Navigating the Schengen Visa application process can be a daunting experience, especially when faced with an unexpected refusal. In this blog, we’ll share our personal journey through the Schengen Visa application for Austria, from the initial application process to the successful appeal against the refusal. If you’re searching for insights on how to handle a Schengen visa refusal, especially for Austria, you’re in the right place. Here’s our story, including detailed timelines and steps we took to finally secure our visa. Read the Complete List of Schengen Visa Refusal Reasons and How to Avoid Them.
Our Initial Application Process
Appointment and Submission:
On April 28, 2024, my spouse and I booked our appointment with VFS Global in Bangalore, India. We chose the first available Friday, which was May 17, 2024, for our appointment. As first-time travelers to the Schengen Area but with a history of travel to other Asian countries, we made sure our application was thorough and complete. Our documentation included:
- Schengen Visa Application Form: Fully completed and signed.
- Detailed Itinerary: Outlining our planned travel activities.
- Funding Proofs: Bank statements and other financial documents.
- Hotel & Return Flight Bookings: Confirmations for our stay and flights.
- Cover Letter: Explaining the purpose of our trip and our intent to return home.
- Property Documents: To demonstrate our ties to our home country.
- NOC Letter from Employer: Confirming our employment status.
- Three Years of Income Tax Returns: To verify our financial stability.
- Salary Slips: Recent pay slips to show steady income.
- Explanation of High-Volume Transactions: Clarifying any unusual banking activities.
Our appointment at VFS Global was efficient, taking just about an hour due to our morning slot. Consequently, our application was dispatched to the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi on the same day.
Application Status Updates:
- May 21, 2024: We received confirmation from the Austrian Embassy acknowledging receipt of our application.
- May 23, 2024: We got a notification that our application was under process.
- June 10, 2024: Another notification indicated that the application was processed and in transit.
- June 12, 2024: VFS Bangalore called us to collect our passports.
The Disheartening Refusal
Receiving the Refusal Letter:
Upon collecting our passports on June 13, 2024, we were dismayed to find a refusal letter enclosed. This unexpected decision was disheartening given our thorough preparation and comprehensive documentation. Read our detailed guide of how to handle Schengen Visa Refusal.
Refusal Reasons:
The refusal letter was a detailed 5-page document in both German and English. The primary reasons for refusal were:
- Reason 10: “The information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable.”
- Reason 13: “There are reasonable doubts as to your intention to leave the territory of the member states before the expiry of the visa.”
Additional reasons included:
- Reason 7: “One or more member states consider you to be a threat to public policy or national security.”
- Reason 8: “One or more member states consider you to be a threat to public health.”
- Reason 9: “One or more member states consider you to be a threat to their international relations.”
The letter also contained remarks in the “Other Remarks” section
Our Response to the Refusal
Addressing the Refusal Reasons:
When we reviewed the refusal reasons, we realized that we had already provided substantial evidence to counter the concerns:
- Reason 10 and 13: We had submitted property documents for our recent flat purchase in Bangalore and an NOC from my employer detailing my annual salary and approved leave. Despite this, the refusal suggested that these were insufficient.
- Reasons 7, 8, and 9: These reasons were confusing as we had no apparent issues related to public policy, health, or international relations. We speculated that the commonality of our surnames in a particular region of India might have contributed to these concerns.
Preparing the Appeal:
To prepare our appeal, we took the following steps:
Reinforced Evidence:
- We reiterated our recent property purchase in Bangalore and highlighted our ancestral properties.
- We emphasized our long-term employment and good professional rapport.
- We mentioned in our appeal letter that although we were first-time travelers to the Schengen region, we had previously traveled to other Asian countries without overstaying our visas. This demonstrated our adherence to visa conditions and further supported our intent to return home.
- We assured that moving to another country without proper authorization would jeopardize our lives.
Addressed Specific Concerns:
- For reasons 7, 8, and 9, we emphasized our status as law-abiding citizens with no litigations or traffic violations.
- We labeled the attached document as “Property Registration Document” to clarify any potential confusion from the document being in Kannada.
Submission of Appeal:
We sent the appeal letter and the flat registry document via speed post on June 15, 2024. The documents reached the embassy on June 17, 2024.
Appeal for Schengen visa refusal for Austria Follow-Up and Outcome
- June 24, 2024: We received an email from the Austrian Embassy addressed to my HR, with me in CC, requesting employment verification. We responded to this request the same day.
- June 26, 2024: We received a notification to resubmit our passports to the local VFS for reprocessing, indicating that our appeal was successful.
- June 27, 2024: We submitted our passports to VFS Bangalore for reprocessing.
- July 5, 2024: We received a mail from VFS indicating that our passports were in transit to Bangalore after processing.
- July 9, 2024: After receiving confirmation from VFS Bangalore on July 8, we collected our passports with the approved visa.
Note: The appeal process was free of cost for us; we did not incur any additional fees for the appeal. For Appeal letter format, please visit Handling Schengen Visa Refusal: Appeal Against Refusal (With Appeal Letter Format).
Conclusion
Our journey through the Schengen visa application process and the subsequent appeal for Schengen visa refusal for Austria was a challenging yet ultimately rewarding experience. By carefully preparing our initial application, addressing the refusal reasons comprehensively in our appeal, and providing additional clarifications, we were able to overcome the hurdles and secure our visa.
For anyone facing a similar situation, remember that a well-prepared appeal can make a significant difference. Thoroughly review the refusal reasons, address them clearly in your appeal, and provide any additional evidence to support your case.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, we hope our experience helps guide you through the process and inspires confidence in your own appeal efforts.
Feel free to reach out by commenting with any questions or additional tips on navigating the Schengen visa application and appeal process!
Hello ticket2travel.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I am living and working in Austria for last 7 months. I sent an invitation letter for my parents to visit Austria. It was a sponsored trip and I made sure to include all the relevant documents and cover letter. But unfortunately they received a refusal letter- Reasons :2,10 & 13
Please let me know how to proceed. Any help will be very much appreciated.
Hi Sharmin,
Thanks for reaching out to me and have a detailed discussion over mail. Our recommendations are given below –
To address reason number 2, the main issue is the lack of a clear travel intent. In your appeal letter, you need to explicitly state the purpose of their visit. Provide a detailed itinerary for their entire stay. Include information about the places and people they will visit, along with their addresses and contact details. This will strengthen your case, as the embassy may contact these references to verify the details.
For reasons 10 and 13, you must provide compelling evidence that they have strong reasons to return to the home country. Submit any property documents in their names and include details about family members who reside in home country. This will demonstrate that their primary life and commitments are in the home country, not Austria. If there is a significant weather in you home country and Austria, you may mention that it would be challenging for them to stay in Austria for an extended period due to their age. Additionally you may highlight that the support system and social life in the home country are more favorable for them compared to Austria, making overstaying in Austria impractical.
If your father is still employed, include a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from his employer, stating that he is on approved leave and will resume his position after the holiday. Also, provide his Income Tax Returns for the past three years with the appeal letter.
Hi Kanishka and Namita,
First of all, loved your detailed blog about the harassing experience. Many of us can really connect to it. Coming to my case now :-
My wife and I have planned to travel to Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary in November 2024. I have been to Europe once in 2018 (on a bachelor’s trip ;p) and have a history of positive Schengen visa. My dad and I own a company but as per our company structure, he is the proprietor and I am an employee, even though I am the one fully handling the business now (happens in our traditional Indian homes all the time). Our visa got refused stating only point no. 10 with 7,8, or 9 in additional remarks and in other remarks they stated “it was not possible to check the employer because the letter submitted does not have a working landline phone number or official email address”.
Obviously small businesses like ours do not have landline phones anymore and our type of B2B manufacturing businesses do not even require a company domain. I did attach all the salary slips, NOC from my employer (my dad), ITRs, Bank balance ~3 lakhs and investment proofs ~50 lakhs. The salary slips and the NOC did have our company id @hotmail.com on which they didn’t bother to communicate. My fully paid flight tickets are booked and accommodation booked via my agent. I want to appeal against the refusal. As per your guidance i’ll draft a letter with additional proofs of my education, our company structure, GST certificate, and a letter from my dad requesting me to grant the visa as my employer and dad. Kindly advise!
Dear Rahul,
First of all, we are very sorry to hear about your visa refusal. I understand how disappointing this must be for you. Based on the information you’ve shared, I have a few recommendations that may strengthen your appeal:
1. Professional Email ID: It might be helpful to obtain a professional email ID in the name of your business. Google and other vendors offer cost-effective solutions for this. While I’m not certain of the exact costs, it’s definitely worth exploring as it adds credibility.
2. Business Structure Explanation: In your appeal, provide a detailed explanation of the structure of your business or your father’s business. Highlight the nature of your business and explain why an official email ID or a landline may not be necessary for your operations.
3. Supporting Documents: As you’ve already mentioned, include the GST details and a letter from your employer (your father) to further support your case.
4. Official Presentation: Write the appeal letter on your official letterhead and, if possible, send all documents in your official envelope. This can lend additional authenticity to your submission.
I hope these suggestions help in your appeal process. We wish you all the best for your appeal. Please feel free to reach out if you need further assistance.
Best regards,
Kanishka & Namita
Hi Kanishka and Namita,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I’m sure through this, many will find a way to get their visa.
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I applied for Schengen Visa for the first time for family visit. I have travel history of South East Asia and have valid Multiple Entry Visa for Singapore.
Applied from: India (Bangalore)
Applied for Country (Netherlands)
Short Stay asking for 45 Days Visa
Reason for visit: My cousin sister had multiple fractures and had an operation on 3rd September. To support her with daily chores. I’m a self employed – Marketing Freelancer and Stock Trader. Although in cover letter I’ve mentioned I stay with my parents and I’ve to be back to take care of them. I’ve also mentioned I’ve to meet my existing clients in India for Christmas and New Year Sale Campaigns.
Documents I took to VFS Appointment (But the at counter he removed many supporting documents):
Bank Statements showing I have and have maintained 4 Lakh Rupees Balance (4300 Euros) – Taken
My GST Registration Certificate along with 2 Year ITR – Taken
My tax computation docs and balance sheet that showed all my assets in India – Removed
My Property Tax Receipt, Sale Deed, Stock Holdings, Car Registration RC, My recent invoices to clients – Taken
My Cousin Sister’s Hospital Document stating she had an operation on 3rd – Removed
Cover Letter, Invitation Letter, Sister’s Resident Card, Her Passport Copy, My Passport Copy, Proof of Accomodation from Municipality – Taken
My Singapore Visa copy along with Passport stamps copy – Removed
Proof/Family tree showing how me and my cousins are related – Removed
My Sister’s Work Documents and her salary slip – Removed
My Sister’s lease agreement in Netherlands – Removed
Flight Tickets taken but Itinerary removed. (I’ll be only travelling to Netherlands. Not intending to tour)
Now to me it seemed he removed most of the important supporting documents. Especially the Hospital document because in our cover letters, application, invitation letters we have mentioned this is the reason I’m going.
Also, I’m travelling with one more cousin (Her actual brother). In his case, he took the hospital document, salary slips, lease agreement.
Now I’m super confused why he returned most of the documents in my case and I’m already worried my application will be rejected as it has become a lot weaker without those documents.
Is there anything I can do right now before they make their mind? I contacted Embassy through some numbers on Google. Turns out additional documents can’t be added. Still, I’m thinking of writing a final request email to Delhi, with all the documents as approval is really important for me, given that my sister is alone.
Dear Rishabh,
We’re deeply sorry to hear about your cousin’s accident. We hope and pray for her speedy recovery during this difficult time for you and your family.
Regarding your Schengen visa application, could you kindly clarify whether you applied individually or if your cousin (the one who is traveling with you) is the primary applicant? If you are a secondary applicant and your cousin is the primary one, the decision is generally based on the primary applicant, so there might be less cause for concern.
If you have mentioned your cousin’s accident in your cover letter, it could be seen as a factor of consideration, and the embassy might look upon your situation more favorably. However, I agree it is concerning that the VFS has removed important documents from your application. It is generally advised to insist that all supporting documents be submitted, as they play a crucial role in the decision-making process.
At this stage, since your application is already with the embassy, no further documents can be added. My suggestion is to remain hopeful for a positive outcome, and I would advise against sending emails to the embassy, as this is unlikely to have any influence on the decision.
In the unfortunate case of rejection, don’t lose heart. You can prepare an appeal letter, clearly outlining all the relevant details, and submit it along with the supporting documents that were previously removed. Make sure to submit everything physically to the embassy and remember to sign the appeal letter.
Wishing you all the best with your visa application and hoping for a positive result.
Kind regards,
Kanishka & Namita
Thank you so much Kanishka & Namita! Just what I needed to hear. I think I’m the secondary applicant as my application number ends with /02
Regarding the email, I know it may not influence the decision but I’m not seeing any harm in a very respectful email for my peace of mind (that I tried everything before refusal).
I also saw the Ambassador of Netherlands is very active on Twitter and usually helps/replies people with Visa issues. But that’s not the way I’m looking to go. Hence, maybe emails are active at Netherlands. Just my assumption
Dear Rishabh,
Since your application number ends with /02, it indicates that you are the secondary applicant. This might explain why VFS removed certain documents, as they may be considered redundant.
We wish you all the best with your visa application!
Kind Regards,
Kanishka & Namita