Schengen Visa Cost from India in 2026: The Full Breakdown in Rupees
By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes step-by-step first-international-trip guides for Indians — passport rules, the Schengen visa cascade, embassy and VFS logistics, and the unglamorous money and timing details that decide whether an application is approved or refused.) · Published · Last updated · 11 min read
The €90 government fee is only part of it. Add VFS service charge, travel insurance, photos and courier and the realistic all-in Schengen cost from India in 2026 is ₹11,500–₹15,000 per adult. Here's every line item in rupees.
Quick answer
As of June 2026 the Schengen government visa fee is €90 for adults (raised from €80 in June 2024) and €45 for children aged 6–12; under 6 is free. On top of that you pay a VFS service charge of about ₹1,933–₹3,111 depending on the country, plus travel insurance (~₹1,000–₹3,000), photos and photocopies, and optional courier/SMS. The realistic all-in cost is about ₹11,500–₹15,000 per adult. None of the visa or service fees is refunded if you're refused. (Sources: AXA Schengen; VFS Global India.) Verify current fees before applying — they change.
Line-by-line cost in rupees (June 2026)
Here is the full itemised breakdown for one adult applicant. The euro fee is paid in ₹ at the consulate/VFS exchange rate on the day, so the rupee figure moves with the rate (we use ~₹92/€ for June 2026).
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Embassy visa fee (adult) | €90 ≈ ₹8,300 | Same for every Schengen country; non-refundable |
| VFS service charge | ₹1,933–₹3,111 | Varies by country (Germany ≈ ₹1,933; Portugal ≈ ₹3,111) |
| Travel insurance | ₹1,000–₹3,000 | Mandatory; €30,000 medical minimum |
| Photos (Schengen spec) | ₹150–₹400 | 35×45 mm, white background |
| Photocopies / printouts | ₹100–₹300 | Bank statements, bookings, forms |
| Courier return of passport | ₹400–₹800 (optional) | Or collect in person free |
| SMS / prime-time / premium lounge | ₹300–₹2,000 (optional) | Skip to save |
| Realistic all-in | ₹11,500–₹15,000 | Per adult, one application |
Children aged 6–12 pay the reduced €45 fee plus the same VFS and insurance, so a family of four costs less than 4× an adult. For the insurance line specifically, read our Schengen €30,000 insurance rule guide.
The €90 fee — what changed and what it is in rupees
The Schengen adult fee rose from €80 to €90 on 11 June 2024, and the €45 child rate (ages 6–12) stayed. Under-6s are free. This fee is identical across all 29 Schengen countries — Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Nordics, the Baltics, everyone — so you can't save on the government fee by choosing a 'cheaper' country (you save only on the VFS service charge). It is collected in rupees at the day's rate, which is why you'll see figures from ₹8,200 to ₹8,500 floating around for the same €90.
Crucially, the fee is non-refundable whether you're approved or refused. In 2024 Indian applicants collectively lost an estimated ₹136 crore to refused-but-paid Schengen applications (Business Standard, May 2025), which is exactly why getting the application right the first time matters more than shaving ₹1,000 off the service charge.
The VFS service charge — and why it varies by country
VFS Global runs the application centres, and it charges its own service fee on top of the €90. This is the only part of the headline cost that genuinely varies by country — roughly ₹1,933 to ₹3,111 depending on the Schengen state, with Slovakia and Italy among the lower and Portugal/Switzerland/Austria among the higher. Germany, the most common Indian route, is around ₹1,933.
It's tempting to chase the lowest VFS fee, but the saving is only a few hundred to ~₹1,000 — and you are not free to pick the country. Schengen rules require you to apply through your main destination (most nights), or your first point of entry if nights are equal. Applying to the 'cheapest' country when you're really spending most of your trip elsewhere is a leading cause of refusal. We cover this trade-off fully in cheapest Schengen country to apply through and which country to apply through.
Mandatory and optional add-ons
Mandatory:
- Travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover, valid across the whole Schengen area for your full stay. Indian insurers (ICICI Lombard, HDFC Ergo, Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz, Acko) sell compliant policies from roughly ₹1,000 for a short trip. Details in our €30,000 insurance rule guide and best travel insurance for India 2026.
- Photos to Schengen spec (35×45 mm, white background) — ₹150–₹400 at any studio that does visa photos.
Optional (skip to save):
- Courier return of passport (₹400–₹800) — or collect free in person.
- SMS updates, prime-time appointment, premium lounge, form-filling assistance — each adds ₹300–₹2,000. None of these change your odds of approval.
- Photocopy/printout services at the centre cost more than doing it yourself beforehand.
Don't forget the costs around the visa: LRS and TCS on the trip
The visa is a small slice of a Europe trip's true cost. When you buy forex, load a travel card, or pay for the trip in foreign currency, India's LRS and TCS rules can apply above certain thresholds — money you'll either pay upfront or reclaim later. Plan these in: see LRS limit and family pooling and pick an efficient card via best forex cards for Indians 2026.
And the single biggest variable is the flight. A Delhi–Europe return can swing thousands of rupees with timing. Before you lock dates, compare live fares for Delhi to Paris, Mumbai to Rome or your route in the FlightGPT chat — and use a refundable reservation for the visa application until approval.
Bottom line
Budget ₹11,500–₹15,000 per adult for the Schengen application itself in 2026: a fixed €90 (~₹8,300) government fee, a ₹1,933–₹3,111 VFS charge, mandatory insurance (~₹1,000–₹3,000), and small photo/photocopy/courier costs. The €90 is the same everywhere; only the VFS charge varies by country, and you must still apply through your main destination. Because nothing is refunded on a refusal, spend your energy on a clean application, not on saving ₹1,000. Verify all fees on the official VFS and consulate pages before you pay, since they're revised periodically.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Schengen visa cost from India in 2026?
The government fee is €90 for adults (≈₹8,300) and €45 for children 6–12; under 6 is free. Add a VFS service charge of ₹1,933–₹3,111, insurance of ₹1,000–₹3,000, plus photos and courier. The realistic all-in total is about ₹11,500–₹15,000 per adult. Fees are non-refundable if refused.
Did the Schengen visa fee go up to €90?
Yes. The adult fee rose from €80 to €90 on 11 June 2024 and remains €90 in 2026. The child (6–12) fee is €45, and under-6s are free. The fee is identical across all Schengen countries and is paid in rupees at the day's exchange rate.
Is the Schengen visa fee refundable if my application is refused?
No. Neither the €90 government fee nor the VFS service charge is refunded on a refusal. In 2024 Indian applicants collectively lost an estimated ₹136 crore to refused-but-paid applications, which is why a clean, consistent application matters more than saving on fees.
Why does the VFS service charge differ by country?
Each Schengen mission negotiates VFS's service fee, so it ranges from about ₹1,933 (e.g. Germany) to ₹3,111 (e.g. Portugal) in 2026. The €90 government fee is identical everywhere — only the VFS charge varies. But you must apply through your main destination, so you can't simply pick the cheapest.
Is travel insurance mandatory and how much does it cost?
Yes — Schengen requires travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover, valid across the area for your full stay. Indian insurers like ICICI Lombard, HDFC Ergo, Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz and Acko sell compliant policies from roughly ₹1,000 for a short trip.
What's the cheapest way to apply without hurting my chances?
Skip optional add-ons — collect the passport in person instead of courier, do your own photocopies, and avoid prime-time/premium upsells, since none improve approval odds. Do keep the mandatory insurance. The fee and VFS charge themselves can't be reduced.