Schengen Visa: Indian Travellers Frustrated With Endless Document Requirements, Broken Process

An Indian investor, Ujjavala Bothra, has recently spoken out about her distressing experience applying for a Schengen visa. Schengen visas allow individuals to enter a group of 27 European countries, but Bothra described the amount of paperwork required as “insane.”

The amount of paperwork for a Schengen visa is insane! Why is it so difficult to understand:

1. We are not interested in marrying your men, thank you
2. We are actually adding to the GDP of your country!! pic.twitter.com/ovul90ZsuQ

— Ujjavala Bothra (@ujjavalabothra) April 25, 2023

Bothra, who works with Lightrock India, took to Twitter to express her frustration. She questioned why it was so challenging to comprehend that her intention was not to marry European men but rather to add to the GDP of the country she was visiting.

She was applying for a visa to Norway and had to wait for three hours beyond her appointment time. She also claimed that the document checklist on Norway’s website was outdated and that she paid Rs 150 for a one-page print.

Had my @VFSGlobal appt today – I am convinced every step of this process is broken :/

1. My turn, for an 11:30am appt, came at 2pm – what is the point of booking a slot?
2. Apparently, the document checklist on Norway's website is outdated – Speechless!
3. 1 page print = 150Rs!?

— Ujjavala Bothra (@ujjavalabothra) April 26, 2023

Bothra criticized VFS Global, a global outsourcing and technology services company that provides visa, passport, and consular services to governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, stating that monopolies suck and that there is a need for more competition.

Nayanika, a journalist, also spoke about her unpleasant experience applying for a Korean tourist visa. She claimed that the embassy thought that people who are single and not super rich had no intention of returning, even if they provided evidence of employment and strong national ties.

Benja, another user, claimed that Norway is too strict, and he has not been able to bring his foreign family to visit him.

norway is way too strict. i haven’t been able to bring my foreign family here once for visits. we always have to leave norway to meet

— benja (@akawrh) April 26, 2023

Tanya Khanijow, a travel content creator, provided insight into the application process. She mentioned that when a person applies for a Schengen visa, they get to enter 27 countries that do not exercise any border control.

Therefore, if one country grants the visa, they have to be sure that the person has actual travel plans and will not illegally immigrate to another country.

The experiences shared by these individuals raise concerns about the Schengen visa application process’s efficiency and transparency. It is essential for governments to take note of these concerns and make changes to ensure a smoother process for visa applicants.