At the end of March, the European Union member states’ ambassadors have given the green light to a proposal on the digitalization of the procedures for applying for a Schengen Visa.
The proposal, amongst others, foresees enabling third-country citizens in need of Schengen visas to apply completely online for such a visa, and replacing the existing visa stickers with a digital visa, VisaGuide.World reports.
The move to digitalize visa procedures had been initiated back at the beginning of 2022, in a bid of the EU to remove bureaucratic procedures and hurdles for visa applicants while also making the procedures more efficient and improving security in the borderless area of Schengen.
Commenting on the approved negotiating mandate of the Council, the Swedish Minister for Migration, Maria Malmer Stenergard, has said that the new digital procedures will also remove the risk of visa sticker falsification.
“Online applications will reduce the number of trips to the consulate for travelers and make the process smoother for national administrations. At the same time, the digital visa will put an end to the risk of falsification and theft of the visa sticker,” she said.
The Council presidency has now started negotiations with the EU Parliament to agree on the final version of the legislation on the digitalization of Schengen Visas.
The first and most evident change is that travelers will no longer have to go to an embassy, visa center or consulate to submit the required documents for application. Instead, they will be able to simply log into the Schengen Visa application website (that has not been created yet), and upload these documents scanned.
The list of required documents will not change, which means travelers will have to upload documents like their scanned passport, a recent photo, travel insurance worth €30,000 coverage, letter of invitation or proof of accommodation, etc.
At the end, applicants will have to sign a declaration that the information given is authentic, complete, correct and reliable, as well as a declaration of the veracity and reliability of the statements made.
Travellers will be required to go to a biometrics collecting center the first time they apply for a visa to have their fingerprints and photo taken. They will have to repeat this every five years, or whenever their passport expires, whichever comes first.
Moreover, travelers visiting more than one Schengen country at once will no longer have to calculate at which embassy they need to apply, as they only have to enter their traveling dates in the system, and the platform will then decide which country should process the application.
“Under the proposed new rules, visas will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed. This will reduce security risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa stickers,” the EU Council points out regarding visa stickers.
In spite of all the facilitation created, the visa fees will not increase. They will remain the same as now, which is €80 for most countries. Moreover, there will no longer be a need for intermediaries, which have fees from €30 and higher. This means that applying for a Schengen visa will actually become cheaper.
>> Schengen Short-Stay Visa Calculator – Calculate how long you can stay in the Schengen Area according to the 90/180 rule
The post EU to Make Schengen Visa Application Procedures Completely Online appeared first on VisaGuide.World.
