Key takeaways
- Apply to the country where you will spend the most days. If none is the main one, apply to the country where you first enter the Schengen area.
- You file through an application centre such as VFS Global, and go there in person for fingerprints.
- You may apply no earlier than six months before travel and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before. The normal decision time is 15 calendar days, and it can stretch to 45.
- Fingerprints already given can be reused for 59 months, so a repeat applicant may not need to give them again.
- Do not book non-refundable flights until the visa is in your passport.
Applying for a Schengen visa from Kerala is not hard, but it is strict about order: pick the right country, book an appointment at the right centre, give fingerprints in person, then wait. This guide covers the process, not any one country.
Albah prepares your file, books the appointment and tells you what to carry. We cannot influence a decision and we do not take fingerprints. The consulate decides, and no agent can promise a visa.
Which countries a Schengen visa covers
A Schengen visa lets you travel across the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Countries include France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Ireland and the United Kingdom are not in the Schengen area. Each has its own visa. See our guides to the Ireland visa and the UK visa.
Step 1: Work out which country you must apply to
The EU Visa Code sets the rule in Article 5. If your trip is to one country only, apply to that country. If you visit several, apply to the country that is your main destination, judged by the length of stay in days or, failing that, the purpose of the stay. The same applies to several separate trips within two months.
If you cannot say which country is the main one, for example you spend equal days in two, you apply to the country whose external border you will cross to enter the Schengen area. The European Commission describes this as the first country you will visit.
Not sure which country? Start with our visit visa service, or read the guides for France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Step 2: Know who actually takes your application
Most Schengen states do not take applications at the embassy counter in India. They use an outside service provider, usually VFS Global, and some use others such as BLS for Spain. The provider collects documents, fingerprints and fees. The provider never decides. The Visa Code is explicit that examining the application and deciding on it stays with the consulate.
You cannot choose any centre. The Visa Code (Article 6) says the consulate covering where you legally live handles your application. The BLS page for Spain says short-stay applications are accepted at the office for your place of residence.
Where in Kerala you give your biometrics
First-time applicants must appear in person to give a photograph and ten fingerprints (Visa Code, Articles 10 and 13). You are never required to appear at more than one location (Article 9).
Kochi has a VFS Global application centre, but not every Schengen country uses it. This is what we could confirm on official pages:
- Netherlands: the Dutch mission’s page for India lists Cochin among its VFS Global application centres, alongside Bangalore and Chennai.
- Germany: VFS Global’s own April 2025 media release refers to its Germany visa application centre in Kochi. It describes a service for student and vocational visas, so confirm that short-stay tourist applications are taken there on your date.
- Every other country: we could not load the official VFS or embassy centre list for them, so we are not going to guess. Check the page for your destination before you plan the trip.
If your destination has no centre in Kochi, you will have to travel to the centre it does list. Bengaluru and Chennai both appear on the Dutch list, so they are possible, but which city serves which country is for the official list to say, not us. Where you go can also depend on your address, as in the Spain example above. Confirm the centre before you book travel to it.
Where to check: open the visa page of your destination country on the VFS Global website, or the country’s own embassy page for India. The German missions in India, for example, list their visa application centres and refer you to VFS Global for the current list.
The steps, in order
- Decide the main destination and fix your itinerary around it.
- Check the country’s own checklist on its embassy or VFS page. The document set differs by country.
- Buy travel medical insurance that meets the Visa Code minimum (see below).
- Book an appointment for each traveller at the correct application centre.
- Complete the form and gather documents: passport, photograph, itinerary, accommodation, proof of funds and proof of ties to India.
- Attend in person for fingerprints and a photograph, and pay the visa fee and the service fee.
- Wait for the decision. See our visa status check page.
- Book flights only after the visa is granted. Then use our flight tickets service.
The official time limits
These come from the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009), in the consolidated text current to June 2024.
| What | Official limit | Visa Code |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest you may apply | No more than six months before the start of the trip | Article 9(1) |
| Latest, as a rule | No later than 15 calendar days before the trip. A consulate may allow later in justified urgent cases | Article 9(1) |
| Appointment | As a rule, within two weeks of the date you asked for it | Article 9(2) |
| Standard decision | Within 15 calendar days of lodging an admissible application | Article 23(1) |
| Extended decision | Up to 45 calendar days in individual cases, notably when more scrutiny is needed | Article 23(2) |
Treat these as outer limits, not a plan. The two-week appointment rule is an aim, not a promise. In summer, and around Eid, Onam and the school holidays, appointment slots can fill months ahead. For a June or July trip, look for a slot as soon as you are inside the six-month window.
The documents
Each consulate publishes its own checklist, and it is the checklist for your country that counts. Every applicant must present a signed form, a valid passport, a photograph, the fee, supporting documents and proof of insurance, and give fingerprints where required (Visa Code, Article 10).
Supporting documents usually show why you are travelling, where you will stay, how you will pay and that you will return. Where a document needs attestation first, see our attestation service. Albah does not arrange jobs or work visas and holds no recruitment licence.
Biometrics can be reused
Under Article 13(3) of the Visa Code, fingerprints first entered in the Visa Information System less than 59 months before a new application are copied across, so you may not give them again. The consulate can still ask again if it doubts your identity.
The visa fee
The Visa Code (Article 16, as amended in 2024) sets the fee at EUR 90 for an adult and EUR 45 for a child from six years and under twelve. The Commission’s page (2 December 2025) agrees. Children under six are exempt. The fee is paid in euro or the local currency, is generally not refundable if the visa is refused, and is separate from the service fee. We give no rupee amounts because the rate moves. Confirm the figure on the day you apply.
Travel insurance
Insurance is a legal requirement for a Schengen visa. Article 15 of the Visa Code requires cover for repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and emergency hospital treatment or death. It must be valid across Schengen, cover your whole stay, and carry a minimum of EUR 30,000. See our guide to travel insurance for Indians going abroad.
EES and ETIAS: what they mean for you
Two EU border systems are often confused with visas.
- EES (Entry/Exit System). The European Commission’s page, dated 10 April 2026, says it became fully operational on that date. It records fingerprints, a facial image and your entry and exit dates, and replaces passport stamping. The official EES site says it applies to non-EU travellers who need a short-stay visa. That includes you. Expect to be registered on your first crossing and allow extra time at the airport.
- ETIAS. It is a travel authorisation for travellers who do not need a visa. Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa, so ETIAS is not a replacement for it. On 26 October 2026 the official ETIAS site says it is not in operation, that no applications are being collected, and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. No start date is fixed.
Before you pay anyone
- Do not book non-refundable flights or hotels before the visa is granted. A visa is never guaranteed.
- Book your appointment through the official centre. The Dutch mission tells applicants to book their own appointment and avoid intermediaries.
- New to travelling abroad? Our first international trip checklist covers the rest.
Questions people ask
Frequently asked questions
Which embassy should I apply to for Schengen?
Apply to the country where you will spend the most days. If you cannot name a main destination, apply to the country whose external border you will cross first. This is Article 5 of the Visa Code.
How early can I apply for a Schengen visa?
No more than six months before the start of the trip. As a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it. Later is possible only in a justified urgent case.
Where is the Schengen biometrics centre in Kerala?
VFS Global has a centre in Kochi, and the Netherlands lists it for Dutch applications. For other countries, we could not confirm it on an official page, so you must check the page for your destination. If your destination does not list Kochi, you travel to the centre it does list.
How long does a Schengen visa take?
The Visa Code says 15 calendar days from the date an admissible application is lodged, extendable to 45 calendar days in individual cases where more scrutiny is needed.
Do I need travel insurance for a Schengen visa?
Yes. It must cover repatriation, urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment, be valid in all Schengen states for your whole stay, and carry at least EUR 30,000 of cover.
Does an Indian passport holder need ETIAS?
No. ETIAS is for travellers who do not need a visa. You need the visa. The official ETIAS site says it is not yet in operation and gives no start date.
Sources checked on 26 October 2026. Visa Code time limits, fees, insurance and biometrics rules are from the consolidated text current to 11 June 2024, and the Commission page published 2 December 2025 agrees. Application-centre lists change, and we could not open the VFS Global country pages, so confirm your centre before you travel. EES and ETIAS timing is still moving. ETIAS has no fixed start date.
Sources
- EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, consolidated text (11.06.2024)
- European Commission: applying for a Schengen visa
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (EES)
- EU official site: What is the EES?
- EU official site: ETIAS
- NetherlandsWorldwide: applying for a short-stay Schengen visa (India)
- VFS Global media release, Bengaluru and Kochi, 29 April 2025
- German missions in India: visa application centres
- BLS Spain Visa, India
- VFS Global: individuals
