Schengen visa for Indians in 2026-27: fee, timing, and how to apply

In short: Indian citizens need a Schengen visa to visit the Schengen area. The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12. You apply at the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time, between six months and 15 days before you travel, and a decision normally takes 15 days. One visa covers all Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Who needs it

India appears in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, the EU's list of countries whose citizens need a visa to cross the external borders. This applies whichever Schengen country you fly into.

The key facts from the European Commission

• Fee: €90 for adults, €45 for children aged 6 to 12. If you apply through a visa service centre, an additional fee may apply.
• Where to apply: "at the consulate of the country you intend to visit". Visiting several countries? Apply to the one where you will spend the longest. If the stays are equal, apply to the first country you will enter.
• When to apply: at least 15 days and no earlier than 6 months before your journey. For a trip starting on 15 June 2027, the earliest you can apply is 15 December 2026.
• Processing: normally 15 days, which can be extended to up to 45 days if a more detailed examination or extra documents are needed.
• Stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries together.
• Insurance: medical insurance covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including in the event of death. The Commission page we read does not give an amount; your consulate will state the minimum it requires.

Reaching Andorra, Monaco and San Marino

Andorra, Monaco and San Marino do not issue their own tourist visas. Andorra says it is not in the Schengen area and requires no visa, but you can only reach it through France or Spain, so Indians need a Schengen visa with at least two entries: leaving Schengen for Andorra and re-entering uses a second entry. Monaco's government says non-EEA visitors need a Schengen visa, applied for at the embassy of the Schengen country of entry, with a certificate of accommodation validated by the French consulate. San Marino can only be reached through Italy.

Countries near Schengen with their own rules

• Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. Each of their foreign ministries says that holders of a valid double- or multiple-entry Schengen visa do not need a separate short-stay visa, for up to 90 days in any 180 days, within the visa's validity. Cyprus's exemption list covers only Indian diplomatic, official and service passports, so Indians use the Schengen visa route.
• Ireland is outside Schengen. The Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi charges Rs 5,300 for a single-entry and Rs 9,000 for a multiple-entry visa, and Indians living in India who hold a valid UK short-stay visa can use Ireland's Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme.
• The UK is also outside Schengen. A Standard Visitor visa costs £135 for a stay of up to 6 months, and you can apply up to 3 months before travel.

A plan (our advice)

1. Pick the main destination first. The consulate you apply to depends on it.
2. Count backwards from the earliest date. If you travel in June 2027, you can apply from December 2026. Appointment slots at visa centres are often the real bottleneck, so book yours as soon as the window opens.
3. Book refundable flights and hotels until the visa is approved. Our flight refund guide explains what you can get back.
4. Keep your passport details consistent across the application, insurance and bookings.

What we could not confirm

• The rules for multi-year Schengen visas for Indians. We did not find the official decision text.
• A euro minimum for medical insurance on an official page.
• The Entry/Exit System dates: the official pages did not load.

How we checked this

We read the European Commission's Schengen visa page (dated 2 December 2025), the consolidated Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 on EUR-Lex (version of 30 December 2025), the Government of Andorra, the Government of Monaco, the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi and GOV.UK on 10 and 11 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the consulate you will apply to. Country-by-country details are on our visa guide pages.