Delhi man loses Rs 3.5 lakh in flight bookings after Schengen visa denied: ‘I am shocked’

A Delhi man lost Rs 3.5 lakh after his Schengen visa was denied

Indians planning to travel to Schengen countries this summer are likely to be in for some disappointing news, thanks to the high rate of visa delays and refusals. A recent Moneycontrol report documented several cases where Schengen visas were denied without any valid reason, leaving travellers angry and annoyed.

One such case is that of Delhi-based Mayank Sharma, who lost Rs 3.5 lakh in flight and hotel bookings after his Schengen visa was denied without a strong reason.

In several posts shared on the social media platform X, Sharma explained that he wanted a Schengen visa for his week-long trip to Greece. Sharma felt that getting a visa would be easy enough since he had a comfortable bank balance.

I also lost 3.5 Lacs in hotel booking and flight tickets to #Greece, #visa refusal came 2 days after flight date. Have decided not to travel to Europe in foreseeable future. https://t.co/1pRSOvYMIe

— Mayank Sharma (@TheMayanks) April 30, 2024

Asked if the Greek Embassy provided a reason for denying his visa, the Delhi-based executive wrote: “Letter was in standard format which said that they're not sure if I'll come back... Honestly I am shocked and still not able to digest that there's a corner in world out of my reach.”

He confirmed that it was the first time he had applied for a Schengen visa and he wanted to visit Greece for only seven days. With the visa denied, he opted to travel to Turkey and Seychelles instead.

A Schengen visa allows individuals to travel freely within the Schengen Area, which comprises 26 European countries. The Area includes several popular holiday destinations like Greece, France, Italy and more.

The high rate of visa delays and denials for Indians come at a time when Europe is promoting its new visa rules where eligible Indians will be allowed multiple entries in Schengen countries.