Europe is a bucket-list trip for so many families across Gujarat — Paris, the Swiss Alps, Venice, the Rhine Falls. One Schengen visa unlocks 29 European countries on a single sticker, costs €90 (about ₹8,500) for an adult, takes around 15 calendar days to process, and requires travel insurance covering at least €30,000. It's also the most document-heavy visa an Indian traveller will apply for, so here's how to get it right the first time.
What is a Schengen visa?
The Schengen area groups 29 European countries — France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece and more — under a single short-stay visa. With one sticker in your passport you can travel freely between all of them for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Which country do you apply to?
This trips up first-timers, because there's a rule: apply to the country where you'll spend the most nights, and if nights are equal across countries, apply to the one you enter first. For a classic Paris-Switzerland-Italy tour where France has the most nights, that means a French Schengen visa.
Where do you apply from in Gujarat?
Applications are handled by VFS Global on behalf of each embassy. Gujarat is served by VFS centres in Ahmedabad for several countries, while some embassies are jurisdictioned through Mumbai — you book an appointment, submit documents and give biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) in person. If your city doesn't have a centre for a particular country, we build the Ahmedabad or Mumbai trip into your timeline. You can now file up to six months before travel, and should apply at least 3-4 weeks ahead, since appointment slots fill fast in the May-August peak season.
The Schengen document checklist
A successful application needs a passport valid at least three months beyond your return with two blank pages, a completed application form and two recent Schengen-spec photos, travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000 for the whole trip, confirmed return flight reservations and hotel bookings for every night, a day-by-day travel itinerary or cover letter explaining your trip, personal bank statements for the last six months, income tax returns for the last 2-3 years, and proof of employment or business such as a leave letter or GST/Udyam registration.
Fees and processing time
The Schengen visa fee is €90 (about ₹8,500) for an adult and €45 (around ₹4,300) for a child aged 6-12, plus a VFS service charge of roughly ₹2,000 per applicant — embassy fees are set in euros and charged in rupees at the day's rate. Processing takes around 15 calendar days on average, though it can stretch to 30-45 days in the busy May-August season.
How Explera makes it easier
We prepare the full file for you — the cover letter, the day-wise itinerary, the flight and hotel reservations the embassy wants to see, and Schengen-compliant insurance issued in minutes. Because the visa is tied to a confirmed, sensible itinerary, your application looks exactly like the genuine tourist trip it is, and that's what keeps approvals high. Do note that a Schengen visa is a tourist visa tied to a specific trip, not an immigration or long-stay route, so a strong financial and travel history matters.
Frequently asked questions
Which country should you apply to for a Europe tour from Gujarat? Apply to the country where you will spend the most nights — for a Paris-Switzerland-Italy trip with the most nights in France, that means a French Schengen visa, or your first country of entry if nights are equal.
Where can you apply for a Schengen visa in Gujarat? Through VFS Global centres — several countries are handled in Ahmedabad, while some are jurisdictioned via Mumbai. We book the appointment and prepare the full document file so the in-person visit is quick.
How long does a Schengen visa take? Around 15 calendar days on average, though it can extend to 30-45 days in the busy May-August season, so apply at least 3-4 weeks before travel.
Dreaming of Europe? Explera's visa desk builds your itinerary, insurance and full document file, and books your VFS appointment — WhatsApp us to start your Schengen application.
