, with at least 2 blank pages.
Old passports (if any) — showing previous Schengen travel history, if applicable.
Visa application form — completed and signed. We assist with this.
Schengen visa photos — recent, white background, 35mm × 45mm format.
Travel insurance certificate — minimum €30,000 coverage, valid for the entire Schengen area.
Flight itinerary — confirmed round-trip ticket or detailed flight reservation showing entry and exit.
Hotel booking / accommodation proof — confirmed hotel reservations for the entire duration of your stay.
Bank statements — last 3–6 months, showing sufficient funds for your trip (typically €50–€100 per day).
Proof of employment or business — leave sanction letter (salaried), ITR / CA certificate (self-employed).
Cover letter — explaining your travel purpose, itinerary, and intent to return to India. We help you write this.
Travel itinerary — day-by-day plan of your trip across Schengen countries.
Proof of ties to India — property documents, business ownership, family ties — showing you will return.
Income tax returns — last 2–3 years, demonstrating financial stability.
Invitation letter (if staying with a host) — with host’s proof of residence and relationship to you.
The standard Schengen visa application process for Indian applicants. Applications are accepted no more than 6 months and no less than 15 days before your travel date.
We review your travel history, financial profile, and purpose to determine eligibility and advise on which embassy to apply to.
Apply at the embassy of the country where you will spend the most time, or where you enter if spending equal time in multiple countries.
We prepare your complete document set: cover letter, itinerary, insurance, financial proof, hotel and flight bookings.
You attend a VFS centre appointment for biometric submission and document verification. We brief you fully in advance.
Processing typically takes 15 working days from submission. We track your application and notify you on the decision.
One of the most common mistakes Indian applicants make is applying to the wrong embassy. The rules are clear, but easy to get wrong if you are visiting multiple countries in one trip.
The correct embassy depends on where you will spend the most time during your Schengen trip. This is called the “main destination” rule. If you are spending equal time in two countries, apply to the embassy of the country you will enter first.
For Chandigarh residents, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain have active VFS centres in Delhi and other northern India cities. We will confirm which VFS centre accepts applications for your chosen embassy and help you book the right appointment.
Apply to that country’s embassy. No ambiguity — France trip, apply to French consulate.
Apply to the embassy of the country where you will spend the most nights.
Apply to the embassy of the country you will enter first.
If you are just passing through a Schengen airport without entering the territory, check whether a Category A airport transit visa is required for your nationality.
There are 26 countries in the Schengen Area. They include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania joined air and sea Schengen in 2024, with full land border integration ongoing.
The standard Schengen visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12. Children under 6 are exempt. In addition, you will pay the VFS service charge (approximately ₹1,750) and purchase mandatory travel insurance with a minimum €30,000 coverage. The consulate fee is non-refundable even if your application is refused.
Standard processing takes up to 15 calendar days from the date of application submission. During peak travel seasons (summer and Christmas), processing can extend to 30–45 days at some embassies. You can apply up to 6 months before your travel date, but no less than 15 days before. We recommend applying at least 6–8 weeks before travel for safety.
The most common refusal reasons are: insufficient financial proof, weak or unclear travel purpose, missing or insufficient travel insurance, inadequate ties to India (no clear reason to return), incomplete or inconsistent documentation, and applying to the wrong embassy. A poorly written cover letter is also a frequent cause. Hike Visa reviews every file specifically to address these risk areas before submission.
Yes, but multi-entry visas are typically granted to applicants with an established history of Schengen travel and a demonstrated need to visit multiple times (business travellers, frequent tourists). First-time applicants are usually issued single or double-entry visas. With a strong application and clean travel history, some consulates do issue 1-year or 2-year multiple-entry Schengen visas to Indian applicants.
No. The United Kingdom is not a Schengen member country and requires a separate UK Standard Visitor Visa for Indian passport holders. This is a common misconception — the UK has its own distinct visa regime. If you plan to visit both Europe and the UK on one trip, you need both a Schengen visa and a UK visitor visa. We handle both at Hike Visa Consultants.
The 90/180-day rule means you can stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day rolling period. It is not a calendar year rule — the 180-day window moves backwards from any day you are in Schengen. Overstaying, even by a day, is recorded and can result in future visa refusals and a ban from the Schengen Area.
Tell us your travel dates, destination countries, and any previous Schengen history. We’ll assess your file and walk you through the complete application process — at no initial charge.
No charge. No obligation. Just honest advice.
