Short-term Schengen Visas are now available to eligible Indians as the EU adopts a "more favorable" rule for the nation

Short-term Schengen Visas are now available to eligible Indians as the EU adopts a "more favorable" rule for the nation

Indian nationals now have the option to apply for multiple entry visas with a five-year validity extension, according to a major reform in the Schengen visa regulations implemented by the European Union. Subject to the validity of their passports, this modification makes it easier for Indian tourists with a track record of safe travels to get extended validity visas.

NEW DELHI: Indian tourists visiting Europe on a regular basis won't have to deal with the inconvenience of having to apply for Schengen visas over and over again. Last Monday, the European Union (EU) decided to provide Indians "with an established travel history, if (their) passport validity allows," a "more favourable" visa system. They will now get Schengen visas with a maximum five-year validity.

EU officials told TOI that five years is also "a big step," even though it is less than the United States' and America's 10-year visiting visas and the United Kingdom's ability to get a visa valid for up to the same term by paying over one lakh in fees.

Indian individuals may now apply for long-term, multiple-entry Schengen visas that are valid for two years after obtaining and legitimately using two visas during the preceding three years, as per the recently implemented visa "cascade" policy for India. If there is enough time on the passport before the two-year visa expires, a five-year visa will often follow. The EU stated in a statement that "holders of these visas enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals during the validity period of these visas."

The rationale behind the April 18 decision was "strengthened relations under the EU-India common agenda on migration and mobility, which seeks comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India, with facilitation of people-to-people contacts being of key aspect due to the importance of India as a partner for the EU."

Prior to this modification, most Schengen nations only issued temporary visas, even to those who visited Europe often. In India, six-month, two-month, and five-year visas have been very rare.

And frequent travelers aren't upset about having to again pay visa costs. What irritates them the most is the headache of organizing papers for regular submission.

"My customers often worry that the day they have to take their flight back to India from Europe is the day their visa expires. What happens if they miss the flight if it is canceled is the most often asked question, according to a reputable travel agency who wished to remain anonymous. That ought to be the past today for Indians with "established travel history."

With a valid Schengen visa, an individual may visit any part of the Schengen region without restriction for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Although the visas have no specific purpose, they do not provide the ability to work.