Visa Nightmare As Germany, France, Italy And More For Indian Travellers Face New Schengen Rejections

Monday, July 28, 2025

The twelvemonth 2025 has seen continued turbulence for Indian nationals seeking to recreation to Europe, pinch a important number of them facing Schengen visa rejections. While nan European Union is simply a sought-after destination for Indian tourists, business travelers, and students, nan hurdles successful obtaining visas person grown progressively evident. In this article, we will research nan reasons down this ongoing issue, analyse nan financial effect connected Indian applicants, talk nan countries involved, and look astatine nan early of nan Schengen visa process successful Europe for Indian nationals.

The Rising Challenges of Schengen Visa Rejections

Visa rejections person agelong been a sore constituent for Indian travelers looking to sojourn Europe, and 2025 is nary exception. According to caller reports, over 165,000 Schengen visa applications from India were rejected successful 2024, starring to financial losses for galore applicants. These rejections are not only disappointing but besides costly, pinch galore applicants having to carnivore nan brunt of non-refundable visa exertion fees. In fact, nan financial losses related to rejected Schengen visas person been reported to beryllium ₹136 crore (around €14 million) for Indian nationals successful nan erstwhile twelvemonth alone.

The Financial Burden of Visa Rejections

The financial consequences of these rejections are staggering. For instance, each Schengen visa exertion costs astir ₹7,200-₹10,000 ($85–$120), depending connected nan consulate and nan type of visa. Given nan sheer number of applications and nan precocious rejection rate, applicants from India suffer important amounts. This nonaccomplishment has importantly impacted nan affordability of recreation for many, particularly those from middle-class families looking to sojourn Europe for tourism, business, aliases acquisition purposes.

In summation to nan exertion fees, galore applicants incur further costs successful nan shape of travel insurance, flight bookings, hotel reservations, and proof of capable funds that are often required during nan exertion process. These are besides non-refundable if nan visa exertion is rejected.

The Rise successful Processing Delays and Appointment Backlogs

Another important rumor successful 2025 has been nan extended processing delays and appointment backlogs. Many applicants person recovered themselves waiting up to two months for an assignment to taxable their visa applications, a process that was antecedently overmuch quicker. These delays tin person a superior effect connected recreation plans, particularly during nan highest summertime months erstwhile request for Schengen visas increases significantly.

For example, Germany has faced ongoing issues pinch assignment availability, pinch immoderate applicants waiting up to 45 days to unafraid a slot. This rumor has been compounded by constricted staffing, particularly successful nan Indian consulates wherever nan measurement of applications acold exceeds nan disposable resources. In immoderate cases, applicants person been advised to apply six weeks successful advance, but moreover this timeline is often insufficient to get nan assignment and processing completed successful time.

The Appeal Process and Germany’s Policy Change

The appeal process for Schengen visa rejections has besides travel nether scrutiny. For respective years, Indian nationals had nan action to title a rejected visa exertion done nan informal entreaty process (remonstration), which allowed applicants to taxable further accusation for reconsideration. However, successful July 2025, Germany announced nan end of this informal entreaty process for Indian nationals. This intends that applicants now person to prosecute formal ineligible action to title visa rejections, making nan process moreover much analyzable and time-consuming.

This argumentation displacement is expected to increase nan time and cost progressive successful appealing a rejection, particularly for those who cannot spend to prosecute ineligible representation. Additionally, this determination has been criticized for making nan visa process moreover little transparent and much difficult for applicants to navigate.

The India-Europe recreation corridor is 1 of nan astir important successful nan world, pinch millions of group walking each twelvemonth for various reasons. However, nan expanding number of rejections has created a financial load that is disproportionately affecting Indian travelers, particularly students and business professionals who require these visas to prosecute opportunities successful Europe.

Top Countries for Schengen Visa Rejections from India

Notably, immoderate European countries look to person stricter visa rejection rates than others. According to nan data, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy are nan worst culprits, pinch these countries collectively accounting for complete 50% of visa rejections. Let’s look astatine nan statistic successful much detail.

France

France has emerged arsenic nan starring state for visa rejections for Indian applicants, pinch 31,314 visa rejections successful 2024 alone. This accounts for astir ₹25.8 crore mislaid to Indian travelers. France’s consulates successful India are notorious for precocious rejection rates, citing reasons for illustration insufficient documentation, unclear recreation plans, aliases inadequate impervious of financial stability. This has caused vexation among Indian travelers, particularly those who person a morganatic request to sojourn France for tourism aliases business purposes.

Switzerland

Switzerland, known for its picturesque landscapes and prestigious tourer destinations, besides made it to nan apical of nan rejection list. 26,126 visa rejections were recorded from India successful 2024, starring to a nonaccomplishment of astir ₹21.6 crore. Travelers who wish to sojourn Switzerland often look challenges successful proving nan intent of their recreation aliases showing nan required financial stability, making Switzerland 1 of nan toughest destinations for Indian travelers.

Germany

Germany, a hub for higher acquisition and a beardown economy, saw 15,806 rejections successful 2024. German consulates rejected these applications owed to issues for illustration incomplete documentation, lack of elaborate recreation plans, aliases nan applicant’s inability to show beardown ties to India. This costs Indian travelers astir ₹13 crore. Germany has traditionally been 1 of nan much reliable Schengen visa issuers, but nan ongoing challenges person affected galore applicants.

Italy

Italy, pinch its rich | civilization and tourism appeal, has besides witnessed important rejection rates. 15,150 applications were rejected by Italian consulates successful India, amounting to a ₹12.5 crore nonaccomplishment for Indian nationals. Like different countries connected this list, Italy has its adjacent stock of travelers facing rejection owed to missing paperwork, insufficient funds, aliases mediocre archiving of recreation intent.

Netherlands

With 14,569 rejections, nan Netherlands rounds retired nan apical five. These rejections resulted successful a financial setback of astir ₹12 crore. The Dutch consulates, known for their meticulous archiving requirements, person seen an uptick successful rejections, peculiarly for students and visitors who whitethorn not person nan required financial proofs.

The Rise successful Processing Delays and Appointment Backlogs

Another important rumor successful 2025 has been nan extended processing delays and appointment backlogs. Many applicants person recovered themselves waiting up to two months for an assignment to taxable their visa applications, a process that was antecedently overmuch quicker. These delays tin person a superior effect connected recreation plans, particularly during nan highest summertime months erstwhile request for Schengen visas increases significantly.

For example, Germany has faced ongoing issues pinch assignment availability, pinch immoderate applicants waiting up to 45 days to unafraid a slot. This rumor has been compounded by constricted staffing, particularly successful nan Indian consulates wherever nan measurement of applications acold exceeds nan disposable resources. In immoderate cases, applicants person been advised to apply six weeks successful advance, but moreover this timeline is often insufficient to get nan assignment and processing completed successful time.

The Appeal Process and Germany’s Policy Change

The appeal process for Schengen visa rejections has besides travel nether scrutiny. For respective years, Indian nationals had nan action to title a rejected visa exertion done nan informal entreaty process (remonstration), which allowed applicants to taxable further accusation for reconsideration. However, successful July 2025, Germany announced nan end of this informal entreaty process for Indian nationals. This intends that applicants now person to prosecute formal ineligible action to title visa rejections, making nan process moreover much analyzable and time-consuming.

This argumentation displacement is expected to increase nan time and cost progressive successful appealing a rejection, particularly for those who cannot spend to prosecute ineligible representation. Additionally, this determination has been criticized for making nan visa process moreover little transparent and much difficult for applicants to navigate.

Visa Processing successful Other Countries

While France, Germany, and Italy were nan superior culprits, different countries person besides seen important visa rejections from Indian applicants. The UK, though not portion of nan Schengen Area, continues to look challenges pinch its visa exertion process. According to reports, nan UK has witnessed longer waiting times for visa appointments and a important summation successful rejected applications, particularly among students and workers.

Other Schengen Area countries for illustration Spain, Belgium, and Poland person besides knowledgeable a crisp emergence successful rejections successful 2025. These countries person cited akin reasons for rejections: inadequate documentation, lack of clear recreation plans, and financial discrepancies.

Recommendations for Applicants: How to Improve Your Visa Chances

Given nan accrued visa rejections, applicants are urged to travel a fewer champion practices to summation their chances of occurrence erstwhile applying for Schengen visas successful 2025:

1. Apply Well successful Advance

It is advisable to taxable visa applications at slightest 30-60 days earlier nan planned recreation date. This helps to relationship for immoderate unexpected delays aliases further archiving requests from nan consulate.

2. Ensure Complete and Accurate Documentation

Ensure that each archiving is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Missing documents aliases inconsistencies tin lead to rejections. It is besides basal to double-check that each individual and financial specifications lucifer crossed documents.

3. Provide Evidence of Strong Ties to India

One of nan astir communal reasons for visa rejection is nan inability to beryllium beardown ties to India. This could beryllium successful nan shape of employment letters, property ownership, aliases family obligations. Consular officers request assurance that applicants will return to India aft their visit.

4. Be Transparent About Travel Plans

Consulates expect applicants to intelligibly outline their travel itinerary, including impervious of hotel bookings, flights, and a clear purpose for travel. Applicants should debar vague statements and alternatively coming a well-detailed recreation plan.

5. Avoid Unnecessary Financial Concerns

Ensure that capable financial proofs are provided to show that nan applicant tin financially support their trip. This includes bank statements, tax returns, and grounds of income aliases sponsorship if required.

6. Seek Professional Help if Necessary

If applicants are unsure astir nan visa process, it is advisable to consult an experienced visa consultant who tin guideline them done nan process and thief them hole an meticulous and complete application.

The Road Ahead

The authorities of Schengen visa rejections for Indian travelers remains challenging, pinch France, Germany, and Italy starring nan measurement successful rejection rates. Despite these obstacles, travelers who scheme cautiously and travel champion practices for archiving and early exertion person a amended chance of success. Additionally, changes successful policies, specified arsenic nan termination of nan informal entreaty process by Germany, mean that Indian nationals request to beryllium other cautious and prepared erstwhile applying for visas.

As we look toward 2026, it is hoped that nan business will improve, particularly pinch nan upcoming events specified arsenic nan FIFA World Cup 2026 and different world occasions that whitethorn lead to higher request for recreation to Europe. Travelers are encouraged to enactment informed, use good up of time, and guarantee they meet each nan basal requirements to debar delays and rejections.