'Europe, I Don't Want To Marry Your Men': Indian Woman Spent Lakhs For Schengen Visa, Shares Her Ordeal
An Indian woman living in London faced a frustrating ordeal despite gathering over a hundred documents to secure a visa and solely wishing to invest in Europe. Her Schengen visa application was denied, and now she is sharing her experience, a story that will resonate with many other Indians who have struggled to obtain a Schengen visa due to a lack of available interview slots.
A Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows individuals to travel within the Schengen Area, which comprises 27 European countries that have abolished passport and other types of border control at their mutual borders. The visa permits travel for tourism, business, or family visits for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Not interested in settling in Europe
Aashima Arora, a venture capitalist and partner at LocalGlobe who grew up in Delhi, shared pictures of the hundreds of pages of documents she prepared for her visa appointment.?
She expressed frustration, hoping authorities would understand that she needs the visa for work, not to settle illegally in Europe.
She posted on X, "Europe, I promise I don¡¯t want to marry your men or leave London to illegally stay in your cities. Also promise to spend > $250 a day. Please just grant me a TOURIST visa!"
Why are Indians not getting a Schengen visa interview?
Last month, the European Union (EU) announced that Indian nationals can now apply for multiple-entry Schengen visas valid for up to 5 years.?
However, the wait time for Schengen visas is particularly long for Indian travelers planning to visit popular destinations like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.?
Also read:?Not Getting A Schengen Visa Interview For Your European Vacation This Summer? You Are Not Alone
According to the travel and tourism industry, many Indians are unable to travel to Europe due to the unavailability of interview slots. This shortage of slots also leads to significant financial losses from cancellation charges, as applicants must book flights and hotels in advance.
To give an idea of the demand among Indians for travel? to Europe - In 2023, approximately 970,000 Indians applied for Schengen visas, the third-highest number globally. This marks a 44 percent increase from 670,000 applications in 2022.?
The trend is expected to continue as more Indians choose to travel abroad for vacations.
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