Schengen visa costs and requirements surge

Indian travelers planning to visit the 29-country Schengen Area in 2025 face a significant increase in costs and more stringent application requirements, creating a major financial and logistical hurdle for tourists, students, and professionals.

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Rising costs

The total cost of obtaining a Schengen visa has increased substantially for Indian applicants due to a fee revision implemented in mid-2025:

Base Fee: While the previous base fee for an adult Schengen visa ranged from ₹8,000 to ₹10,000, the new increase is attributed to a sharp rise in service charges levied by VFS Global, the private agency that processes applications for most Schengen countries.

New Service Charges: These mandatory service charges, which are in addition to the base visa fee, vary by destination country. Examples of the new service fees are:

Germany: ₹1,933