Central Europe from India: Austria, Czechia, Hungary Visas

Vienna, Prague and Budapest sit close together, and many Indian travellers combine them in one trip. The comparison below uses the records of the Austrian Embassy New Delhi, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi, the Embassy and Consulate General of Hungary, VFS Global and the European Commission, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15.

Do you need three separate visas for this trip?

No. All three countries are in the Schengen area, and India is on the EU list of countries whose nationals need a visa. A valid Schengen visa issued by one Schengen state also covers stays in the others, within the limit of 90 days in any 180-day period. None of the three offers Indians a visa on arrival or an eVisa; each asks you to appear in person at a VFS centre for biometrics.

The checklists ask you to show the whole trip. The Czech list, for example, wants proof of lodging in each Schengen state if you visit several, and your flight or transport plan should cover the legs between countries. Before you book, confirm with the embassy you plan to apply to that it is the right one for your itinerary.

How do the fees compare in rupees?

Austria and the Czech Republic publish the visa fee as EUR 90 and update the INR amount every month with the exchange rate; Hungary's VFS page lists it in INR. The larger gap is in the VFS service charge, where Austria is the most expensive of the three and Hungary the cheapest. Austria and Hungary both state that the visa fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.

Which embassy decides faster, and when can you apply?

Note the units. Austria's 15 working days is longer in practice than 15 calendar days. In the Czech case, files from centres outside Delhi are forwarded to the Embassy within 2 working days, and the clock starts only when the file arrives. Hungary's VFS notes that biometric discrepancies make processing longer.

Which consulates refuse fewer Indian applications?

The European Commission publishes the refusal rate for short-stay Schengen applications lodged at each country's consulates in India. These are records of past decisions, not a prediction for your file.

Austria handles the largest volume of the three. A lower rate at one consulate does not make your own file more likely to succeed there, so apply to the country your itinerary calls for rather than the one with the lowest number.

Where do you apply, and which office decides?

• Austria: appointments are booked with VFS Global and applications lodged at a VFS centre. The Austrian Embassy New Delhi assesses every application and covers all of India. VFS does not publish its Austria centre cities on the pages we checked.
• Czech Republic: 15 VFS centres (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune). The Embassy in New Delhi decides for all of India.
• Hungary: 16 VFS centres. The Embassy in New Delhi covers north and east India; the Consulate General in Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.

Which documents differ between the three?

The core file is the same: signed form, passport issued within 10 years with two blank pages, cover letter, flight and hotel reservations, three months' stamped bank statements, ITRs and EUR 30,000 travel medical insurance. The differences are in the detail.

• Austria: since 1 January 2026, insurance is accepted only from the list of approved Indian insurers. Salaried applicants show a company NOC with the official email of the applicant or HR, and ITRs must carry a barcode. Austria sets no fixed daily amount of money; funds are assessed case by case. A paid flight ticket is not required.
• Czech Republic: ITR acknowledgments for the last two assessment years and three months' pay slips. Sponsored trips need the original official invitation verified by the Alien Police Service.
• Hungary: tourists show a travel agency certificate or an accommodation reservation with a deposit paid or cancellation fee payable. The VFS checklist asks for two years of ITRs, while the Embassy's page says three, so carry three if you have them. Insurance must come from the Embassy's approved list.

A clear day-by-day itinerary that names each city and night helps all three consulates follow a multi-country plan.

What about layovers, long stays and work?

Transit rules differ sharply. Indians do not need an airport transit visa to stay in the international transit area of an Austrian airport. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires one for Indians at Czech airports unless they hold a Schengen visa or another exempting document, such as a valid US, Canadian or Japanese visa.

For long stays, Hungary's Embassy in New Delhi is not issuing appointments for employment D-visa applications, because Government Decree 450/2024 does not list India. The Czech Embassy accepts employee card applications only within the government's Economic Migration Programs. Austria runs a Working Holiday Programme for Indians aged 18 to 30 and the points-based Red-White-Red Card.

Each country has a full guide: Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary. To compare other destinations, start from our visa hub for Indian passport holders.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for multi-country Schengen files. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter together. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit Vienna, Prague and Budapest on one visa?

Yes. A valid Schengen visa covers all three countries, as long as your total stay stays within 90 days in any 180-day period. Your reservations and itinerary should show every city you plan to visit.

Do Indians need a transit visa for a layover in Prague or Vienna?

At Czech airports, Indians need an airport transit visa unless they hold a Schengen visa or another exempting document such as a valid US, Canadian or Japanese visa. At Austrian airports, Indians do not need an airport transit visa to stay in the international transit area.

Can frequent travellers get a multiple-entry visa for Central Europe?

Under the EU's April 2024 rules for Indians living in India, applicants who obtained and lawfully used two Schengen visas within the previous three years can be issued a two-year multiple-entry visa. Each stay is still limited to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Is one travel insurance policy enough for all three countries?

Yes, if it is valid for all Schengen countries, covers at least EUR 30,000 and runs for the whole trip. Austria and Hungary accept policies only from their approved lists of Indian insurers.