Visas

European Schengen Visa Application Process

Please check with the relevant embassy, as these might differ for each country issuing the Schengen visa.

Visa form filled in and signed
SWORN Declaration Form
Invitation letter from the event organizer
Ticket & Invoice
Pay Slip Last six months
Axelerant Sponsor letter
Photos (2 - 4. Not more than six months old. white background; Size: 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm, depending on the country of the primary purpose.)
Appointment confirmation letter
Your current passport and most recently expired passport ( valid for at least six months )
Photocopies of your passport and expired passport. For Spain, photocopies of all pages, including blank pages, are required.
Travel Insurance for the travel period ( should cover two more weeks after arrival in the home country)
Detailed Travel Itinerary
Visa Fee ( Cash or DD )
Flight or Travel documents (the Spain embassy insists on having tickets or an explanation if not flight for each leg of your journey )
Accommodation confirmation: Temporary hotel bookings could be made via bookings.com / hotels.com with fully refundable hotels for visa application. Later, they can be canceled after receipt of the visa, and actual bookings with Airbnb, hostels, hotels, etc., can be done.
Supporting documents for your application, as applicable. All photocopies or duplicates should be self-attested, if possible.
You can carry your mobile phone or a carry bag to the embassy as they have a place to keep it while you attend the interview. (For Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai)

Invitation letter
Ticket & Invoice
Photos ("45 millimeters (mm) high by 35mm wide in color on plain white photographic paper taken against a plain cream or light grey background")
Visa Form ( Duly filled in and signed )
Visa Appointment confirmation Printout ( prior appointment has to be taken via their online site )
Travel Itinerary
Pay Slip Last six months
Axelerant Sponsor letter
Passport
Appointment confirmation letter
Your current passport and most recently expired passport.
Supporting documents for your application, as applicable. All photocopies or duplicates should be self-attested, if possible.
You can carry your mobile phone or a carry bag to the embassy as they have a place to keep it while you attend the interview. (For Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai)

Fill and submit DS-160 Confirmation Slip [Sample filled DS-160 forms]

Point of contact in the US (Example: Client or event coordinator details)
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
Hotel address (Place where you plan on staying when you first arrive in the US)
Tentative travel dates
Your Passport details (It should be valid for at least one year when applying for a visa)
Employer details
- Head office address
- Phone number
Invitation Letter
- For client visit - seek from Client.
Sponsorship Letter
- For client visit - seek from Employer.
- For the event - seek from the event website.
Schedule of Visit
- For client visits: ( Schedule (PDF), Schedule (DOC) )

If you don't have your surname mentioned in your passport, make sure you put your first name and middle name in the given name/ last name field.

Check for the current waiting period for the embassy in your city.
- For cities like New Delhi with long waiting queues, make an appointment at least 3-4 weeks in advance.
Submit your DS-160 form and get the confirmation number.
Register and log in here - https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=India.
Fill in all the necessary details.
Make payment via NEFT / IMPS (Please keep a record of the account No. you made the payment to) (Make NEFT payment in the allowed hours (10 am to 6 pm); else, it gets delayed to the next day.)
Wait a day for the system to auto-update & register your payment; there is no need to enter a receipt no. If you're making payment via NEFT / IMPS
Once the system registers your payment, it'll update the portal and allow you to book an appointment for your OFC and Interview.
If this is the first time you have applied for a US visa, you have to book an OFC appointment before the actual interview. The OFC and interview cannot be held on the same day. You may book an interview slot on the day following the OFC appointment.
Pick the end-of-day slots for OFC (Pro tip: between 4 pm and 6 pm) and morning slots for Interview (Pro tip: between 09:30 am and 12:30 am).

It is recommended to carry all the documents you can gather, but they typically only check the documents marked as required.

[Required] Confirmation slip (DS-160 Confirmation Slip)
[Required] Appointment confirmation letter
[Required] Passport
Invitation letter
Event Ticket & Invoice
Pay Slip Last six months
Axelerant Sponsor letter
Your current passport and most recently expired passport.
Supporting documents for your application, as applicable.
You can carry your mobile phone or a carry bag to the US embassy as they have a place to keep it while you attend the interview. (For Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai)
PLEASE NOTE: For client visits on B-1, you are not going to "WORK" but rather on "BUSINESS" for training, knowledge transfer, introductions, etc. This is important to note and remember for all conversations with the embassy and at the port of entry immigration officer. Otherwise, you will be denied.

Carry your passport while you stand in line. Keep smiling and wish in prior.
Make sure to keep the documents (Invitation letter, Schedule if you stay more than two weeks, Sponsorship letter, and company ID) ready.
Do not say that you will be working by any chance; say that your purpose of the visit is for brainstorming and technical discussions about a new product.
You must remember the exact dates you are flying in and flying out, including any other travel plans if submitted as part of the itinerary.