Indians: European vacations are becoming increasingly popular among Indian travellers, with a notable rise in Schengen visa applications.
According to a new report by the European Commission, applications from Indian nationals surged by an impressive 43% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Indians Flock…
India ranked third in Schengen visa applications for 2023, with a total of more than 950K filings. Chinese nationals accounted for more than ten per cent of all Schengen visa applications, followed by Turks and Indians.
In total, Schengen visa applications exceeded 10M in 2023, marking a significant increase from the previous year. The surge in applications is attributed to the growing interest in European destinations among Indian tourists.
To facilitate this increased demand, the European Commission introduced a new cascade visa regime for Indian nationals last month. The updated system streamlines the acquisition of multiple-entry visas with longer validity.
Indian residents can receive two-year multi-entry Schengen visas after lawfully using two visas in the past three years.
This initial two-year visa can then be extended to a five-year visa, provided the passport has sufficient validity remaining.
The new visa regime is expected to further boost travel to Europe from India, making it easier for Indian tourists to explore multiple European countries with fewer visa hassles.
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