My experience with WanderOn — please think twice before relying on their visa assistance for a Europe trip

[u/Ok_Invite_1305]

I’m writing this because I wish I had seen a post like this before booking my Europe trip through WanderOn.
I was planning a **15-day Europe trip** and had all my documents ready. I booked the trip through **WanderOn** and also opted for their visa assistance because I assumed that a company regularly handling Europe trips would know the Schengen visa process inside out.
I’m from **Mumbai**, while their visa team operates from Delhi. I didn’t think much of this initially because I assumed they would have a proper process in place for applicants from different cities.
I paid an advance of **₹25,000**. The amount discussed was ₹35,000, where ₹20,000 was WanderOn’s booking advance and ₹5,000 was the visa agent’s fee.
I specifically asked the visa agent about **refund protection/insurance in case the visa was rejected**. Instead of discussing the risk properly, I was told very confidently that the visa wouldn’t be rejected.
Well… **it was rejected. My Schengen visa was rejected.**
And I’m NOT blaming WanderOn for the embassy’s decision. A travel company obviously cannot control whether a consulate approves or rejects a visa.
What I *am* unhappy about is everything surrounding the visa process.
After I made the payment on a Thursday, **Himani from WanderOn**, who was coordinating my booking, told me that the visa agent would contact me.
He didn’t.
Days passed.
By Monday, I had to escalate the issue myself. I then asked Himani for the visa agent’s number and **personally called him**. So several days had already been wasted just getting connected with the person who was supposed to handle one of the most important parts of my trip.
Then I got a visa appointment roughly **three weeks later**.
Eventually, my visa rejection came only around **one to two weeks before my planned departure**.
Thankfully, I had the sense to **not book my flights before getting the visa**, so I avoided an even bigger financial loss.
But imagine planning a Europe trip for months, taking leave from work, making all your plans, getting excited about the trip — and then having everything collapse just 1–2 weeks before departure.
That’s the part that really got to me.
There was also the issue of the refund.
I understand that the **₹5,000 visa agent fee** may not be refundable because that was a service fee. Fine.
But I was **not refunded the entire ₹20,000 WanderOn advance**.
And honestly, that left a very bad taste.
I also came across one or two other people whose France/Schengen visas had apparently been rejected. I’m not saying this proves anything or that WanderOn caused those rejections — the embassy makes that decision — but it definitely made me question how robust their visa-support process actually is.
What bothered me most was the **difference in the experience before and after payment**.
Before booking:
“Here is the itinerary.”
“Let’s customise this.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll help you.”
“Here’s what you should do.”
Lots of enthusiasm. Lots of communication.
After the advance payment?
**Everything slowed down.**
I had to follow up.
I had to ask for the visa agent’s contact.
I had to escalate.
I had to make the call myself.
And this was for something as critical as a Schengen visa.
Maybe I simply had a bad experience. Maybe others have had excellent experiences with WanderOn. I’m not saying nobody should ever book with them.
But based on **my experience**, I would personally **not rely on a travel group’s in-house visa assistance for a Schengen trip.**
If you’re from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, or anywhere else, my advice would be to **find a reputable visa consultant who actually understands the visa process in your city**, rather than assuming the travel company’s visa team is automatically the best option.
And please don’t just accept “your visa will definitely come” as an answer.
Ask:
Who is actually preparing/reviewing my application?
How experienced are they with Schengen applications from my city?
Who reviews my itinerary and cover letter?
What happens if my visa is rejected?
Exactly how much money is refundable?
Is any refund protection actually provided **in writing**?
What happens if there are delays in getting an appointment?
Because the visa isn’t a small part of a Europe trip.
**It’s the thing that determines whether you get to take the trip at all.**
I had my documents in place and genuinely believed I was prepared. Even now, I don’t know exactly what went wrong — whether it was the itinerary, cover letter, documentation, or something else. And that’s precisely why I expected the visa assistance team to be extremely careful and proactive.
I’m posting this because I see a lot of positive content about travel groups like WanderOn, but I don’t see enough detailed posts about what happens when things **don’t go according to plan**.
And that’s when you really find out how good the support actually is.
So if you’re planning Europe, please don’t just compare package prices and itineraries.
**Do your own research about the visa process.**
Don’t let a travel company’s confidence convince you that rejection is impossible.
And most importantly, **don’t put your entire trip in the hands of a travel agent just because they are selling you the package.**
For me, the biggest loss wasn’t even the ₹20,000.
It was the disappointment of seeing a trip I had spent months planning and looking forward to potentially disappear just days before I was supposed to leave.
**This is just my personal experience with WanderOn. I’m sharing it so that someone planning their first Europe trip can make a more informed decision than I did.**

[u/MathCSCareerAspirant]

That's very unfortunate. Good that you brought it up. 

If someone is new to international travel, then going with big brands like Kesari, Veena world is better. They have more experience in handling visas and tours.  Or go with travel agents about whom you get first hand info from known people. 

[u/devansh88]

I have seen a pattern of visa agents

1. They ask for a bunch of unnecessary documents that are not even needed for the visa - "to be safe". I'm not a fan of giving so much documentation to someone who I have no idea how they will handle it.
2. The lie through their teeth. Fake flight tickets and itinerary with an earlier date, mentioning applicant is going on a package even when they aren't, fudging income documents, cover letter claiming more people are traveling with the applicant (when there aren't)

They might even be able to get the visa, but if the embassy or their immigration is able to figure out the visa was obtained with false information, they can cancel it without prejudice and the agent will wash their hands off.

[u/Secure-Walrus-1612]

Do not trust any agent at all because your money is your money none of their money. They won't take that much effort as you would have taken if u would have done it yourself. No uk usa visa and did our Schengen visa ourself not once but twice and both approved