Schengen 5-Year Visa for Indians: How the Cascade Works

Indians can get a 2-year multi-entry Schengen visa after lawfully using two visas in the prior 3 years.

The 2-year visa is normally followed by a 5-year one — if your passport has enough validity left.

It is NOT visa-free: you still apply at a consulate, but rarely once you qualify.

The 90-days-in-180 stay rule still applies; a long validity is not unlimited living time.

Passport validity caps everything — a near-expiry passport shortens or blocks the long visa.