A conference in Berlin, a family trip to Paris, or a cheaper flight home through Frankfurt. If you're an Indian citizen living in the US, Europe raises two questions: do you need a Schengen visa, and do you need one just to change planes?
As of November 3, 2026, here's what the EU's own rules say.
- India is on the EU list of countries whose nationals need a visa for the Schengen area.
- You apply to the consulate of your main destination that covers where you legally reside.
- Applications go in no more than six months and, as a rule, at least 15 days before the trip.
- The standard Schengen visa fee is EUR 90.
- Travel medical insurance must cover at least EUR 30,000.
- A valid US visa or green card can exempt you from an EU airport transit visa.
Do Indians living in the US need a Schengen visa?
Yes. The EU visa regulation's Annex I is the "list of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States," and India is on it (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, EUR-Lex). Living in the US, on H-1B or with a green card, doesn't change your nationality, so you still need a visa to visit. Canada is different for green card holders; our guide to visiting Canada on H-1B or a green card covers it.
Where do you apply?
At the right country's consulate in your US region. The EU Visa Code makes the competent country "the Member State whose territory constitutes the sole destination of the visit(s)," or, for several destinations, the main destination "in terms of the length of stay, counted in days, or the purpose of stay" (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 5, EUR-Lex).
Then the region: "An application shall be examined and decided on by the consulate of the competent Member State in whose jurisdiction the applicant legally resides" (Article 6). For someone living in the US, that's the consulate covering your US address.
When should you apply?
Not too early, not too late. "Applications shall be lodged no more than six months" before the trip "and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the intended visit" (Article 9). Appointments "shall, as a rule, take place within a period of two weeks" of the request.
What does the application need?
| Requirement | What the Visa Code says |
|---|---|
| Passport validity | At least three months after you leave the Schengen area (Article 12) |
| Passport age and pages | Issued within the previous 10 years, with at least two blank pages |
| Travel medical insurance | "The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30 000" (Article 15) |
| Fee | "Applicants shall pay a visa fee of EUR 90" (Article 16) |
| Children's fee | EUR 45 from age 6 to under 12; waived under six |
The passport point catches people. Article 12 says validity "shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States." Our guide to renewing an Indian passport in the US covers renewal timing.
Insurance must be "valid throughout the territory of the Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit," and you should, "in principle, take out insurance in their country of residence."
Can you get a longer visa?
Over time, yes. The Visa Code sets a ladder: a one-year multiple-entry visa if you "obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years," then two years, then five (Article 24). Using each visa properly is what moves you up.
Do you need a visa just to change planes?
Usually not, but check. The EU's common list of nationalities that need an airport transit visa is Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka (Annex IV). India isn't on it. But individual countries "may require nationals of third countries other than those referred to in paragraph 1 to hold an airport transit visa" (Article 3(2)), so check the transit country's rules.
US documents can exempt you. The Visa Code exempts:
- People "holding one of the valid residence permits listed in Annex V issued by" countries including the United States. For the US, Annex V lists a "valid, unexpired Form I-551 (Permanent Resident Card)."
- People "holding a valid visa for" the United States, among others, "when travelling to the issuing country or to any other third country, or when, having used the visa, returning from the issuing country" (Article 3(5)).
The word that matters for H-1B workers is valid. If your US visa stamp has expired, even with a valid I-94, the visa exemption doesn't apply. Our guide to an expired visa with a valid I-94 explains the difference.
Can you travel with a pending I-485?
Only carefully. Leaving the US with a pending adjustment application can count as abandoning it unless you have advance parole or fit the exception for people in H-1 or L-1 status returning to the same employer with a valid visa (8 CFR 245.2(a)(4)(ii), eCFR). Our guide to advance parole travel covers it.
What this means for you
- Indian citizens need a Schengen visa even with a US green card.
- Apply to your main destination's consulate for your US region.
- Apply between six months and 15 days before the trip.
- Check passport validity, EUR 30,000 insurance and the EUR 90 fee.
- A valid US visa or green card usually covers airport transits.
Where to start
If frequent travel is part of your work, a green card makes it simpler. Our free evaluation at /evaluate/ checks whether EB-1A or the NIW fits your profile, and Frank, our AI assistant at /frank, helps you build the evidence. Petitions are reviewed and filed by our partner law firm, Lai & Turner.
Sources
All checked November 3, 2026.
- Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, EU Visa Code, consolidated version of June 28, 2024 (EUR-Lex). Articles 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, 16 and 24; Annexes IV and V.
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (EUR-Lex). Annex I list of visa-required nationalities.
- 8 CFR 245.2 (eCFR, current text). Travel with a pending I-485.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians with a US green card need a Schengen visa?
Yes. India is on the EU's list of countries whose nationals need a visa to cross the Schengen area's external borders, and a US green card doesn't change that. The green card helps with airport transit: it's listed among residence permits that exempt the holder from an airport transit visa.
Where do I apply for a Schengen visa while living in the US?
At the consulate of the country that is your main destination, or the only destination, and specifically the consulate whose jurisdiction covers where you legally reside in the US. If you're visiting several countries, the main destination is decided by length of stay or purpose.
How early can I apply for a Schengen visa?
The Visa Code allows applications no more than six months before the trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it. Consulates may allow later applications in justified urgent cases, so apply early when you can, especially in busy travel seasons.
Do I need a transit visa to change planes in Europe on the way to India?
India isn't on the EU's common airport transit visa list, but individual countries can add nationalities. Holders of a valid US visa, when travelling to or returning from the US, and holders of a valid green card are exempt from airport transit visas under the Visa Code. If your US visa stamp has expired, that exemption doesn't apply.
How much is the Schengen visa fee?
EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, under the current Visa Code. Children under six don't pay. The consulate may charge in US dollars, at an amount set using the European Central Bank's euro exchange rate.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
