A well-traveled Indian professional has raised serious concerns over what he calls an “unjust and frustrating experience” with the Austrian visa process, after his family visa application for a vacation to celebrate his mother’s 50th birthday was rejected. Despite a strong travel history, valid visas from countries like the UK and Canada, and all required financial documentation, the Schengen visa was denied—forcing them to cancel a long-planned trip and suffer financial losses.
The individual, who posted anonymously on Reddit, detailed his case, hoping to draw attention to what he describes as a lack of transparency and accountability in the Schengen visa regime, particularly under Austria’s purview. The planned trip included 10 days in Austria and 4 days in Budapest, with entry and exit through Vienna, clearly making Austria the main destination.
He had previously been granted multiple Schengen business and tourist visas from countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway. His parents, too, have a strong travel background with nearly 40 countries visited and valid UK visas. The current application, however, filed on May 16, 2025, through VFS Mumbai under the “cascade regime” — which prioritizes long-term visas — was rejected on May 28.
The rejection reasons cited included “missing personal bank statements” for his parents, despite the fact that a ₹3 crore bank certificate from his company (the sponsor) had been submitted. For himself and his wife, the embassy allegedly questioned the absence of employment letters and salary slips — even though the applicant had clearly mentioned he is self-employed and his wife is unemployed but fully sponsored.
Frustrated, the family followed up with emails and calls, requesting the embassy to accept additional documents urgently since their travel was scheduled for June 10. The embassy, however, responded only after the intended departure date had passed — on June 14 — asking them to reapply and pay an additional €200 per person.
The family was forced to cancel their Europe trip and instead traveled to Thailand, incurring a ₹1 lakh loss. Speaking to fellow users online, the applicant questioned whether this was an isolated case or part of a larger pattern, asking: “Is this just a scapegoat to extort more money from honest, tax-paying Indians?”
The incident has sparked conversations among frequent travelers about the lack of accountability in visa rejections, especially when prior approvals were granted under similar conditions.
While embassies have the right to assess applications based on changing requirements, stories like these underline the need for better communication, transparency, and faster resolution—especially when travel dates are imminent.