A Delhi man lost Rs 3.5 lakh after his Schengen visa was deniedIndians 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.
One such case is that of Unity Small Finance Bank executive Mayank Sharma, who lost Rs 3.5 lakh in flight and hotel bookings after his Schengen visa was denied without a strong reason.
I also lost 3.5 Lacs in hotel booking and flight tickets to #Greece, #visa refusal came 2 days after flight date.
Sharma lost Rs 3.5 lakh that he had spent on flight and hotel bookings.
A Schengen visa allows individuals to travel freely within the Schengen Area, which comprises 26 European countries.
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 Unity Small Finance Bank executive Mayank Sharma, who lost Rs 3.5 lakh in flight and hotel bookings after his Schengen visa was denied without a strong reason.
Story continues below Advertisement Remove Ad
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. As head of Unsecured Business Loans for Unity Small Finance Bank with a comfortable seven-figure balance in his savings account, Sharma felt that getting a visa would be easy enough.
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
However, his visa request was denied two days after he was scheduled to fly out of India. Sharma lost Rs 3.5 lakh that he had spent on flight and hotel bookings. “Have decided not to travel to Europe in foreseeable future,” he wrote on X.
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, whereas I am working as Business Head@Unity SFB with SA balance in 7 figures. 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.
