The Schengen visa, one of the most sought-after travel permits, enables individuals to visit up to 29 European countries within a 90-day window in any 180 days. This makes it especially attractive for travellers who wish to explore multiple nations in a single trip without facing the hassle of separate visas for each country. To apply, individuals are required to submit a set of standard documents, which usually include a detailed travel itinerary, valid travel insurance covering emergencies, and sufficient financial proof to demonstrate the ability to fund their stay abroad.
For Indian travellers, however, obtaining a Schengen visa has recently become more expensive. According to reports, VFS Global—the private outsourcing agency that manages visa submissions for most European embassies and consulates—has revised its service fees, making European trips costlier. Although the base visa fee for adults continues to remain in the approximate range of ₹8,000 to ₹10,000, applicants are now required to pay an additional service charge to VFS, which is mandatory and non-negotiable. This adjustment, noted as the first major change since 2023, has directly contributed to the rise in overall expenses for Indian applicants.
The updated service fee structure varies depending on the European country to which the application is being submitted. For instance, Germany currently levies a service fee of ₹1,933, Switzerland charges ₹2,690, Portugal requires ₹3,111, France sets it at ₹2,234, and Austria at ₹2,274. Beyond these mandatory charges, travellers also have the option of purchasing supplementary services such as courier delivery of documents, SMS updates on application status, or even premium lounge access during submission. These additional services come at different costs depending on the embassy, and while they are not compulsory, many applicants often choose them for convenience. VFS Global has confirmed the service fee increase for Switzerland, though it has not issued complete clarification regarding fee adjustments for other countries.
Adding to the burden, most European embassies have phased out direct walk-in visa applications, effectively making the use of VFS Global’s services unavoidable. This means that all applicants are bound to pay the mandatory service fee in addition to the base visa fee, thereby eliminating cheaper alternatives that might have been available in the past.
Another major factor escalating the overall cost of European travel is currency fluctuation. Over the last decade, the Indian rupee has consistently weakened against the euro. Back in 2015, one euro was valued at ₹72.12. By 2020, the rate climbed to ₹84.64, and in 2023, it had already reached ₹89.20. The upward trend continued into 2024, when the euro crossed ₹90.55, and by June 2025, the exchange rate surged past ₹100 for the very first time. This steep decline in the rupee’s purchasing power significantly raises the expenses of European holidays for Indian tourists, as every aspect of the trip—including hotels, local transport, shopping, and food—becomes costlier when converted into euros.
Given these developments, Indian travellers planning their trips to Europe must carefully calculate the higher visa service fees as well as the prevailing exchange rate while preparing their budgets. Although Europe continues to remain one of the most desirable destinations for summer vacations and year-end festive holidays, the combination of rising visa processing charges and the weakening rupee is expected to make such trips noticeably more expensive. Consequently, while interest in European travel may remain strong, the financial strain could influence how long travellers stay, how many countries they cover, and how much they spend during their journeys.
