Hortobágy in January

Visa needed before you fly for up to 90 days, about ₹11,720

1. Apply for a Schengen short-stay (type C) visa at a VFS Global Hungary centre in India, 4-8 weeks before you fly, and at least 6 weeks ahead for April to September (no earlier than 6 months). Apply to Hungary if it is your only or longest stay in Schengen. The fee is €90 (about ₹9,600; €45 for children 6-11) plus the VFS service charge of about ₹2,130, and it is not refunded if the visa is refused.
2. Your application goes to the Hungarian Consulate General in Mumbai if you live in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry or Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and to the Embassy in New Delhi from the rest of India; book through VFS either way.
3. At the appointment give your fingerprints and photo (skipped if you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months). Expect a decision in about 15 days, longer in the summer rush or if other Schengen states are consulted.
4. If you have lawfully used two Schengen visas in the last three years, ask for a multiple-entry visa: under the EU's 2024 cascade rules for Indians you can be given a two-year visa, then a five-year one.
5. On your first arrival in the Schengen Area your fingerprints and face are scanned at passport control (the EU Entry/Exit System, in full use since April 2026) instead of a stamp: at Budapest airport if you connect through the Gulf or Istanbul, or at your European connecting airport.

Carry: Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, with two blank pages; Completed visa application form and two recent photos (35 x 45 mm); Travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen country for the whole trip; Return flight booking and a day-by-day itinerary; Hotel bookings for every night; Bank statements for the last 3-6 months, income-tax returns, and a leave letter from your employer (or business or college papers).

One Schengen visa covers Hungary and every other Schengen country (Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Germany and more) for up to 90 days in any 180. ETIAS is only for visa-free travellers, so it does not affect you. Appointment waits and VFS charges vary by centre and season: check visa.vfsglobal.com for your city before you book flights.

Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.