Schengen Visa (France) Approved 🇫🇷 | First-Time Applicant | No Travel History

Hi everyone, sharing my experience since this sub genuinely helped me a lot.

Profile

• Single male, 29, Indian

• First-ever Schengen visa

• No prior international travel history

• Had a valid but unused US visa

VFS Experience (Delhi, India)

Got an appointment within 3 days of checking.

•	Document submission + biometrics took \~15 minutes total

•	Process was smooth and well organized

•	Staff were professional

•	I took an early morning slot: highly recommend, much less rush

Important: Thanks to advice from Reddit, I did NOT take any premium VFS services (lounge, SMS, courier upgrades, etc.). They’re optional and have nothing to do with approval chances.

I don’t have a surname, so I used my given name twice. This sub has answers to most of your queries, so search and use it wisely.

Documents I Submitted

1. Application & ID

   • Filled Schengen visa application form

   • Passport (current + copies of all stamped/used pages)

   • 2 recent passport-size photos (as per Schengen specs)

   • Cover letter explaining trip plan, dates, and intent to return

2. Travel

   • Flight reservation (round trip): Dummy tickets

   • Detailed day-wise itinerary (cities, attractions planned)

   • Travel insurance (coverage €30,000+, valid for entire stay)

3. Accommodation

   • Paid Hotel bookings for entire stay (matching itinerary dates)

4. Financials: A statement of financial summary, no over-explaining.

   • Last 3 months bank statements (stamped by bank)

   • ITR

5. Employment / Ties to Home Country

   • Employment letter (designation, salary, leave approval, joining date)

   • Last 3 salary slips

6. Extra Supporting Doc

   • Copy of my valid US visa (even though unused)

Result

Visa approved – 45 days, Multiple Entry

Processing time: ~1 week

I was honestly nervous because:

•	No travel history

•	First Schengen attempt

But strong documentation + clear purpose of travel seems to matter more than passport stamps.

Huge thanks to this sub, saved me from scams and unnecessary add-ons. Happy to answer questions if anyone’s in the same boat.