The number of Indian nationals who visit the Schengen countries has increased tremendously in the last few years. It has been for multiple purposes such as education, business, exchange of medical facilities, tourism, visiting friends and family, etc. People sometimes establish a significant part of their lives in the Schengen nations because of which they might have to make frequent trips to these countries. For such individuals, the Europen Union which is India’s strategic business partner has come up with a “cascade regime”. The scheme is introduced especially for Indian nationals to strengthen the diplomatic as well as general ties between European countries and India. As the name suggests, the Schengen visa with longer validity permits multiple entries into different countries of the Schengen area without having to seek separate permission from each country.
What is the Schengen Visa?
Schengen visas give international travelers permission to enter and stay in Schengen countries for a certain time only. This includes purposeful short stays as well as transits. Countries that are a part of the Schengen Agreement include Germany, Croatia, Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Belgium, etc. In total 26 European countries are a part of this group. They offer certain privileges to internationals who hold the Schengen Visa. The Schengen Visa usually allows applicants a temporary residence of 90 days in a 180-day period.
Understanding the ‘Cascade Regime’
- The cascade regime has been introduced keeping in mind the Schengen visa which will encourage multi-entry permits for Indians. It comes with new rules that are favorable and have extra benefits for frequent travel. It promises to promote travel ease and save permanent Indian residents from the arduous task of filing for visas again and again or waiting for multiple weeks to receive a response.
- The first part of the cascade scheme will allow Indians to apply for a long-term stay in the country. Instead of a general Schengen visa that gives 90 days travel permit; applicants can now get a two-year long visa. People can go in and out of Schengen countries multiple times during this period without any extra visa formalities.
- Once an individual has completed these two years, their visa can progress into a five-year visa grant. However, it is vital that your passport is valid after the end of two years as well as for the next 5 years.
Eligibility for Multi-entry Schengen Visa
Previous travel records– Your previous travel history to any/all Schengen countries is important information for visa officials. If you are a first-time traveler to Schengen nations, you will not be eligible to apply for a longer-term Schengen visa.
2 successful stays on a Schengen visa– This is an important pre-requisite for applicants. They should have already been legally approved for two Schengen visas in their travel history of 3 years specifically. Moreover, after being approved, applicants should have actually used these visas and made their purpose successful.
Indian Nationality– Only people who have permanent Indian citizenship can avail of the Schengen visa with multi-entry permit. Your identity proof is one of the crucial documents to be submitted along with your profile application. To add to this, you should also be residing in India and not some other country.
No criminal records- Applicants who have any form of criminal record, doubtful travel history, or legal accusations will not be accepted for the cascade regime. In case the applicant has a legal situation that is justifiable, then you can elaborate on it in your Schengen Visa SOP.
Validity of Passport– The cascade regime follows different visa code policies than the traditional standard practices. The date until which your passport is valid can play a significant role for you to enjoy all the benefits of this policy. It has to be valid for the first part of this scheme; which is the two-year travel grant. Later, only if your passport is valid for the next five years again then you can get your Schengen visa with a multi-entry permit extended.
Employment concerns- In case you are an individual who is seeking to work in a Schengen country while being on your Schengen visa with longer validity then you will not be permitted to do so. The visa scheme does not support employment for Indian nationals on this particular travel permit. It is expected that all applicants will abide by this condition and respect the legal regulations of various Schengen nations.
Schengen Visa Cover Letter
Schengen Visa sop or cover letter for Schengen Visa is an essay application written by the traveler. It states and highlights the purpose of their visit with sufficient information about their finances, personal/professional life in their home country, or any other travel-specific information. In a nutshell, the motive of writing this application is to convince the visa officials to grant you a visa for a stipulated period. A Schengen visa Cover Letter for Indians applying under the newly introduced cascade regime is no different and has to follow a similar format with key changes in information. In their write-up, the applicants should be careful about showcasing the details through which they meet the eligibility criteria for a Schengen Visa with longer validity. Remember, SOPs/cover letters are customized documents that are tailored to suit your purpose. General content stolen from others can add a negative score to your profile. Some other details that you have to keep in mind while crafting your document are-
- Adhere to the prescribed word limit. No application should exceed more than two pages.
- Irrespective of the country you are applying to, your document should be written in formal English language.
- Avoid all grammatical mistakes and use of fancy or archaic language.
- Make your cover letter interesting to read while avoiding any theatrical twists and turns.
- Explain all important points without leaving any required information.
- Assure the visa officials that you have attached documents that support your statement.
- An application written with artificial intelligence or copied from the web will be denied.
- Let your positive personality traits shine through the document.
- Be genuine and honest in your writing as false details can lead to application rejection.
- Emphasize how a Schengen visa with multi-entry permit will be beneficial to your future travel plans.
Benefits of Multi-entry Schengen Visa
-Numerous entries and exits allowed.
-No need to apply for a fresh visa each time.
-Long-term benefits on visa
-Advantages similar to visa-free policies
-Smooth transit between Schengen nations
Conclusion
The advantageous cascade regime for Indian nationals is a boon for frequent travelers. If you have established relations or have purposes that persuade you to travel to Schengen countries routinely/leisurely then it is best to apply for a Schengen visa with longer validity. This scheme is bound to strengthen ties between India and the European Union as they work towards a common goal of improving migration policies. You will be allowed to reside in your chosen Schengen country with multiple entries for 2+5 years. The eligibilities are not at all complicated and will simply allow you a Schengen visa with a multi-entry permit once you convince them of foolproof documents and a well-written Cover Letter for Visa. Candidates who want to apply for this visa but are unsure about writing it on their own must take help from Professionals.
We, at Contentholic have written tons of Cover Letters for Visa applications for Schengen Countries. Having 13+ years of experience in this field of cover Letter writing has made us the most sought after company. So, contact our team and get the benefit of this new scheme.
