Schengen visa gets costlier? VFS Global hikes service fees, steepest rise in Switzerland

Schengen visa applications have become more expensive for Indians, with VFS Global raising its service charges last month, the first hike since 2023. The revision comes as Europe continues to be a top choice for Indian travellers during summer and year-end holidays.

While the base visa fee remains around Rs 8,000–Rs 10,000 for adults, VFS levies an additional mandatory service fee, now revised upward.

Country-wise fee changes

The updated service charges vary by country: Germany now charges Rs 1,933, Switzerland Rs 2,690, Portugal Rs 3,111, France Rs 2,234, and Austria Rs 2,274. Optional services further add to costs. For instance, applicants for a Swiss visa may pay Rs 930 for courier delivery, Rs 450 for SMS updates, or Rs 4,600 for premium lounge access (excluding Delhi, Kolkata, and Jalandhar). A combo service offering courier and SMS updates is priced at Rs 1,250.

VFS Global confirmed the increase in service charges for Switzerland, citing “new contractual obligations,” but did not clarify if hikes apply to other countries as well.

Schengen visa and currency concerns

The Schengen visa allows entry into 29 European countries for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Applicants must submit documents such as travel plans, proof of funds, and insurance.

As embassies no longer accept direct visa walk-ins, all applicants must go through VFS Global, making the service fee mandatory. The impact is compounded by the rupee’s decade-long slide against the euro. In 2015, one euro cost Rs 72.12. By 2020, it had risen to Rs 84.64, and in 2023, Rs 89.20. In 2024, it crossed Rs 90.55, and in June 2025, surged past Rs 100 for the first time.

Issuing a clarification on this, a VFS Global spokesperson told Business Today, "Each Schengen member state independently defines its visa outsourcing arrangements and applicable service fees. For clarity, we would like to reiterate that the last hike in the Switzerland visa service fee was in July 2025 as per the new contractual obligations, and the update on the same was published on our Switzerland-in-India website as well."