How not to blow a part of your travel budget on visas
₹47,000 in visa costs and agent fees as well as the charges for cancellation of flight tickets and hotel bookings. To add to her woes, the travel insurance was non-refundable. Ashar’s monetary loss was equal to what she had paid for the round-trip flight tickets.
Ashar is not the only person whose Schengen visa application has been rejected thus far. Data from Schengen Visa Info shows that about 18% of the total 671,928 applications for Schengen visa (including tourist and business visas) from India were rejected in 2022. That year, India had the third largest number of Schengen visa applications among 167 countries.
To be sure, visa rejections are not limited to Schengen states—an area encompassing 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders. The application process for most western countries, too, carry stringent entry restrictions and involve heavy and cumbersome paperwork. In 2023, about 10% of the total applications for US B-visas made by Indian citizens were rejected, as per data from The US Department of State.
Moreover, tourist visas for the US also have seen tediously long waiting periods, which add to the travel woes of applicants. Currently, the slot for a US B2 visa is available only next year. So, if you are gearing up to plan the perfect summer vacation overseas this upcoming season, you will need to carefully study the visa process involved before zeroing in on the country you want to visit.
Visa fees for western countries are quite steep. For instance, Turkey demands the highest fee of ₹17,500 per traveller. US and UK are next in line, with ₹15,540 and ₹12,600 fee per person, respectively.
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