Schengen visa fees in India

Effective June 11, 2024, the European Union is implementing a 12% increase in Schengen visa fees, impacting travelers venturing into Europe. This hike applies to both adults and children, with additional charges for nationals hailing from non-cooperative countries. For travelers eyeing Europe, this news might come as a disappointment.

The updated visa fees are set to have a tangible impact on vacationers exploring Europe, as there will be a 12 percent increase for adults applying for short-stay visas.

• The visa fee for Adults will climb from €80 (approx. ₹7244) to €90 (approx. ₹8149)
• For children aged 6 to 12 years, the revised fee will be €45 (approx. ₹4075), up from the previous €40 (approx. ₹3622).

This decision was relayed by the Slovenian government and reported by Schengen News. Furthermore, nationals from countries labelled as non-cooperative regarding readmission and irregular stays will face heightened fees of either €135 (approx. ₹12,225) or €180 (approx. ₹16,300).

The Slovenian government stated, "The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short-stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 percent. The increase will apply worldwide as of June 11, 2024. New Schengen visa fees will be €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to below 12 years of age."

These adjustments are expected to be officially published by the EU Commission in its journal shortly. The Commission has defended the fee hike, citing the necessity to counteract inflation and align with the escalating salaries of member state employees. It's noteworthy that visa fees can be revised every three years, with the last changes made in February 2020.

This development unfolds amidst a 36.3 percent surge in visa applications in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, the figures have yet to reach pre-COVID levels, which recorded 16 million applications in 2019.

Recently, a new visa regime was introduced for Indian travelers, offering multi-year visas for up to 5 years. Under this regime, frequent Indian travelers can secure long-term multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after utilizing two visas within the preceding three years. During this validity period, they can enter and exit Schengen countries multiple times without necessitating separate visas.

For those unfamiliar, the Schengen visa grants access to 29 European nations, including prominent countries such as Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Malta, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and Norway, among others.