Schengen Visa fee goes up: Check new visa fees here

LJUBLJANA: Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs has confirmed that the Schengen visa fee will be increased starting next month, here on Monday.

As per the new fee structure, adult applicants will have to pay 90 euros instead of the current 80 euros, which shows a 12 percent increase.

For children between the ages of six and 12, the revised fee is €45. The change will come into effect on June 11 this year.

In addition, countries that have not cooperated in bringing back their citizens living illegally in EU member states could face fees of up to 135 euros or 180 euros.

The visa fee was last revised in February 2020, with the application cost being increased from 60 euros to 80 euros, and the new decision will apply worldwide.

Read More: UAE introduces 10-Year Blue Residency Visa for foreigners; Check all details here

A recent review of visa fees was conducted in December of last year. The review is carried out every three years, and the revision takes place mainly because the EU has to compensate for inflation and the salaries of government employees in member states.

During the public consultation phase of the proposed regulation, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conducted an analysis and suggested that an increase in visa fees could hinder travel affordability, potentially affecting local economies by blocking tourists and reducing travel activities.

It has to be seen how the globetrotters react to the revision of fees and whether the findings of IATA were true or not. The revision comes when more and more countries are inking visa-free agreements with each other, and tourists have a diverse range of options to choose from for tourism and recreation.