Germany reduces Schengen visa processing time in India to 8 weeks, after 8,875 rejections in 2022
Obtaining a visa is never a straightforward task. Amid the numerous challenges, it's the processing time that often proves most exasperating. However, Germany has now pledged to significantly shorten the waiting period for visa processing, bringing some relief to travellers.
What's new?
For those planning a visit to Germany this year, we have some encouraging news. The processing time for Schengen visas required for travel to Germany has been trimmed down to 8 weeks. Ongoing efforts are in place to further reduce this duration, as highlighted by Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, on Wednesday (August 9).
Enzweiler remarked, "Visas hold paramount importance. We are dedicated to enhancing application processing times. The challenge lies in our desire for swift change, though administrative procedures inevitably introduce delays," reported PTI.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is a specific category of visa permitting travellers to freely enter and move within the Schengen Area, comprising 27 European countries, including Germany. This collective group has abolished passport and border controls among its member nations.
This visa enables individuals to travel and reside in any Schengen country for a limited period (up to 90 days), as stipulated on the visa, eliminating the need for separate visas for each country.
READ MORE: Who keeps the money for your visa application? A complete breakdown
The processing delay
Although officially stated as 15 days on paper, the German government's Schengen visa processing time in reality extends to several months, creating a notably time-consuming visa acquisition process.
For instance, a notice from the German Embassy in April revealed extended waiting periods for appointment scheduling and prolonged processing times due to a considerable surge in Schengen visa requests.
According to data provided by the German National Tourist Board, Indian visitors spent over 6,23,000 nights in Germany in 2022, marking a remarkable 209 percent surge compared to the preceding year. Nevertheless, this figure only reached 65 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
In 2022, Germany rejected 8,875 visa applications from India.
READ MORE: Indians wasted Rs 87 crore on 1,21,188 Schengen visa applications that Europe rejected
Rs 87 crore lost
Recent data from SchengenVisaInfo.com unveils a staggering number of visa rejections for Indian citizens in 2022.
- Out of a total of 6,71,928 visa applications submitted, a significant 1,21,188 (18 percent) applications from India were declined.
- Each Schengen visa application incurs a cost of ₹7,260 or 80 euros.
- Indian applicants collectively invested a substantial amount of over ₹487 crore solely in Schengen visa applications.
- Of this total, more than ₹87 crore was lost due to the rejection of 1,21,188 visa applications.
- Additional data also demonstrates that Indians applying for Schengen visas to Germany in 2022 expended over €6.1 million (approximately ₹54.4 crore) in visa application fees.
READ MORE: Indian passport holders spent Rs 54 crore on German Schengen visa in 2022