In India, many EU visa application centers have reopened

In India, many EU visa application centers have reopened

Many European countries’ visa application centers in India have reopened, giving a variety of visa services, after being temporarily closed owing to the COVID-19 crisis. This means that Indian citizens will be able to visit many European countries, even for tourism.

Requests for Short-Term Visas

Indian citizens can now apply for a short-stay visa at one of the following European visa application centers in India.

• France: Short-stay visa applications with prior embassy clearances, as well as students with pre-conditions, are processed at any visa centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Kolkata,
• Sweden: There is still an immigration prohibition on Indians where it requires customers to sign an information letter stating that there is an admission ban in force and that the majority of applications are denied. The following are the locations where one can submit their application: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata.

Long-Term Visa applications

Indians can now apply for a long-term visa at the following European nations’ visa centers:

• Belgium: Seamen (by appointment) and pre-approved cases from the Embassy, along with long-term work permits, residence permits, and student visas in the following Indian cities: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, and Kolkata.
• Luxembourg: Pre-approved and long-term cases for Embassy at visas centers in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kochi.
• Poland: Long-term visas are only available in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and New Delhi.

Despite the fact that the pandemic forced nations to temporarily halt visa issuance or curtailed the services offered by visa application centers, the following European countries presently provide visa services for all types of visas.

• Belarus: In Mumbai and New Delhi visa centers are opened for application.
• Croatia: Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kolkata, and Bengaluru have visa centers resumed.
• Denmark: Only those with compelling reasons to visit Belgium should apply for a visa at the visa centers in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, and Delhi.
• Ukraine: Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Kolkata visa centers

Apart from the visa application centers listed above, which Indians can now use, the following European visa application centers in various areas of India are also providing services for various visa categories.

• Austria: Pre-approved cases at visa centers in the cities namely, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, and Kochi by the Austrian embassy. 
• Cyprus: It now accepts applications for the following visas at the visa centers in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Kochi:
  • Members of EU and Lithuanian citizens’ families (C visa).
  • Resident Permit,
  • Foreigners travelling for essential reasons (eligibility shall be confirmed by the Embassy for all these categories)

• Estonia: Cases that have been pre-approved by the Embassy at visa centers in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Delhi, and Chennai.
• Germany: Pre-approved cases from Embassy for D visa stamping in situations of family reunion, attestation at visa centers in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kochi. Students and Blue Card applications are also accepted at the Mumbai immigration center.
• Hungary: Only New Delhi has the embassy authorized cases.
• Iceland: The cases will be accepted by the embassy in the visa centers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Hyderabad.
• Italy: the following Italian visa centers in India are accepting visa applications:
• Estonia: Cases that have been pre-approved by the Embassy at visa centers in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Delhi, and Chennai.
• Germany: Pre-approved cases from Embassy for D visa stamping in situations of family reunion, attestation at visa centers in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kochi. Students and Blue Card applications are also accepted at the Mumbai immigration center.
• Hungary: Only New Delhi has the embassy authorized cases.
• Iceland: The cases will be accepted by the embassy in the visa centers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Hyderabad.
• Italy: the following Italian visa centers in India are accepting visa applications:
  • North India: Business Visa, Students, Attestation, and Seafarers.
  • East India: Students, Transit, business, Seafarers, and Family Reunion.
  • West and South India: Student and Seamen visas, as well as Business visas, are available in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kochi with Embassy pre-approval.

• Ireland: Only in the visa centers in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kolkata, Jalandhar, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh will case be accepted by the embassy.
• Latvia: Pre-approved cases and D-visas at visa centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Delhi.
• Lithuania: Visa applications are being accepted at Lithuanian visa centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata for the following:
  • EU and Lithuanian citizens’ family members (C Visa).
  • Foreigners travelling for important reasons (eligibility certified by the Embassy C and D visas) may apply for a residence permit

• Norway: Visa only at the visa centers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad can one have their visa stamped.
• Portugal: Seafarer visa (appointment required), pre-approved cases from the Embassy, family reunion, and attestation at the visa centers in Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Kolkata.
• The Netherlands: Only Seafarer, Diplomats, Humanitarian visa applications, and business cases with previous embassy clearances are accepted at the visa centers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

However, due to the quick proliferation of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the following European nations’ authorities are not certain if now is perhaps the right time to resume their visa application centers in India; thus, they remain closed. 

• Bulgaria
• Finland
• The Czech Republic
• Malta
• Slovakia
• Slovenia

According to VFS Global, some European countries have begun to reopen visa application centers in other countries in order to speed up the travel procedure.

Read how VACs for Canada too resumed the applications: