If you are planning to visit any of the countries in the Schengen zone from India then I'm sure you are aware of the difficulties of doing it as a first time traveler. But don't stress yourself. It's not that complicated.
Some of the countries in the European Union are not very welcoming to travellers from India and are likely to reject your application. However few others are very open to Indian travellers and will issue a tourist visa easily.
This post just skims the surface of the subject and doesn't dive in too deep. I'm certain you will do your due diligence when applying for a visa. The document list is mentioned here or you can check the application form and determine the full list of documents that needs to be submitted.
Which is the best country to apply for a Schengen tourist visa?
France is the one of the best countries to apply for as the success rate is generally high. If you are a first timer you can simply apply to France and show in your application that you are spending the maximum number of days in your itinerary here.
Even as I first applied to Netherlands many of my own friends with zero prior travel history have found it easy to get a visa via France.
Schengen zone has open borders. If you have a change in your itinerary after receiving the visa you are still free to travel by reducing your days in France and adding it in a different country. You don't need to formally inform anyone about this change.
Once you get the visa for your intended duration of travel, you can utilise it any way you want to. Spend as many days or the least amount in the country that issued you the Schengen visa. If you get a multiple entry long term Schengen visa you can visit any country in the Schengen list from anywhere in the world, anytime as long as you are not over staying on the maximum duration allowed by the visa.
How can I improve my chances?
You can improve your chances of getting a visa with an invitation from a friend or a family member living in the country where you intend to spend the maximum days of your trip. It can be a European citizen or someone with a permit to reside/work in this country.
If you don't have that option you can still apply for a visa, you just need to have your hotel bookings completed in advance. These days you can easily do a fully refundable hotel booking for anywhere in the world without paying upfront. In case you get rejected or your itinerary changes after receiving the visa you can cancel and make a fresh booking later.
Point of entry
If you apply to France, you will need to enter via France to get your passport stamped. However you may fly back to India from any other country in the Schengen area. Country you are exiting from doesn't matter.
I would recommend Netherlands as well as the Dutch people are kind and are likely to accept your application provided all the information submitted is correct. However, NL is more expensive to travel through so you may need to show a greater bank balance over France.
Caution
Any past travel history will add to your chances of getting approved. Any past rejections will make your case that much harder. A past travel to USA will vastly improve your chances of getting a Schengen visa as USA visa application is the hardest owing to the last scrutiny that takes place in the form of any interview.
Don't apply for a business visa even if you are traveling for a conference. Apply for a tourist visa instead.
Is there an interview?
There is no personal interview for a Schengen visa. You could get a call from the embassy for a few question at most. Only in the worst case you might be called in for an interview. 95% of the time you will simply get your passport back with your visa stamped inside or a rejection letter.
You are welcome to ask me questions in the comments below or on DM at Steem.Chat if you need to know more about the process. However, I suggest you go over the Schengen visa information here
Should I pay a local travel agent to complete my visa formalities?
VFS Global is an authorised agent for processing Visa for EU and many other countries. You can submit your documents from this agent but there's no need to go through anyone else as the visa application process is straight forward and very easy.
Just download all the documents and apply with your paperwork at a local VFS global office on your own. This will suffice.
What about Steemfest?
If you are planning to attend Steemfest then you can consider this method for going about your visa as a first timer. Why wouldn't you want to visit France and see a bit of Paris? :)
It would've been great if the world itself was open for everyone to travel. But it's not unfortunately. However, it doesn't mean that you cannot spend a few days sightseeing in a different country other than your own. There is no need to break your head over this.
Stick to the process outlined in the visa application and show proof of funds and ties to your country and you will easily get your visa in a week.
Goodluck!
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