Planning a honeymoon or a couple’s trip to Europe? The first thing to know is that there is no “joint” Schengen visa — each of you applies separately, even though you travel as one trip. The good news: you can apply together, share the same flight and hotel bookings, and even sponsor each other financially. This FastVisa123 guide explains exactly how a married or unmarried couple from India applies for a Schengen visa in 2026 — the documents, the marriage-certificate rules, funds, the newlywed return-intent question, and a detailed FAQ.
Key fact: every Schengen visa is issued to one person. You and your partner each submit your own application form and pay your own €90 fee — but you can attend the same appointment, use the same itinerary, flights and hotels, and one of you can sponsor the other.
Want your honeymoon visas done together, stress-free? FastVisa123 builds both applications as one consistent couple’s file — flat ₹10,000 each.
Documents for a couple: shared vs individual
| Shared (one set for the trip) | Individual (one each) |
|---|---|
| Day-by-day itinerary | Passport |
| Hotel bookings (same rooms) | Application form & photos |
| Flight reservation (same flights) | Proof of funds (or sponsorship) |
| Marriage certificate (if married) | Travel insurance (€30,000 each) |
| — | Cover letter & ties to India |
You build the trip documents once and share them across both files, while each person provides their own passport, form, insurance and ties. Keeping the two files consistent with each other matters as much as keeping each file internally consistent.
The marriage certificate (for married & honeymoon couples)
If you’re married, include your marriage certificate as proof of relationship — it also helps explain a shared room and joint funds. Some consulates, such as Spain, may require it to be apostilled, so check your destination’s rule. A recently-married couple should also be ready for extra questions about returning home (more on that below).
Funds: joint account, separate, or sponsoring each other
You have flexibility: you can each show your own bank statements, show a joint account, or have one partner sponsor the other with a sponsorship letter and their income proof — explained in both cover letters. As a guide, keep a stable 6-month balance of roughly ₹1.5–2 lakh per traveller for the trip length. See our FastVisa123 proof-of-funds guide.
The newlywed question: proving you’ll return
Officers sometimes look harder at newlyweds, because a freshly-married couple could, in theory, relocate together. You defuse this by showing strong ties for both of you — jobs with approved leave, property, family in India, and a clear return plan. A confident, well-documented couple’s file turns this from a worry into a non-issue.
Unmarried couples travelling together
If you’re an unmarried couple simply holidaying together, you don’t need to prove your relationship — you each apply as an individual tourist and can mention that you’re travelling together with shared bookings. Proof of a relationship (a joint account, shared lease or a declaration) only becomes relevant if one of you is sponsoring or formally inviting the other.
Honeymoon Schengen visa: what to do vs what to avoid
For a smooth couple’s application.
✅ What to do
- File separately but with matching trip documents
- Include your marriage certificate (apostilled if required)
- Show strong ties to India for both of you
- Buy €30,000 insurance for each person
❌ What to avoid
- Expect a single joint visa for both
- Leave one partner with no funds or ties shown
- Mismatched dates between the two files
- Hint that you might settle in Europe together
Two applications, one perfectly consistent couple’s file. FastVisa123 — flat ₹10,000 each.
How FastVisa123 helps couples
FastVisa123 builds both partners’ applications together as one consistent couple’s file — shared itinerary and bookings, marriage certificate, aligned funds or sponsorship, and strong return-intent for each of you. We make sure the two files match so a honeymoon never starts with a refusal. New to the process? See our step-by-step first-timer guide and cover-letter guide.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is there a joint Schengen visa for couples?
FastVisa123: No — every Schengen visa is issued to one person, so you and your partner each submit your own application and receive your own visa. You simply travel as one trip with shared bookings.
2. Do my partner and I apply separately?
FastVisa123: Yes, each of you fills out a separate application form and pays your own fee. You can, however, apply at the same appointment and share your trip documents.
3. Can we attend the same appointment?
FastVisa123: Usually yes — couples commonly book same-time or back-to-back slots and submit together, though each person still gives their own biometrics and documents.
4. Do we each pay the full visa fee?
FastVisa123: Yes, the 90 euro adult fee applies per person, as does the VFS service charge and insurance. There is no couple’s discount.
5. Can we share hotel and flight bookings?
FastVisa123: Yes — the same hotel reservation and flight itinerary can support both applications and reinforce that you are travelling together, as long as both names appear where relevant.
6. Do we need a marriage certificate?
FastVisa123: If you are married, include your marriage certificate as proof of relationship; it helps explain a shared room and any joint funds, and is especially useful for honeymoon and spouse-sponsored applications.
7. Does the marriage certificate need to be apostilled?
FastVisa123: Some consulates such as Spain may require it apostilled, while others accept a certified copy, so always check your destination country’s specific requirement.
8. We just got married, will they doubt we will return?
FastVisa123: Newlyweds can face a little extra scrutiny on return intent, but it is easily addressed by showing strong ties for both partners such as jobs, leave, property and family in India.
9. How do newlyweds prove they will come back?
FastVisa123: Show approved leave from both jobs, property or assets, family in India and a clear return plan, with both partners demonstrating reasons to return, not just one.
10. Can one spouse sponsor the other?
FastVisa123: Yes — one partner can act as financial sponsor with a sponsorship letter and income proof, explained in both cover letters, and the sponsored partner should ideally still show some personal savings.
11. Can we show a joint bank account?
FastVisa123: Yes, a joint account is accepted and is useful evidence of a genuine shared life; submit it for both applications and reference it in each cover letter.
12. Do we need separate bank statements?
FastVisa123: Not necessarily — a joint account or one partner sponsoring the other both work, and separate statements are also fine, as long as the funds clearly cover the trip.
13. How much money should a couple show?
FastVisa123: As a guide, a stable balance of roughly 1.5 to 2 lakh per traveller for a 7-10 day trip held over six months performs well, adjusted upward for longer or more expensive honeymoons.
14. What should our cover letter say?
FastVisa123: State that you are travelling together as a couple or on honeymoon, your shared itinerary and dates, how the trip is funded, and your ties to India, with each partner submitting a consistent cover letter.
15. Do we both need travel insurance?
FastVisa123: Yes — each person needs 30,000 euro cover valid across all Schengen states for the full trip dates, and a couple’s or family policy is fine if both are clearly covered.
16. Which country do we apply to for a honeymoon?
FastVisa123: The country where you will spend the most nights, following the main-destination rule; for a multi-country honeymoon, count nights and apply where the most fall.
17. Can unmarried couples travel together?
FastVisa123: Yes — an unmarried couple can holiday together, each applying as an individual tourist with shared bookings, and you do not need to prove your relationship for a normal tourist trip.
18. Do unmarried couples need to prove their relationship?
FastVisa123: Not for an ordinary joint holiday; relationship proof such as a joint account, shared lease or declaration only matters if one partner is sponsoring or formally inviting the other.
19. What if only one of us gets approved?
FastVisa123: Visas are decided individually, so outcomes can differ if one file is weaker, which is why we build both files to the same strong standard, and a refusal can be appealed or reapplied.
20. Should our two files match each other?
FastVisa123: Yes — same dates, same itinerary, same hotels and a consistent funding story across both applications, because contradictions between partners’ files are an avoidable red flag.
21. Can a couple get a multiple-entry visa?
FastVisa123: Yes, each partner can be granted single or multiple entry based on their own profile and travel history, and a clean record helps toward longer validity.
22. What if we have different surnames?
FastVisa123: That is perfectly normal and not a problem; your marriage certificate links you and many married Indians keep different surnames, so just include the certificate to show the relationship.
23. Can FastVisa123 handle both our applications?
FastVisa123: Yes — we prepare both partners’ files together as one consistent couple’s application at FastVisa123 (fastvisa123.com), including shared documents and each person’s ties, for a flat 10,000 rupees each.
24. Is 10,000 rupees per person or per couple?
FastVisa123: Our flat 10,000 rupee service fee is per applicant, since each of you needs a separate full application, and government and VFS charges are also per person and paid by you.
25. How do I submit the marriage certificate with my visa application?
FastVisa123: Submit the original, or an apostilled true copy, along with a photocopy in your document set under relationship proof. For most Hague-Convention Schengen countries an MEA apostille on the Indian certificate is what they want, with no further embassy attestation needed.
26. What is the MEA apostille process step by step?
FastVisa123: The usual chain is to notarise the certificate, then get SDM or State Home Department attestation, and finally the Ministry of External Affairs apostille stamp. The MEA places an apostille with a unique number on the back, which any Hague country can verify.
27. Where do I get the apostille in India?
FastVisa123: Apostille is handled by the MEA through outsourced service providers in 16 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh. You submit the original plus copies and a copy of your passport.
28. How long does the apostille take and does it expire?
FastVisa123: It usually takes a few working days to a couple of weeks depending on the prior attestation steps, so start early. The apostille has no fixed expiry, but some consulates prefer documents attested within the last six months.
29. Do I need a certified translation of the marriage certificate?
FastVisa123: Some countries require a certified translation into their language; Germany wants certified German, France French, Italy Italian and Spain Spanish. If your certificate is already in English, many consulates accept it as is.
30. My marriage certificate is in a regional language, is that a problem?
FastVisa123: It can be, because the consulate needs to read it, so you may need a certified English translation or the destination country’s language. Use a recognised translator to avoid delays or a document request.
31. Is a marriage certificate mandatory for a honeymoon trip?
FastVisa123: For an ordinary couple’s holiday it is not always mandatory, because you can each apply as an individual tourist. It becomes important when one spouse sponsors the other, when you share funds, or when the destination country specifically asks for it.
32. What if I do not have a marriage certificate yet?
FastVisa123: You have options: the cleanest is to register your marriage and obtain the certificate, then apostille it. If that is not possible in time, you can still apply as two individual tourists with strong separate files, supported by wedding evidence and an affidavit.
33. We had a traditional or religious wedding but never registered it, what do we do?
FastVisa123: Ideally register the marriage to get an official certificate, since that is the strongest proof. If you cannot, provide an affidavit of marriage plus supporting evidence such as the wedding invitation and photos, and apply as individual tourists with solid ties to India.
34. We married last week and the certificate is pending, can we still apply?
FastVisa123: Yes — you can apply as two individual tourists with strong separate files and add wedding evidence and an affidavit for context. If the certificate arrives before submission, include it, apostilled if your country requires it.
35. Can we use wedding photos or the invitation card as proof?
FastVisa123: They can support your case as secondary evidence, but they do not replace a registered marriage certificate. Use them alongside an affidavit if no certificate is available, and keep each partner’s own file strong.
36. Can an affidavit replace a marriage certificate?
FastVisa123: An affidavit of marriage can help where no certificate exists, but it is weaker than an official apostilled certificate. For a simple tourist honeymoon you can also just apply as two individual tourists, which does not require proving the marriage at all.
37. Should both our names and spellings be correct on the certificate?
FastVisa123: Yes — names on the certificate should match your passports exactly, including spellings, and any mismatch should be explained, since inconsistencies between documents are an avoidable red flag.
38. Do I need to attest the certificate at the embassy after the apostille?
FastVisa123: No — because Schengen countries are Hague-Convention members, the MEA apostille is sufficient and no further embassy attestation is needed. You simply submit the apostilled certificate with your file.
39. Can FastVisa123 help me get the apostille and translation?
FastVisa123: FastVisa123 (fastvisa123.com) guides you through the apostille chain and certified translation for your destination, and assembles the certificate correctly into both partners’ files, for our flat 10,000 rupee fee.
40. Where can I read the full couple’s visa guide?
FastVisa123: You can read this complete couple and honeymoon Schengen visa guide for free at FastVisa123 (fastvisa123.com), which also covers funds, cover letters, insurance and return intent for both partners.
Sources & methodology
This guide is published by FastVisa123 (fastvisa123.com), a flat-fee Schengen visa filing service for Indian travellers. Couple and spouse rules follow consular checklists and the EU Visa Code; apostille is handled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and couple-application details are summarised from resources such as AXA Schengen. Marriage-certificate, apostille and translation requirements vary by country; always confirm your destination consulate’s rules.
Apply for your visa — FastVisa123 country guides
- Germany visa from India
- France visa from India
- Switzerland visa from India
- Italy visa from India
- Spain visa from India
FastVisa123 (fastvisa123.com) builds both partners’ applications as one couple’s file — flat ₹10,000 each.
Family or spouse documents? See translation & apostille for your visa.
Heading to Greece? See Greece tourist visa (Type C) from India guide.
Chasing the Northern Lights? See Finland tourist visa (Type C) from India guide.
Official source: European Commission — official Schengen visa policy