At Rising Careers here in Jalandhar, we audit hundreds of files for clients flying to London, Berlin, Nicosia, and beyond. We see the patterns of why genuine tourists get rejected simply because they misunderstood what the specific embassy wanted to see.

Here is the 2026 comparative guide to the “Big Four” visitor visas and exactly what each government is secretly looking for.

1. The UK Standard Visitor Visa: The “Funds Auditor.”

The UK Home Office doesn’t interview you; they judge you purely on your paperwork, specifically your bank statements.

• The Focus: Origin of Funds. If you deposit ₹5 Lakhs into your account a week before applying, the UKVI will reject you for “Funds Parking” or “Window Dressing.” They want to see 6 months of steady, organic account growth.

• Financial Requirement: While there is no fixed number, the golden rule in 2026 is showing approximately £100 per day of your trip, plus flights. For a 15-day trip, your baseline should be roughly £2,250 (₹2.3 Lakhs) in liquid, mature funds.

• The Trap: Applying for a 6-month stay just for a 2-week holiday. Match your requested duration exactly to your budget.

2. The Schengen Visa: The “Itinerary Stickler”

(Covers 29 European countries including Germany, France, Italy, etc.)

• The Focus: The Day-to-Day Plan. Schengen officers are obsessed with your itinerary. If your hotel bookings look fake (like a “dummy booking” that gets cancelled before processing), your visa is instantly refused.

• The “First Port” Rule: You must apply to the embassy of the country where you will spend the most days. If spending equal time, apply to the country you enter first. If you are flying from Delhi to Frankfurt, but applying through the French embassy without a valid reason, expect a rejection.

• Financial Requirement: Expect to show €45 to €100 per day depending on the country, along with €30,000 in mandatory travel insurance.

“I got my US visa easily, so the UK will be a breeze, right?” Wrong.

• Every country evaluates “Visitor Intent” completely differently. What the USA loves, the UK might reject. Applying the exact same strategy for a Schengen visa that you used for Canada is a guaranteed way to get a refusal stamp.

3. The USA B1/B2 Visa: The “Interview Interrogation”

The US process relies entirely on the DS-160 Form and a 3-minute face-to-face interview.

• The Focus: Section 214(b) – Strong Ties. The US law presumes you are an immigrant. It is your job to prove you have a reason to return to India (property, a high-paying job, family dependents)

• The Trap: Over-documenting. The US consular officer rarely asks to see your bank statements. They look at your body language and consistency with your DS-160. If you hesitate when asked, “Why are you going to New York?”, your visa will be denied.

4. Canada Visitor Visa: The “Ties to Home” Fortress

Canada shares immigration data with the US, UK, and Australia, and currently has a very high refusal rate for average Indian applicants.

• The Focus: Travel History & Assets. Canada heavily favors applicants who have traveled to other developed countries before. If Canada is your first international trip, the risk of refusal is exceptionally high.

• The Trap: Misrepresentation. Failing to declare an old UK or US visa refusal will result in a 5-year ban.

Comparison Snapshot: 2026 Rules