I am an Indian national with an Indian passport and I am planning to travel from New Delhi to the USA and from there to Amsterdam and then back to New Delhi.
I already have a 3 month US Visa and now I'm planning to apply for a Schengen visa to visit the Netherlands. I had a few questions, please help me out.
The current itinerary is,
New Delhi -> San Francisco 20 March
San Francisco -> Amsterdam
Starts on 26 March from San Francisco
Reach London Gatwick on 27 March
20-hour Layover in London
London to Amsterdam on 28 March
Amsterdam -> New Delhi 3 April
- I have read that the schengen visa starts from the day you reach schengen area. In my case should I apply for a schengen visa from 27th March or 28th March as I will be on a layover in UK on 27th?
Also I'm hoping to get a Transit without visa concession in UK, but will they need a schengen visa for the same day as well?
Will there be any issues if I book a round trip from New Delhi to Amsterdam just for visa application and then travel according to my plan above later once I have the visa? I was thinking to book through a travel agency for a reservation of 27th March to April 6th from New Delhi to Amsterdam round trip instead, and if I get the visa, then I can plan according to the itinerary above.
Are there any issues if I travel directly from USA to Amsterdam without returning back to India in between?
Does the immigration officer at border check the itinerary we submit to the visa application center? Can the dates of arrival or departure be changed later (provided they are still under the visa duration).
Should I apply for a single entry or multiple entry schengen visa? Does it have any weightage in the visa decision?
Thanks for the help :)