Schengen Visa fee to increase? Here’s what we know

BRUSSELS: The European Union Commission has revealed its intentions to increase Schengen visa fees for Pakistanis and other countries, suggesting increases for adult and child holders alike.

The suggested increase in fees would take adults’ fees from €80 to €90 and children’s fees from €40 to €45. In addition, the modification proposes greater fines for nations whose nationals are judged to be uncooperative when it comes to readmittance from the EU.

The maximum fee that outside service providers may charge for gathering visa applications may also increase as part of the proposed modifications, possibly going from €40 to €45. The idea comes after a conference with experts from EU member states in December, when the majority of them approved the modification, which aims to match visa fees with inflation and civil servant pay. Every three years, the commission considers changing the cost.

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It’s interesting to note that the Commission suggested in the draft that the €30 price for extending a Schengen visa stay the same. It should be made clear that the suggested adjustments are still being finalized, and a formal statement on this front is still pending.

Meanwhile, efforts are under way to digitize the visa application procedure, meaning that citizens of all countries will soon be able to travel to Schengen countries with ease.

The process of replacing paper applications and visa stickers with digital ones is almost complete, thanks to the efforts of EU parliament members. In this context, it has been approved to begin interinstitutional negotiations with the EU Council in order to come to a consensus on the final shape of the bill.

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Thirty-four votes, or more, were given in support of the report’s digitization. VFS Global, an external service provider, confirmed the digitization process and stated that they were aware of EU ambitions to automate the visa application process. They also expressed their excitement about assisting governments on their transformation path.

Although the specifics of the procedure are yet unclear, travel agents worldwide unanimously endorse the move and believe it would enhance Europe’s appeal as a travel destination.