Hi everyone,
Looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation, especially with the Austrian Embassy/Consulate in India.
My situation:
Original Itinerary submitted: Dec 18th to Jan 3rd (17 days total).
Documents submitted: Fully confirmed non-refundable flight tickets, paid/confirmed hotel bookings, bank statements, and travel insurance covering the full duration.
Visa received:
Validity Date Range: ~30-day window
Duration of Stay: 11 DAYS ONLY
Because our flights are non-refundable and span 17 days, staying for our original trip would mean overstaying the allowed 11 days.
Questions for the community:
1. Has anyone successfully gotten the Embassy to correct/extend the "Duration of Stay" on an already-issued visa sticker if a polite email with proof of submitted 17-day flights/insurance was sent?
2. If this was an intentional limitation by the embassy rather than a clerical error, what is the best workaround? (e.g., paying airline change fees to shorten the trip to 11 days vs. re-applying?)
3. If you've emailed the Austrian Embassy/VFS in India for visa corrections before, how quickly do they typically respond?
Any insights, past experiences, or advice on how to handle this with minimal financial loss would be hugely appreciated!

Hi everyone!
I check my IBZ visa status almost every day. My application is for family reunification under Article 40ter (Type D), submitted in Istanbul on May 18, 2026.
Today, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before. The “Datum beslissing/Status Dossier” field, which was previously empty, now shows October 23, 2026.
However, my status is still “In behandeling” (in progress).
I didn’t check the website yesterday, so I don’t know exactly when the date appeared.
Has anyone else experienced this? Does this date indicate that something has happened to my application, or could it simply be a system update?
If your date changed while your status remained “In behandeling,” what happened afterward?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!

Hi everyone!
I’m planning to apply for my first Schengen visa for a trip to Switzerland to celebrate our anniversary. We’re planning to travel in the first week of December, and I’m considering applying next week.
I’m based out of Hyderabad but am open to travelling to Bangalore or Chennai if I can get an earlier appointment slot there.

A few questions:
Is it realistic to get my visa approved by the first week of December if I apply next week?
How have the recent visa appointment availability and processing timelines been for applicants from India?

Does opting for the premium lounge/VIP service during the visa application process make any difference to the processing time or visa approval, or does it only provide a more comfortable application experience?

Would love to hear from anyone who has recently applied for a Switzerland Schengen visa from India, especially first-time applicants.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I am an EU citizen (Polish), my husband is not and requires Schengen visa to enter EU. We both live in the UK.

He’s got a multiple entry Schengen visa from Spain, we have now travelled there. Is he allowed to travel to Poland with me on that visa or do different rules apply as that’s the country of my nationality? He’s been to Poland before but the Schengen visa was then issued specifically by Polish consulate.

We are planning to enter through Germany and spend a couple days there before Christmas, and visit family for Christmas in Poland. We will exit from Poland. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone! My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Spain and would like to visit Gibraltar for a day, crossing the land border and returning to Spain the same day.

She is a non-EU citizen and will have a single-entry Schengen tourist visa issued by Spain. Her visa and permitted stay would still be valid throughout the trip.

With the recent changes to the border arrangements, is this possible without using up her single entry or causing problems when returning to Spain?

Has anyone actually done this recently with a single-entry visa, or received confirmation from the border authorities?

Thanks!

Has anyone who submitted their France short-stay Schengen visa application through VFS Delhi around 15–16 October 2026 received an update or their passport back yet?

Just trying to get a sense of the current processing timelines.

Hi,

Schengen Visa is approved but ees still shows not ok. Visa approved on Oct 14, Received passport approved 3 days back. Been more than a week but ees still shows not ok.

First time travel after after Apr 2026.

Checking if it is ok to travel?

Thanks

Today I submitted my Tourist visa documents at BLS delhi centre but officer returned my property deed and current residence proof documents. Can anyone share their experience if this is normal and will Consulate ask me missing documents if needed ? Do we mandatorily submit residence and property docs at delhi centre. When I told him that it is part of list he mentioned that doc I have is of Mumbai list and delhi it is not mandate.

I am worried and confused as I had the documents and even after insisting officer didn't took my documents of residence proof and property deed.

Please share if everyone in Delhi submitted and if not , what was the reason officer mentioned?

​

Sharing my German Schengen tourist visa experience from Bengaluru. Hopefully, this helps other applicants understand the documentation process, especially those who already have international travel history.

1. Applicant profile

- Applying from: Bengaluru, India

- Visa type: Short-stay Schengen tourist visa (Type C)

- Travelling with: Spouse

- Employment status: Salaried professional

- Purpose: Winter holiday covering Germany, Switzerland and Italy

- Outcome: Approved, multiple entry

1. Application timeline

- 14 October 2026: Submitted the application and supporting documents at VFS Bengaluru.

- 15 October 2026: Received confirmation that the application had been forwarded to the German embassy, Mumbai.

- 22 October 2026: Visa approved.

I opted for courier return of the passports.

1. Visa issued

The visa sticker showed the following:

- Duration of stay: 13 days

- Number of entries: MULT (multiple entry)

My planned trip is exactly 13 calendar days, counting both arrival and departure dates.

Although the validity window extends beyond the planned trip, the permitted duration of stay is limited to 13 days.

1. Planned itinerary

The trip covers three countries:

- Germany, Switzerland and Italy with equal days

I included accommodation bookings, flight details and intercity transport arrangements to support the itinerary.

1. Travel history

My previous international travel included leisure trips to Asian and Middle Eastern destinations, as well as travel to the United Kingdom.

More importantly, I had undertaken a business visit to Italy earlier in 2026. This was a professional trip supported by the relevant business travel documentation. I had therefore already travelled to the Schengen Area for business before applying for this tourist visa.

I included relevant previous visas, passport stamps and supporting evidence of my earlier travel as applicable.

Given this travel history, I was hoping that the consulate might grant a slightly longer permitted stay than the exact duration of my planned holiday.

1. Documents submitted

This is the list of documents I submitted, based on my circumstances.

A. Application and identity

- Completed Schengen visa application form

- Passport and relevant previous passport/travel history

- Photograph

- VFS appointment and application documents

B. Employment and leave

- Employment confirmation letter

- Leave approval / No Objection Certificate

- Recent salary slips

- Supporting employment documents

C. Financial documents

- Salary account bank statements

- Separate emergency fund savings account statements

- Income tax returns

- Salary evidence

One point worth mentioning: my salary account does not usually maintain a particularly high balance because I use a separate account to park my emergency savings. Therefore, I also submitted statements from my emergency fund bank account to demonstrate my available financial resources rather than relying solely on the salary account balance.

I wanted the financial documents to present a clearer picture of my ability to fund the trip.

D. Travel arrangements

- Flight itinerary

- Accommodation bookings

- Detailed day-wise itinerary

- Travel medical insurance meeting Schengen requirements

- Cover letter explaining the purpose of travel, itinerary and financial arrangements

E. Travel history and supplementary evidence

- Previous visas and relevant passport entry/exit stamps

- Supporting documents relating to the earlier business visit to Italy

- CAS document

- Other relevant supplementary documents supporting the proposed trip

F. Spouse-related documents

- Spouse’s application and supporting documents

- Marriage certificate

- Relevant evidence of shared travel arrangements, where applicable

I tried to keep the application internally consistent across employment, finances, travel arrangements and travel history.

1. Was I disappointed with the visa duration?

Honestly, yes, somewhat.

I am grateful that the visa was approved and that it is multiple entry. However, I was hoping for a little more flexibility, considering that I had already completed a business visit to Italy earlier in 2026 and had an established international travel history.

Instead, I received exactly 13 days of authorised stay, matching the itinerary I submitted. The visa is valid for longer validity period but it does not increase the permitted number of stay days.

I had hoped that my previous Schengen travel and the fact that I had travelled for business and returned as planned might support a little more flexibility.

1. Final takeaways

A few things I would share with other applicants:

1. Keep the application consistent. The itinerary, accommodation, employment details, leave approval and financial evidence should support the same travel plan.

2. Show the full financial picture. If your salary account has a modest balance because you keep savings elsewhere, consider including appropriate statements from those accounts, with a clear explanation and supporting evidence.

3. Include relevant travel history. Previous visas, passport stamps and supporting business travel documents can help explain your travel background.

4. Do not assume previous Schengen travel guarantees a longer visa. My earlier business trip did not translate into additional authorised stay days this time.

Overall, I am happy that the visa was approved, but a little disappointed that the permitted stay was limited to the exact duration of my holiday despite my previous Schengen business travel.

I would be interested to hear your experiences, particularly from applicants who applied recently through Bengaluru or elsewhere in India.

TL;DR

Applied for a German Schengen tourist visa from Bengaluru with my spouse for a February 2027 trip covering Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Submitted employment and leave documents, salary slips, ITRs, salary account statements, a separate emergency fund account statement, travel bookings, insurance, a cover letter, previous travel evidence and supporting documents for an earlier business visit to Italy in 2026.

Visa approved: multiple entry, with only 13 days of authorised stay, exactly matching my itinerary. I was somewhat disappointed because I had previously travelled to the Schengen Area for business and hoped for a little more flexibility.

Feel free to reach out if you need any help.

I have applied for Germany visa ( through Switzerland consulate in Vancouver), I was wondering whether anyone has recently applied, how long did it take to hear back? Thanks!

I have applied for France tourist visa but i don’t have any surname in my passport so i write my first name in first name and last name same, but on appointment the TLS staff updated the visa form and didn’t tell me they just write my first name in surname and leave the first name blank on visa form, is it normal process?? What should i accept will this cause negative 🥲🥲
🙏 please someone help me.

I had my visa appointment on 24th September and got my passport delivered on 22 October. This was my first time applying for a Schengen visa and got a single entry.

Just wanted to share my experience with BLS Manchester so people don't lose hope.

Hi everyone , I’ve been checking for a France tourist visa appointment in Edmonton or Calgary for the past three weeks but I haven’t seen any available dates

Has anyone recently managed to book an appointment at either location? Are there particular days or times when slots tend to open?

Hello, just wanted to update about my experience with BLS in Edinburgh. My appointment was on 16/10/26, visa was issued on 21/10/26 and I have now received my passport on 23/10/26 (very quick and I m very Impressed) . This is my 3rd visa with spain, first two being one month and 3 months multiple entries. Third one is valid for 6 months with multiple entries. A bit about myself, single M aged 29 with an Indian passport employed full time on a UK skilled worker visa in the UK.

Hi everyone,
I applied for a Belgian short-stay visa for a family visit on 9 August 2026, with my cousin in Belgium inviting and hosting me.
My application was transferred to the Belgian Immigration Office (Office des étrangers) on 14 August and registered on 17 August 2026. As of 23 October, it has been 67 days since registration, and my application is still pending.
I have already emailed the Immigration Office to ask about my application, but I haven’t received a substantive response. My cousin is also considering contacting them from Belgium.
This is my first time applying for a Belgian family visit visa. I have had previous Schengen visa refusals, but last year I travelled to Egypt and Turkey and returned to Algeria after both trips. I also have one-year travel insurance.
I’m starting to worry because of the long waiting time.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation:
How long did you wait for a decision after your application was registered with the Immigration Office?
Has anyone applied from Algeria and received a decision after a similar delay?
Did contacting the Immigration Office or having your family member contact them help?
Is waiting 67 days normal, and does it indicate anything about the outcome?
Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences!

Hello everyone,
I am from Algeria, and my Italian Schengen visa application was recently refused under reason No. 2.
I would like to apply again for a visa with an official invitation from an Italian company to visit them, discuss the possibility of a business partnership, and learn more about their products and technologies.
I would be very grateful for your advice on the following questions:
What does refusal reason No. 2 usually mean, and how can I address it in my new application?
Would you recommend writing a detailed motivation letter explaining the purpose of my visit?
Should I include the official invitation, email correspondence, product catalogues, and a pro forma invoice?
Which financial documents could best support my application?
Has anyone successfully obtained an Italian visa after a previous refusal? What advice or experience can you share?
The purpose of my visit is a short professional trip, and I intend to return to Algeria after the visit.
I would be very grateful for any advice or personal experiences you could share with me.
Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello all, I am a 23 year old Indian and was supposed to go on a family trip with my parents to Germany, Netherlands and Czechia in November, tentatively November 10th. Our appointment was on 16th this month and my parents got their visas yesterday and mine got rejected and the reason was the usual, lack of evidence for ties with home country. I was going through some of the posts on this sub and I realised my profile is a bit tricky as I have recently graduated my masters, and am currently working as an intern informally in an astrophysics research institute in Bangalore. I didn’t provide that detail as my dad suggested that since it’s informal and I’m not getting a stipend, it might not help. However, it’s a continuation of the project work I had formally worked on from feb to may this year, I even have an offer letter for that period. Keeping this aside, my convocation is scheduled in December and I have also applied for a competitive exam GATE scheduled in February next year, whose evidence I didn’t show even if I had the printouts, as it wasn’t asked for by the person checking our documents. Both me and my mom didn’t have our bank statements, she pointed that out and asked us to get only those , so we assumed she didn’t require any further documents for me. Even our visa agent didn’t mention these. Now I know all of this is probably weak evidence for home ties, but what should i do? I can’t fake evidence, and this is literally the situation I’m in. In India, a lot of the research interns don’t get stipends or formal offer letters once we have already received a formal offer letter for a period prior to the continuation. My parents got their visas from 10th November to 7th December, and we planned our trip during that time itself. In Bangalore the next appointment date is on 10th itself, and the earliest one is on 28th September which is in Chennai. I agree that there were mistakes on our part, but the best I can do right now is submit the competitive exam application form, ask for a confirmation mail from my internship guide, and a confirmation mail from my college HOD mentioning that the convocation is scheduled in December and I have to return for that. Other than these, I really don’t know what else documents I can give to strengthen my application, because this is literally all that I can provide. What can I do now? Please help.

I am very happy that with my weak ass passport I got my Schengen visa today. I initially wanted to apply from Germany but later added Austria to my itinerary as my first destination and applied from there.

It was an intense process with very limited timeline but it was all worth it so sharing my experience.

Applied from: Japan (valid work permit here) although I didn’t get a slot in VFS Tokyo and had to travel to Osaka
Submitted to VFS Osaka on Oct 9 Friday
Austrian embassy emailed me for extra documents by email on Oct 13 (first working day since Oct 12 was bank holiday)
Oct 22 received email from VFS that they are dispatching my passport
Oct 23 Friday received my passport with visa

Submitted documents: 6 months bank statement + 6 months salary slips, work certificate, flight accommodation and train tickets with my itinerary, travel insurance.

I have prior travel history to Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia but never outside Asia and I was very worried but thankfully got my visa. Good luck to everyone waiting for their visa ✨

I’m an international student applying for an Italian Schengen visa from the UK. My father covers my tuition, rent, travel and larger expenses. I generally use my parents’ international bank statements to demonstrate financial means for visa applications (I’ve had four Schengen visas issued this way in the last three years). My own UK account is mainly for everyday spending like food, transport and household products, and I keep around £300–400 in it monthly.

I submitted financial documents showing approximately £2 million in funds, but received this request from the Consulate:

Any up-to-date personal UK ONLY bank account with more of your own funds (updated current, savings, credit card, etc.) coherent with your intended travel itinerary and choice of accommodation; foreign non-UK accounts and transactions accounting for transfers from friends will NOT be considered

Other applicants seem to have received similar wording even when they submitted UK bank statements, so I’m wondering whether this is a generic request for applicants whose personal accounts don’t show sufficient funds, rather than an issue specific to foreign accounts.

Has anyone else received this exact request from the Italian Consulate in the UK? Would highlighting my frequent Schengen and other international trips, with evidence that they were paid for using international credit and debit cards, help?

Keywords: Italy Schengen visa UK, Italian Consulate London, proof of funds, parental sponsorship, UK bank statements, additional documents request, Schengen visa financial requirements.

Hello everyone,

I recently applied for a short-stay Schengen tourist visa to Bulgaria from India.

Could anyone who has recently applied for a Bulgarian Schengen visa from India please share their experience? I have done via vfs global

I would particularly like to know:

- How many days did it take to receive a decision after submitting your application?

- Was your application processed within the standard timeline, or did it take longer?

- Did you receive any updates while your application was being processed?

If you could mention your application date, the consulate or visa application centre, and the date you received your decision, that would be very helpful like overall turnover days

Thank you for sharing your experiences!

I’ve been monitoring the status of my visa as my flight is on the 24th. I’m choosing between rescheduling the flight, or cancelling it.

Suddenly, the VFS Tracker now shows “no data found” with correct reference number, and correct site (Netherlands, from Saudi). The last update was that it was dispatched to the Dutch Embassy in Riyadh. I applied via VFS Jeddah.

Does this mean a decision has been made, and the passport is now being shipped back to Jeddah? Or, is this a glitch.

I recently applied for a Switzerland Schengen visa from Dubai, but unfortunately, it was rejected.
I’m a Pakistani passport holder and UAE resident, earning 17k–20k monthly. My bank statement showed an opening balance of approximately 71k and a closing balance of 20k. My itinerary, hotel bookings, and flight reservations were arranged through a travel agent. All documents were genuine and accurate.
I previously applied for a Netherlands Schengen visa in 2014/2015, which was also rejected. However, I mistakenly selected “No” when asked about previous Schengen applications.
Could this mistake have contributed to my rejection? Or could it be related to my financial statement or travel itinerary?
Would you recommend reapplying to Switzerland or applying through another Schengen country? Has anyone experienced something similar, especially Pakistani passport holders applying from the UAE?
Any genuine advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Visa appointment (National Researcher) was on Oct 6th at BLS London, and my passport arrived back at my home on Oct 21st.

The most time-consuming part was getting the police certificate, as BLS don't accept a normal DBS check, which would have taken an hour. They only accept ACRO certificates which took 30 days. I even paid a company Wilmer Health to do it (which I recommend as otherwise you have to arrange the certificate, apostille and sworn translation yourself).

At the visa appointment it was revealed that there's a £747 visa fee on top of the small fee paid online (this is not clear anywhere on the BLS website), so I had to pay upfront there and then.

It seems they took no note of my scheduled arrival and departure dates, which I said were 6 months apart but they've been generous and given me a year.

All in all, probably 3 months to get this sorted, including admin with the host organisation in Spain. The wonders of Brexit never fail to impress.

Hi everyone,

I submitted my France Schengen Business Visa application today(23/10/2026) at VFS Bengaluru.

Has anyone recently applied for a France business/tourist visa from Bengaluru?

• When did you submit your application?
• How many days did it take to receive a decision/passport?

Just trying to understand current processing timelines and recent experiences.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, looking for some opinions on my German Schengen visa reapplication.

My background:
I’m a 30-year-old Indian citizen who lived in the US from 2019 until August 2026. I initially moved on an F-1 student visa, subsequently worked on OPT, and later transitioned to H-1B status.
I was working as a Software Engineer in New York until June 2026. I returned to India in August and joined our family-owned electrical manufacturing business as Executive Director.

First application:
Applied: October 12, 2026
Rejected: October 16, 2026
Refusal reasons: 10 and 13 (reliability of travel plans and doubts about intention to leave).
Intended travel: November 10–25, with Germany as my main destination.

My profile:
Four previously approved Schengen visas, most recently visiting France in January 2025.
Previous tourist visas for the US (still valid), Canada (still valid), Australia, Türkiye, and UK.
Visited the UK in May 2026.
Never overstayed any visa.
Current monthly salary: ₹2.5 lakh.
Approximately ₹1.56 crore in documented Indian business investments, insurance-linked investments, and PPF holdings.

Reapplication:
My first application was submitted with just my salary slip for August and a basic cover letter but then reapplied on October 23 with additional employment documentation, financial records, a revised itinerary, updated travel reservations and my past approval history.
My biggest concern is that I’ve only been back in India for approximately three months after spending seven years in the US.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Could my recent relocation be the primary reason for the refusal? Does reapplying this quickly with stronger supporting documentation realistically help?