Disclaimer: This text is written in a hope that these inputs might enhance the system and never meant in anyway to harm the sentiments of any nation/area/individual.
I not too long ago utilized for my first Schengen vacationer Visa by way of Austria and I learnt a factor or two about Schengen Visa’s and why it’s not straightforward to get, particularly for single’s. Right here’s all the pieces you have to find out about my Schengen Visa expertise, intimately.
Visa Utility
- Day 1 – Utility acquired in Pondicherry
- Day 1 – Forwarded to Delhi Operation Centre
- Day 6 – Acquired at Delhi Opertaion centre
- Day 6 – Dispatched to the Embassy of Austria, New Delhi
- Day 6 – Acquired on the Embassy of Austria, New Delhi
- Day 13 – Acquired a “Verification Name” from the Embassy
- Day 16 – Requested Embassy for Utility statues, over e-mail
- Day 17 – “Passport with Letter” handed over to the VFS
- Day 20 – Needed to Go to VFS workplace to signal and choose up the passport together with the rejection letter.
There are 2 essential incidents to notice, occurred on Day 13 & 17 and let’s see that intimately, one after the other.
Name from Embassy
I’ve by no means heard from anybody that we might even get a name from the embassy. However to my shock, I received one!
A girl in Indian tone spoke: “I’m calling from Austrian Embassy.. ” and verified my profile. She had all particulars in entrance of her. She was conscious concerning the co-traveller and that he already has the visa, and many others.
After verifying most particulars, she lastly requested for the itinerary, line by line for the 9 day journey. I needed to ask 30 seconds to seek out the itinerary and I began studying out line by line. She didn’t give you any new question as such.
So after that’s carried out, she lastly stated “Okay, that’s all I want, Thanks!”.
Whereas on name I assumed that she’s from some kind of VFS verification group, however I later came upon that the decision was coming immediately from the Austrian Embassy Help Line.
Sadly, my Truecaller on iPhone didn’t present this upfront. Hmm!
Anyway, it was extra like a bank card government verifying the applying data earlier than they ship for processing, nothing new and I wouldn’t name it as an “interview”.
Infact, bank card executives are higher. They are saying “why” they’re calling, and “when” I can anticipate the cardboard, and many others.
Passport with Letter
In India, when you’ve received the replace from VFS as “passport with letter” is shipped to VFS workplace, then in 99% of the instances it means it’s a REJECTION.
The worst half is that we’ve to select it up from the VFS Workplace even when you’ve opted for the house supply and paid courier costs.
So what this implies is that, I have to journey all the way in which to Pondicherry once more simply to select up the paperwork.
They received’t refund the courier costs paid.
That is most likely the right state of affairs to utilize the “chargeback” profit on bank card I believed, however effectively, I spent 40X extra to journey and pick-up the docs.
So I didn’t discover ample motivation to do a dispute on partial quantity.
Furthermore, I felt lot higher as I had seen even a worse case reported on Quora, the place somebody needed to take a flight simply to select up the doc, because the VFS workplace the place it was utilized was not far-off from their hometown.
And when you ask “what they did at VFS?”
Nicely, they opened the bundle in entrance of me, requested to signal the rejection letter, took a scan copy of that and gave the unique again to me.
Rattling! I might have carried out that very effectively from residence in matter of 10 minutes, thereby saving time, vitality, cash and peace of thoughts.
That is such an UN-ACCEPTABLE follow!
The rejection letter
Now coming to the primary a part of the story, right here’s a fast take a look at the rejection letter (edited to indicate solely the primary a part of the letter).
It truly is available in 5 pages: 3 pages of their language and a pair of pages in English, printed again to again on an bizarre paper.
Take a look:
The explanations are often imprecise, as seen above. They don’t discuss with any specific doc, making it tougher to decode the which means.
Cause #10: From my understanding, that is outright pointless. I had a confirmed lodge reservation at among the greatest premium/luxurious inns within the nation & confirmed enterprise class flights flying to/from Austria, from India.
And together with it I did ship a good looking itinerary doc in a easy and clear tabular format as effectively.
Cause #13: By “first time traveler” they most likely imply “first time traveller to Schengen Space”? I want it’s extra clear.
So the one motive is “Social & Financial Roots”. However what’s that?
- Social Roots: Partner/Household
- Financial Roots: Work/property/Financial institution balances
Talking of this, we’ve to cowl the preferred “Single’s problem” which is the center of this entire article.
Single’s Subject
There was a debate currently with many arguing on-line that Schengen international locations don’t simply give vacationer Visa’s to these with Marital standing as “Single”.
It’s now not a fantasy anymore. I’m a residing proof that it’s certainly true!
The state of affairs will get even worse when you’re self-employed. As a result of single impacts social roots and being self-employed impacts the financial roots.
So when you want a Schengen Visa with above standing it turns into extremely difficult, particularly after 2021, for unknown causes.
I’m conscious of this already as I’ve seen an applicant with related profile getting rejected for Schengen Visa. There are various such instances reported on boards.
There are additionally many ongoing debate that single “lady” are getting rejected throughout Schengen Nations. However I can now verify that it’s NOT gender particular.
So that is taking place as a result of:
Single’s are excessive danger for the nation within the eyes of Visa Officers.
This isn’t an assumption, however a confirmed truth by one of many Visa Officer at French Consulate, Kolkata who knowledgeable the identical to an applicant throughout a private interview. That’s proper, a private interview publish attraction on Schengen Visa Rejection.
So how can Single’s cope with it?
You’ll have to have extra paperwork: mentioning about your dad and mom within the protecting letter, a assure letter out of your mother or father that you simply’ll return again residence & the net-worth/wealth assertion or property paperwork if out there.
Having stated that, it nonetheless doesn’t imply that the Visa is assured. However it definitely improves the social & financial roots to a sure extent.
Sadly I discovered this solely later after studying the rejection letter!
Neither the “doc guidelines” nor the “VFS officer” point out about this as a requirement for sure profiles. And oh, the “Visa officer” who known as me from the Embassy didn’t care to ask if I’ve any extra paperwork to help my socio-economic standing.
Anyway, I ready extra required docs and determined to go for an “attraction” as a result of I used to be assured that I deserve the Visa and that I didn’t do any mistake.
FYI, I spent couple of hours simply on the primary “protecting letter”, so I’m positive the problem is one thing else or only a mistake at their finish.
Buyer Service
One of many greatest shock is that Austrian Embassy don’t have a help line for consular/visa queries.
Sure, they do have a quantity and when you hook up with that line and ask, the man at reception (as he says so) attends the decision and politely takes your quantity with title and says that he’ll ahead it to the respective group.
Tried a few instances however by no means received any callback. Tried the emergency line as effectively and the woman on cellphone once more politely asks me to name embassy line for Visa queries. Hmm!
I couldn’t digest the truth that we pay ~10K payment for the Visa & formalities and that nobody is there to even reply to our question.
So I known as VFS they usually have been equally well mannered saying that Austrian Embassy solely has e-mail help for Visa queries and there’s no TAT for the response.
Ideally, there isn’t a one to talk to on Visa queries, no TAT for emails, nothing!
At this level I used to be questioning if it’s a “norm” within the trade the place candidates are usually not allowed to talk to embassy reg. Visa queries.
Nicely, that’s not the case. I can see Indian Embassy in Austria having help traces for all queries. In-fact we’ve a system for producing utility on-line and lot sooner processing time for Austrian nationals prepared to go to India.
An to not overlook, Austria has correct help system on Visa enquires in different international locations like USA. Right here’s an instance from an Austrian Embassy in Washington, USA:
That’s not simply with USA, as I can see it with very many international locations as effectively. So taking a look at all these, I’ve come to a conclusion:
Schengen Nations don’t need to see Indians on their land.
I significantly surprise how Indian authorities is permitting a overseas embassy to function in India with out correct help decision system.
However once more, it’s not their whole fault. I see that 1000’s of Indians have immigrated illegally to Austria in a 12 months, previously. I want our fellow residents honour the Visa guidelines.
However I don’t suppose this may be taken as a motive for offering virtually “no help”. Perhaps they will request for extra documentation and never simply mechanically anticipate candidates to supply them upfront.
The Attraction
So lastly understanding that they don’t typically reply to the attraction emails as reported by many on-line, I ready all paperwork that’s humanly attainable and despatched the e-mail to the embassy, as knowledgeable by VFS help.
I felt attraction is important as a result of a rejection for Visa is nearly like a “black mark” (to an extent) globally which I’ve to stay with it for remainder of the life, as most international locations ask for the information on earlier Visa rejections together with their rejection letters.
A couple of week handed and no response to the e-mail. So I did many calls each to the VFS & embassy however nothing helped.
Because the journey date was nearing, one positive day I requested for escalation with VFS and the help government on cellphone stated that she’ll take a criticism on the identical and get again inside a day.
Subsequent day, I received a name from VFS that I’ve an appointment on the “Austrian Embassy, New Delhi” on a talked about date, together with an e-mail affirmation from VFS.
On the Embassy
So I went to the embassy on the talked about date together with the print out of the e-mail. The safety had a fast take a look at the e-mail and requested me to attend exterior.
That they had a small bench exterior the embassy constructing, with good view of the greens. As you may know, the embassy space is sort of effectively maintained, in order that was a cushty place to be in.
In about 15 minutes, I used to be requested to enter the embassy constructing after leaving my cellular with the safety.
Contained in the constructing, there was a small ready space with some journey catalogs of Austria displayed. I went by way of some and there I learnt that Austria has one of many highest per capita revenue throughout European international locations (I assume 2nd for a specific 12 months, which I don’t recollect).
That was an fascinating information!
The Interview
So lastly I used to be known as for the interview, with two girls on different facet of the glass-walled interview setup space.
One woman might be the senior, and the opposite was holding all my paperwork in her hand to cross the required information to the senior when required.
The senior got here up with questions. She had a well mannered tone and the questions have been primary. Other than private queries, she requested questions like:
- “How will you journey inside Austria?”
- “How are you aware the place to ebook trains, and many others?”
To these questioning extra about questions, effectively, it truly doesn’t matter a lot. Even you (or) I can discover inside 30 seconds of dialog with a stranger, whether or not if he/she is attempting to misuse the Visa or not.
So when you’re known as for an interview, chill and go.
After the short ~5 min interview, she requested for my passport and was requested to attend for few minutes on the identical ready space.
Inside 15 minutes arrived my Schengen Visa with 3 month validity (multi-entry). Glad that they determined to provide me an extended validity than normal 1-month or so for all the difficulty I went by way of.
So few weeks after getting the Visa, I did my first Europe journey to Austria with smoother immigration on entry (was requested for return flight ticket proof).
Austria was stunning as you possibly can see on the quilt pic. (Hallstatt, clicked 2 weeks in the past) And total Europe was a thoughts blowing expertise, would you like me to write down about it?
How Embassy’s might do higher?
Whereas exploring the web about Schengen Visa points, I stumbled upon 100’s of instances reported on on-line platforms (Quora & fb teams) and most of them are from India, Philippines & Indonesia. Comprehensible!
So having spent numerous hours on the problem, it will be good if all Schengen international locations observe these under:
1. Visa help: In the event that they can provide higher help & service to travellers in different international locations like in USA, I’m positive Indians deserve it as effectively. A help line for Consular/Visa part, TAT for emails & sooner processing would do.
2. Means to Amend: The tremendous easy resolution is by permitting candidates to provide a chance to ammend the applying over e-mail.
That is superbly carried out by Croatia within the UK as per this proof I’ve come throughout on the web, the place the embassy reaches out to the applicant who didn’t even care to share the fundamental data. I’m positive many does it as effectively in different international locations.
3. On-line Utility Type: It’s been 10 years or so since I’ve crammed an utility offline earlier than this. I’m actually stunned to see that a lot of the Schengen international locations nonetheless depend on hand-filled functions. Time to improve.
4. Clear Attraction System: Given the stress that the applicant’s need to undergo for the remainder of their life when the Visa is denied, I want they provide correct causes & means to attraction to the choice in a pleasant method.
Typically this isn’t even required if #2 is applied effectively.
5. Certify Tax Payers: If above needs to be carried out by overseas embassy’s, Indian authorities additionally has to take a step to honour their loyal tax payers globally.
That is most likely the one method to assist overseas embassy’s know the credibility of the profile.
As an alternative of giving “proud filer” badge for taxpayers which is of no identified use case, I want they begin issuing certificates to taxpayers that’s “recognizable” throughout the globe.
As a result of I imagine {that a} long run common tax payer wouldn’t take into consideration stepping into a rustic illegally.
Remaining ideas
Even-though the Schengen Visa problem is essentially restricted to singles/self-employed as talked about on this article, it additionally impacts everybody, as even {couples}/salaried I do know are additionally going by way of related sort of “uncertainty” & “worry” when making use of for a vacationer Visa to Schengen international locations and a few are getting rejected as effectively.
Additionally, whereas Austria is spoken about right here, the problem applies to virtually each Schengen nation.
Whereas these incidents solely made me offended initially, I realised the necessity to have strict insurance policies after visiting Austria. For ex, 2 out of three Uber bookings we did have been dealt with by the drivers from Center Jap international locations.
Anyway, I want to stay in a world the place there aren’t any Visa issues, until for the matter of authentication to trace the motion of individuals.
On the identical time, I additionally hope our fellow people be taught to evolve and honour the immigration guidelines, as not honouring them is the first motive for all these drama.
Till that occurs, we most likely have to seek out the Historic One and be taught the talents to do Astral Journey. Happily for us Kamar-Taj is positioned in Himalayas and never in Schengen Space.
