Indian Investor in London Faces Setback Due to Schengen Visa Delays
Schengen Visa Fees Surge Globally as New Rates Take Effect
Aashima Arora, venture capitalist at LocalGlobe, misses international flight despite months of preparation and over Rs 4 lakh spent on visa process.
27 May 2024
By Payoshi Bisht
Aashima Arora, an Indian investor based in London, found herself at the mercy of bureaucratic delays as she attempted to secure a Schengen visa for a business trip to Denmark. Despite meticulous preparation and considerable financial investment, Arora’s plans were disrupted, shedding light on the challenges faced by Indian travellers navigating the Schengen visa application process.
Arora, whose achievements include being featured in Forbes’ 30 under 30 Europe Finance list, had earmarked Denmark for a crucial work-related endeavour. However, her journey was marred by extensive documentation requirements and prolonged wait times, culminating in missing her international flight. Expressing frustration over the ordeal, Aashima shared a post on X (Link).
The arduous visa application process proved to be not only time-consuming but also financially burdensome for Arora, who disclosed spending over Rs 4 lakh in a bid to expedite her appointment. Despite possessing a UK biometric residence permit, she was compelled to navigate through layers of paperwork, adding to the complexity of her situation.
Arora detailed her interactions with the Danish embassy, where initial assurances of a swift visa issuance gave way to an extended waiting period. “I’m doing like a walk-in thing with the Danish embassy because they allow walk-in appointments for business visas which is great (because) you don’t have to wait months for it, but after submitting the documents, now I found out that their processing time is up to 90 days,” she explained.
The plight of Aashima Arora underscores broader concerns surrounding Schengen visa delays, particularly affecting Indian travellers seeking to explore popular European destinations such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Arora emphasised the practical limitations imposed by the prolonged processing times, noting the constraints it placed on her ability to plan other travel endeavours.
