Sweden Visit Visa (Family & Friends — Schengen Type C)
India-focused guide to the Sweden Schengen family/friends visit visa — invitation letter (241011), host documents, fees and VFS process.
- Processing time
- About 15 days
- after you submit
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Sweden visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Processing
15 calendar days
Stay Duration
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Starting Fee
€90
Apply At
12 VFS centres
Your whole Sweden Visit Visa (Family & Friends),
handled for one honest price.
A strong Sweden file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
5★ · 100+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee. Read the full guide
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, in one glance
What the ₹14,999 fee covers for a Sweden file
- We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
- We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
- We read your documents against each other, not against a list
- Financial proof review
- Purpose of travel structuring
- Cover letter / explanation support
- Return ties review
- Sponsor / invitation guidance
- Application form guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Biometrics guidance
- Post-submission support
Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Sweden visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1Complete and sign Schengen Form No. 119031 FIRST, then book your VFS appointment online, then submit the file in person at the chosen VFS centre for biometrics (fingerprints + photo).
- 2Children aged 0–12 on the date of submission at VFS are biometric-exempt. Children under 6 are also visa-fee exempt (but the VFS service charge still applies).
- 3Apply no earlier than 6 months before travel and no later than 15 calendar days before departure. Submitting within 15 days of the standard processing window may cause the application to be rejected or written off by the Embassy.
- 4Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area, have at least 2 blank pages, and have been issued within the last 10 years.
- 5Indian handwritten passports — or passports with a manual entry made after 01/04/2010 that changed the biographical data (name, place/date of birth, sex) — are NOT accepted by the Schengen states.
- 6Carry ALL previous passports (irrespective of condition) so the Embassy can see your travel and Schengen entry/exit history. If a previous passport was lost, attach a note explaining it.
- 7Overseas travel medical insurance valid across all Schengen countries is MANDATORY — minimum cover €30,000, covering accident, illness, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, for the entire trip including arrival and departure dates. Use an Embassy-approved insurer.
- 8Standard processing is 15 calendar days from the day the application reaches the Embassy in New Delhi. Files submitted at VFS centres outside New Delhi take roughly 2 extra days for postal delivery.
- 9Affidavits are NOT accepted as evidence by the Embassy of Sweden — use original financial and supporting documents.
- 10Do not buy a confirmed flight ticket before approval — only a return-flight reservation is needed at the time of application.
Who Can Apply
- Indian travellers visiting family members living in Sweden
- Indian travellers visiting friends residing legally in Sweden
- Applicants self-funding the trip, or whose host in Sweden covers their costs
- Parents/relatives invited by an Indian-origin resident or citizen of Sweden
Not eligible under this visa:
- Anyone intending to settle, work or study long-term in Sweden
- Travellers whose main Schengen destination is another country
- Those planning to stay beyond 90 days in a 180-day period
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Sweden / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adult visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C) — Embassy fee | €90 |
| Children 6–12 years — Embassy fee | €45 |
| Children under 6 years — Embassy fee | FREE |
| VFS service charge | €19 |
Embassy fees are set in EUR by the Embassy of Sweden — the INR amount charged at VFS varies with the daily exchange rate and is subject to change without notice. The VFS service charge (€19, incl. GST) is mandatory for every applicant, including fee-exempt children under 6. All fees are NON-REFUNDABLE regardless of the visa outcome. Optional add-on services at VFS: SMS €4, Courier €7, Premium Lounge €40, Prime Time Submission €41.50, Prime Time Collection €8.50, Call-Back €7, Hold-at-VAC €8.50.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Sweden actually requires — and what it does not.
Sweden applies the Schengen rules, so travel insurance is not a nice-to-have — it is a legal condition of the visa.
2 of 4 are compulsory for Sweden
Flight reservation
The Sweden consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing.
Where people slip: Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code.
Where people slip: Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference.
Where people slip: Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. Sweden must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate.
Where people slip: Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in Sweden. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Sweden file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Application & Identity
4 items- Schengen visa application form (No. 119031), completed and signedRequired
Explain the purpose of your visit.
- One recent passport photograph (35×45 mm, white background)Required
Not older than 6 months.
- Original passport + copy of the bio-data pageRequired
Valid ≥3 months beyond departure, ≥2 blank pages, issued within the last 10 years.
- All previous passportsRequired
Irrespective of condition; attach a note if any were lost.
Invitation & Host Documents
4 items- Invitation letter from the host (Form No. 241011)Required
Must include the host's full address, contact details and the dates of your stay. If the host covers your costs, this must be stated.
- Proof of the host's legal residence/nationality in SwedenRequired
E.g. personbevis (population registration certificate), identity card, passport or naturalisation decision. If the host is not a Swedish/EU national, a copy of their Swedish residence permit.
- Proof of family relationship (kinship proof)Required
Family book, birth/marriage certificates etc. linking you to the host.
- If host pays your costs: host's last 3 months' payslips / pension / bank statements
Proof the host can support you financially during the visit.
Travel & Accommodation
2 items- Proof of lodgingRequired
Hotel/holiday-home reservation, OR proof of private accommodation from the host if staying with them.
- Return-flight reservation (not a paid ticket)Required
Plus intra-Schengen reservations if visiting several states.
Insurance
1 item- Overseas travel medical insurance (min. €30,000)Required
Valid for all Schengen countries, full trip duration including arrival/departure.
Financial & Professional
7 items- Bank statements for the last 3 monthsRequired
Original, stamped/signed by the bank.
- Income Tax Returns for the last 2 assessment yearsRequired
- Employed: 3 months' payslips + employment contract + leave approval
- Self-employed: PAN registration + company registration proof + 3 months' bank statements
- Student: enrolment certificate from college/university
- Retired: pension statement (last 3 months) or proof of regular income
- If sponsored: proof of sponsorship
Affidavits are not accepted by the Embassy.
Minors (if applicable)
1 item- Notarised parental/guardian consent
Required only if the minor travels alone or with just one parent.
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
6 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Get the invitation (Form 241011) & host documents
Your host in Sweden completes the invitation letter (Form No. 241011) with their address, contact and your stay dates, and provides proof of legal residence (personbevis / residence permit) plus kinship proof.
- 02
Complete Schengen form No. 119031
Fill in and sign the form, explaining the purpose of your visit; prepare one 35×45 mm photo.
- 03
Book your VFS appointment
Register on the VFS Global Sweden (India) portal and book a biometrics slot.
- 04
Assemble the file
Combine invitation + host proof, financial/professional documents, lodging proof, flight reservation and €30,000 insurance.
- 05
Submit & give biometrics
Attend in person, pay €90 + €19 VFS charge, and provide fingerprints and a photo.
- 06
Track & collect
Standard processing is 15 calendar days from receipt by the Embassy.
What works
5 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Apply at the VFS centre under the Embassy's jurisdiction (New Delhi serves all of India for Sweden) — submitting in New Delhi avoids the ~2-day postal delay that affects other VFS cities.
- Bank statements must cover the last 3 months and be stamped/signed by the bank. Pair them with your last 2 assessment years' Income Tax Returns to demonstrate solvency.
- Keep your stated travel plan consistent across the application form, hotel bookings, flight reservation and insurance dates — mismatched dates are a common cause of refusal.
- If Sweden is not your main destination, you must apply to the country where you spend the most nights; applying to the wrong embassy leads to rejection.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Insufficient or unstamped bank statements / weak proof of financial means and no supporting ITR.
- 2Travel medical insurance below €30,000 or not covering the full trip duration.
- 3Inconsistent travel dates across the form, bookings and insurance, or an unclear travel purpose.
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Sweden page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
Application for Schengen Visa (Form No. 119031)
The harmonised EU Schengen short-stay application form. Complete it first, sign it, then book your VFS appointment. One photograph (35×45 mm, white background, not older than 6 months) is required.
VFS Global Sweden (India)
Book your biometrics appointment, view the document checklist for your purpose, choose optional services, and track your application status here.
Invitation for Visiting Family & Friends (Form No. 241011)
The host in Sweden completes this invitation form with their address, contact details and your dates of stay. Submit it with proof of the host's legal residence.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Sweden Visit Visa (Family & Friends — Schengen Type C) is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered straight
Your host in Sweden completes invitation Form No. 241011, stating their address, contact details and the dates of your stay. You must also submit proof of the host's legal residence in Sweden (e.g. personbevis, identity card, passport, or — if non-EU — their Swedish residence permit) and proof of your family relationship.
Yes. If the host covers your costs, this should be stated in the invitation, and the host should provide their last 3 months' payslips, pension statements or bank statements to prove they can support you. You should still show your own financial means where possible.
No — if you stay with your host you provide proof of private accommodation from the host instead of a hotel reservation.
Generally 15 calendar days from when the Embassy in New Delhi receives your application, plus about 2 days if you submit at a VFS centre outside New Delhi.
Reviewed by Sherbir Singh Grewal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
How we get it done
Your Sweden Sweden Visit Visa, from your first message to your passport back.
7 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.
Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.
+My relative in Sweden is inviting and sponsoring me. What do they need to send?
An invitation naming you and the relationship, proof of their own status in Sweden (residence permit, passport or citizenship), proof of address, and — if they are paying — their income evidence and a formal undertaking. Several countries have a specific sponsorship form; using a plain letter where a prescribed form exists gets the file bounced. Send us their documents together with yours: the two sides have to agree with each other, and mismatched addresses or dates between sponsor and applicant are one of the quietest refusal causes.
+Does having close family settled abroad make my visa harder?
It is the question officers probe hardest on a family visit, because a visitor visa turns on whether you will come back. It is not a bar — thousands of these are approved every month — but it has to be answered rather than ignored. The answer is your own life here: your job or business, your dependants, your property, your bookings. A file that names the relative and then says nothing about your ties invites the officer to assume the obvious.
+How long can I actually stay on a Sweden Schengen visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period (across all Schengen countries). The window rolls: on any given day the authorities count backwards 180 days and add up the days you were inside. It is not 90 days per country and it does not reset when you leave and come back. Entries are single or multiple entry, as granted by the embassy of sweden. Getting this arithmetic wrong is how people end up overstaying without realising, which follows you into every future application.
+Should I apply to Sweden or to another Schengen country?
You apply to the country you will spend the most nights in. If the nights are equal across several, you apply to the one you enter first. Applying to the "easier" consulate when your itinerary says otherwise is a well-known refusal ground and, if the mismatch looks deliberate, it reads as misrepresentation rather than a mistake. Send us your itinerary and we will tell you which mission is the correct one for your trip — sometimes that is not Sweden.
+How long does a Sweden Sweden Visit Visa take, start to finish?
Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Sweden currently states 15 calendar days from when the Embassy in New Delhi receives the application (≈ 2 extra days if submitted outside New Delhi) for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.
+How much of what I pay for the Sweden visa is actually your fee?
Most of it is not ours. The Sweden government fee (currently €90) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.
+How does SureshotVisa handle my Sweden Sweden Visit Visa, from first message to passport back?
You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (Sweden currently states 15 calendar days from when the Embassy in New Delhi receives the application (≈ 2 extra days if submitted outside New Delhi)). Government and visa-centre fees (€90 for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.
Before you file
A Sweden Sweden Visit Visa goes one of two ways.
Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same Sweden rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.
Other Sweden Visa Types
Sweden Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C — Short Stay)
Complete India-focused guide to the Sweden Schengen tourist visa — fees, documents, VFS process, processing time and FAQs.
View guideSweden Business Visa (Schengen Type C)
India-focused guide to the Sweden Schengen business visa — meetings, conferences and events: fees, documents, invitation letter and VFS process.
View guideSweden Student Visa (National Type D — Long Stay)
India-focused guide to studying in Sweden for more than 3 months — the residence permit for studies decided by the Swedish Migration Agency.
View guideSweden Work Visa / Permit (National Type D — Information Only)
Information-only overview of the Sweden work permit. SureshotVisa guides you through this route and, once you hold your own job offer or employer sponsorship, prepares and files the visa application — we are not a recruiting agent, so the offer must be yours.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Sweden website and Embassy of Sweden. Last verified 2026-06-09. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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