Indian travellers have started exploring the world again. And a lot of them are now keen to visit the European destinations. Recently Asian countries have come up with special packages and offers to boom their tourist industry.
From discounted flights to freebies such as hotel stays, meals and much more Asia's tourism has taken off pretty well. And now after a lot of wait and complaining from visa applicants, the Schengen area, too, is offering services on its visa appointments in order to make the process easier for visitors to enter their countries.
Some countries in the Schengen region are offering visa appointments in two-three days to within a week!
A spokesperson from VFS Global stated,“To cater to the rising travel demand, a few of the popular Schengen destinations like Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Slovenia have made appointments available ranging from the very next day to within a week,” the spokesperson said.
Countries have noticed a rise in demand and most countries are accepting visa applications up to 90 days in advance. The Schengen area is accepting documents up to six months before the date of travel, the spokesperson added.
Countries that are part of the Schengen zone
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Countries you can apply to get a Schengen visa easily
As per the Schengen visa statistics of 2021 here's a reveal as to which countries are the easiest to get a visa for. Of the 26 Schengen countries these countries rejected the least number of applications in 2021. Here’s the list:
1. Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a hidden gem in northern Europe with the lowest rejection rate in 2021. So, there is a high possibility you may get the visa if your documents are in order. The country rejected only 29 visas from the 2,384 applications it received.
2. Slovakia
Slovakia is known for its unique castles and caves. It was also among the ones which turned down very few visa applicants. Slovakia received 3,886 applications in 2021, and rejected only 107 of them.
3. Lithuania
The country of Devil’s Pit will approve your visa application if you fulfil its visa requirements. This Baltic state, too, had a pretty low rejection rate. Lithuania got 24,764 applicants and granted visas to 23,998 of them. Only 683 visas were held back.
4. Czech Republic
Although Czech Republic or Czechia had a slightly higher rejection rate compared to the ones mentioned above, this Central European country also received a higher number of applications. Czechia approved 2,00,456 visas and rejected 6,916 of the total 2,07,470 applications.
5. Latvia
Latvia is known for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites and for its unique cuisine. This Baltic country is also a good option for procuring a Schengen visa. Latvia granted 16,182 of 16,764 visas in 2021.
6. Finland
The ‘happiest country in the world’ for six years running, will make you happy too if you submit all the necessary documents. Finland rejected 2,745 visas, not a bad number for a country that processed a total of 61,018 applications.
7. Hungary
Hungary is a good option to enter Europe, with a marginal difference in the rejection rate from Finland.
8. Estonia
Compared to Western European countries such as France or Spain, Estonia is still a better choice. Its a place to visit for all the history buffs! Estonia rejected 2,210 of 40,657 visas in total.
Here's how to apply for the Schengen Visa
The first step is to determine the purpose and the type of visa you require and the country you’ll be applying to. Once you decide if you are travelling only to one country or multiple destinations, the process is as follows:
1. Apply through the visa application centre, such as VFS Global.
2. Book an appointment online to submit the documents
3. Prepare all the visa-related documents that you may need
4. Attend the appointment at the Visa Application Centre
5. Track your visa status online and collect your passport from the centre once you get an update that it’s ready
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