Hi everyone, I am currently compiling a story on how travel barriers have shifted for creatives and professionals around the world. There seems to be a lot of variability depending on where you apply.
I would love to hear your honest experiences with short-stay Schengen visa applications over the last few years. Specifically, how was the appointment availability and document scrutiny at your local consulates? I am trying to gauge if the process has become more streamlined or just more unpredictable recently.
In my experience, it’s become more unpredictable rather than streamlined. Appointment availability really depends on the country and city, and document scrutiny has increased over the last few years. Even strong applications can face long waits or unexpected refusals, so a lot of it feels inconsistent now
Applied through the Swiss consulate here in Mumbai. Usually, I like optimized systems, but their slot booking UI is full of bugs. Had to run a script just to monitor availability. Once I submitted the docs, though, the logic check was fast. Approved in 3 working days. Efficiency is there, but the frontend process needs a patch.