27/04/2024
The European Commission adopted specific rules on issuing multiple entry visas to Indians. Under the new regulations, Indian Travellers are now eligible to obtain a two-year Schengen visa, a significant enhancement compared to the shorter validity periods previously offered.
To qualify for this extended visa, applicants must have obtained and used two Schengen visas within the last three years by the regulations. Upon successfully utilizing the two-year visa, Travellers can typically anticipate eligibility for a five-year Schengen visa, subject to sufficient passport validity.
This decision comes in the context of 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 the facilitation of people-to-people contacts being a key aspect due to the importance of India as a partner for the EU.
These changes ease the visa application process and facilitate smoother travel experiences.
Schengen visas allow the holder to travel freely in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180 days. The visas are not purpose-bound but do not grant the right to work. The Schengen area consists of 29 European countries (of which 25 are EU states): 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 and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
