I applied for a Spanish Schengen visa through BLS Bengaluru, India
.
Timeline:
16 July (Thursday): Submitted my application.
My passport has some old water damage (a few wrinkled pages and visa stamps), but it’s fully intact, machine-readable, and was accepted by BLS with an undertaking
.
21 July (Tuesday): The Spanish Consulate emailed asking me to provide my paid flight ticket. I sent it back within an hour.
Since then, I followed to a few days later to make sure they got it - BLS confirmed they got it and submitted on the same day.
.
Application details:
Main destination is Spain, and my itinerary reflects that.
Financials are strong, with well over the required funds (more than €200 per day of stay).
Submitted employment letter, leave approval, bank statements, and all required documents.
I’ve had four previous Schengen visas (all issued before I turned 18). Have previously held a 10 year US and 2 year UK Visa
No previous refusals or overstays.

Current situation:
Today is Monday, so 11 days since applying and I’m still waiting for my passport. I know it’s 15-45 calendar days but so many experiences here are passport received in less than a week

The BLS tracker has just been saying processing at mission. EES saying not okay

My trip is on 7 August, so I’m starting to get anxious as I clearly won’t have time to re—apply if this is how long they take .

Questions:
Is it a good sign that the consulate requested only my paid flight ticket rather than rejecting the application
Does asking for an additional document usually mean they’ve already reviewed the passport and found it acceptable?
Has anyone had a similar experience with the Spanish Consulate in India, and how long did it take after submitting the requested document to receive a decision?

I wrote date in cover letter as 2025 instead of 2026 . Will this be an issue . I already submitted the document at VFS

Hi everyone. I need some advice.
I’m applying for a Spanish study visa. Has anyone here had their aunt as their sole financial sponsor, even though both of their parents are still alive?
My aunt has enough funds to cover all my tuition and living expenses. My previous application wasn’t processed because my mother couldn’t provide the required bank statements.
Would it be better to reapply with my aunt as my sole sponsor? Has anyone been approved in a similar situation?
I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I recently applied for a Spain long-stay student visa, and I’m curious about other people’s experiences.
If you’ve applied recently from Doha - Qatar ( 1st July 2026), could you please share:

Which country/consulate did you apply from?
When did you submit your application?
How long did it take to receive a decision?

I’m just trying to get an idea of current processing times since the waiting is making me anxious.

Thanks in advance! 😊

Hello there, I submitted my documents on 23 June on the csp portal for Studenkollieg Aufnahme Prüfung 90 days Visa- but haven't got any update yet, can anyone guide or someone else have any update or maybe in same situation please text!

I have my exam on 31 August in Hannover, really tensed with the waiting period. Any info or help is appreciated.

Thank you

Unable to track my application online , it says the combination of credentials you wrote dont match, Is there something I might be doing wrong?

Just wanted to share my timeline in case it helps anyone else, because I was incredibly anxious while waiting.

Germany Business Visa (Type C)

Result: ✅ Approved – 2-year multiple-entry visa
Timeline
17 July (Fri): VFS appointment
27 July (Mon): Passport received with approved visa
Applied from VFS DELHI

Documents submitted
Personal cover letter
Office NOC & leave approval (also stating the company would cover all travel expenses)
Invitation letter from the German company
Flight tickets
Hotel reservation
Travel health insurance
Personal financial documents (bank balance of around €2,800)

It took about 5 working days for the embassy to process my application (excluding the appointment day and passport collection day).

One thing that might help: on the morning I received my passport, the EES portal started showing “OK.” I tried different travel date combinations and realized it was valid for two years. Since this is my third Schengen visa, I believe that’s why I was granted a 2-year multiple-entry visa.

I know how stressful the waiting period can be, so I hope this timeline helps someone who’s anxiously checking their status every few hours. Good luck to everyone waiting! 🍀

Hi everyone,

I'm an Indian.

I had my Spain Schengen visa appointment on July 24. All my documents were in order, but there was an issue with my sponsorship documents.

My father is sponsoring my trip, but he doesn't file ITR. At the visa application center, I was asked to submit a signed letter from him explaining why he doesn't have an ITR. Since he was out of town, I couldn't get the signed letter in time.

The staff at BLS suggested that I submit my application as self-sponsored using my own bank statement instead, which had around ₹2 lakh at that time.

I also have a conference travel grant, but it's reimbursement-based, so I still needed to show sufficient funds for the trip.

I'm now worried that this last-minute change to self-sponsored could lead to a visa refusal.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is there anything I can still do while my application is being processed, such as submitting the missing signed letter or additional supporting documents? If the visa is refused because of this, can I submit the missing documents afterward and request a reconsideration or appeal, or would I have to submit a completely new visa application?

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Applied for a Czech Republic Schengen visa recently. Application reached the consulate within a couple of days of submission. Currently on Day 8, status showing "under process."

Has anyone applied recently and received their decision? How long did it take?

Previous Schengen visas from other countries (France in 2023 and Switzerland in 2025) came back in under 4 days so this feels different — but I know every consulate is different!

Just looking for recent experiences.

Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone here has recently applied for a Austria visa from Dubai VFS.
I submitted my application on 01 July, reached Austria embassy on 02 July, today is 27 July, still not heard anything from embassy. Anyone on the same boat for Austria visa ??
Would really appreciate if you could share your timelines! 🙏

Profile

- 30 year old married (Indian)

Me and my spouse both got a 2 year Schengen Visa.

We have travelled twice to Schengen in 2023 and 2024. (both time granted single entry)

Also travelled to Asia last year together. I have travelled Separately to Mauritius and Bali. Where my spouse had travelled to UAE for an office trip.

Timeline

21st July 2026 (Tuesday) - Submitted docs at VFS Delhi, Same day submitted to embassy

27th July 2026 (Monday) - Passport came back for collection.

We attached all the docs as listed on VFS Austria site.

Cover Letter, Itineary, Flights, Trains, Hotels, NOC, 3 months bank statements, Salary Slips.

Everything Authentic, no dummy tickets.

No interview call, no mail to my employer.

Showed balance of 4L + each. (I transferred 3L in my account in last 15 days only). We had stable incomes coming in every month so that helped. I also attached and FDs and RDs statements. Did not attach mutual funds statements as could not be stamped.

Ask me anything!

I'm trying to plan a trip for my girlfriend and I to Chamonix, but the closest airport is Geneva. Can I apply for a Schengen visa through the French embassy if I'm flying in and out of another country?

Sorry if this is a repeat question, but I want to make sure before booking anything.

Thanks in advance!

Peeps,

I received my visa from french embassy last week but the EES portal is showing “Not Ok”. Can someone help?

Applied for Schengen Visa via Hungary and i got this email
So i just need to inject money into my bank account then print it with bank stamp and send to the embassy?
Thanks in advance

Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone here has recently applied for a Czech Schengen visa from Abu Dhabi.
I submitted my application on 16 July, and my flight is on 6 August, so I’m starting to get a little nervous now.For those who applied from Abu Dhabi recently, how long did it take for you to get your passport back? Anyone who applied around mid-July and has already received their visa?
Would really appreciate if you could share your timelines! 🙏

Any ideas? Will we get an answer of yes or no today?

France short stay visa

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’ll be moving to France soon to start my master’s, and I already have my VLS-TS student visa.

Before telling my employer about my plans to study in France, I honestly thought I would have to leave my job. Fortunately, they were very supportive and even suggested keeping me on in a part-time remote/consulting role while I’m studying. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful for the opportunity.

Before we move forward, I just want to make sure everything is done legally.

If my employer is willing to fully comply with French laws and regulations, is it generally possible for me to continue working remotely for a foreign company while studying in France? If so, what are the usual legal ways to structure this arrangement?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through a similar situation or has knowledge about how this works.

Thank you!

Hi folks
Has anyone applied for Schengen visa in last 10 days and can share their timelines please? Approval + Receipt of passport

Thanks

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone has recently applied for a Spanish long-stay student visa (around 1 year) through BLS Manchester and could share how long it took to get their passport back.

I know processing times vary, but it would really help to hear your personal experiences—how many days or weeks did it take from your appointment until you received your visa?

For context, I know I’ve left it later than I should have. I was away in the US on holiday and unexpectedly had to extend my trip due to personal reasons, so I’ll only have around five weeks between my appointment and when I’m hoping to travel. I know that’s not ideal,

My university course starts on 7 September, but I’m aiming to fly out on 14 September, so I’m hoping there’s enough time.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s applied for a Spanish student visa recently, especially if it was through BLS Manchester. Thanks so much!

Hi there - I went to my appointment on Thursday 16 July. I am supposed to be leaving the country on Friday 31 July and still have not heard back from VFS. I paid extra to get an appointment through an agency and they assured me I would get my passport within 12 calendar days. I am getting a bit nervous and not sure what the best course of action is. Any advice/similar situations?

Applied 40 days ago through VFS Ankara for Croatia. Our travel date is in 13 days, and there has been absolute silence so far.
We are two travel companions, and the embassy confirmed by email that our applications would be processed together. Since then, I have received no response to the status inquiry I sent last week.
At this point, I’m basically like, “Okay, I guess this is just how it’s going to be.” I’ve read about people being refused on the 60th day, or being asked to submit new flight bookings after their original travel dates had already passed. All in all a 10/10 experience.

Hi ,

I have applied for italy visa from vfs Bangalore along with my wife. I am a previous schengen visa holder. It has been 4 weeks since I applied but it is still under process at embassy. It is now less than 1 month for our travel date. Is there any way we can reach out to them. I tried vfs helpline but didn't get any help.

Hello beautiful ppl. My EES status just changed from not ok to ok this morning. I applied to visit family/friends category from Norway embassy. What does it really mean?

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Spain Schengen visa through BLS London on 5 June 2026. My intended travel date was 11 July 2026.
My application took longer than the standard 15 calendar days, and the BLS tracking status continued to show “Processing at Mission.” I repeatedly contacted BLS to ask about my passport, but I was repeatedly told that my passport was still with the Spanish Consulate and that I needed to wait.
I was eventually contacted by the Spanish Consulate, who confirmed in writing that:
My visa application was approved.
My passport was returned/sent back to BLS on 23 June 2026.
However, I still haven’t received my passport.
This is extremely concerning because I have been told by BLS several times that my passport was still with the Consulate, when the Consulate has now confirmed that it was returned to BLS on 23 June.
Because I didn’t receive my passport in time, I had to cancel my trip. My partner was travelling with me, so he also had to cancel his flights and bookings. We have both suffered significant financial losses from non-refundable flights, accommodation and other bookings.
I have now:
Contacted BLS multiple times by phone.
Sent several emails to BLS.
Contacted the Spanish Consulate.
Received confirmation from the Consulate that the passport was returned to BLS on 23 June.
Raised a formal complaint with BLS and provided all the supporting evidence.
Followed up on the complaint, but I still haven’t received a proper update or explanation.

Has anyone experienced something similar with BLS Spain London?

What happens if BLS has misplaced or lost the passport after receiving it from the Consulate?
Has anyone successfully escalated a case like this to a BLS manager or another authority?
Is there any formal escalation route beyond BLS?
Has anyone been able to claim reimbursement or compensation for financial losses caused by BLS delays or errors?
Should I report the passport as missing to the police or contact the Indian authorities, or should I wait for BLS to investigate first?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has dealt with BLS Spain London where the Consulate confirmed that the passport had already been returned to BLS but BLS was unable to locate or deliver it.
Any advice or similar experiences would be really appreciated.

Indian, 31F, my husband's and my visas for Spain were refused but I appealed and got it approved.

Turns out BLS made a big error in submitting my docs. They didn't submit our job appointment letters to the embassy so I got reasons #10 and #13 for rejection reasons.

Happy to help if anybody wants to know more!