It is summer, and it is time to pack your bags for your next foreign vacation. However, if you are planning your next vacation in Europe, it might not be smooth sailing. This is because there are so many Schengen visa applicants and not enough interview slots. In 2023, some 9.7 lakh Indians applied for Schengen visas, the third-highest globally. This was an increase of 44 percent from the 6.7 lakh in 2022. The trend is only expected to continue as more and more Indians prefer to travel abroad for vacations.

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Not enough interview slots

However, according to those in the travel and tourism industry, a large portion of Indians who wish to travel to European countries are not able to do so due to the unavailability of interview slots.

“If you want to travel to Europe this summer, the earliest appointment date for Germany and Italy is in July. This is making life very difficult for travelers,” Anil Kalsi, the Vice President of the Travel Agents Federation of India, told The Times of India.

Also read: 10 Cheapest Countries Indians Can Visit In 2024

Losing money due to cancellations

According to him, people are forced to choose any country that has an appointment available for a visa in time, instead of the place they wanted to visit.

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The lack of interview slots also means that Schengen visa applicants end up losing a significant amount of money in cancellation charges as they are required to book flights and hotels in advance.

Also read: Top 3 Places To Visit If You’re Young And Broke

Multiple-entry Schengen visa for Indians

Last month, the EU announced that Indian nationals can now apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa with a validity of up to five years.

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According to the newly adopted visa ‘cascade’ regime for India, Indian nationals can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after having obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years.

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