Schengen visas get costlier by 12% after European Union hikes fee

• If you are planning a short trip to Europe, specifically in the Schengen Zone countries, your visit is going to cost you more as the European Commission has announced a global increase in visa (type C) fees by 12% for the area, effective from June 11, 2024.

• According to the report, the new visa fee structure will raise the cost for adult applicants from €80 to €90, while the fee for children aged six to twelve will increase from €40 to €45.

• “The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 per cent. The increase will apply worldwide as of 11 June 2024,” the Slovenian government said.

• “New Schengen visa fees will be 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged 6 to below 12 years of age,” it added.
• The European Commission said the move aims to align with the increasing costs of processing visas and maintaining the security of the Schengen area.

• Justifying the latest hike, the European Commission attributed the hike to inflation and the need to cover administrative costs associated with the visa process, which includes background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems.

• Schengen visas are required for citizens of non-European countries such as South Africa, China, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while nationals of Britain, Canada, America, and Australia do not need to apply for the same.

• Under the EU Visa Code, countries in Schengen can review visa fees every three years. In 2020, the Schengen visa cost was increased from €60 to €80. The hike in June 2024 will see the fee rise to €90 (approximately ₹8,200)

What is a Schengen visa?

• The holders of Schengen visas are allowed to travel freely in the ‘Schengen area’ for short stays of a maximum of 90 days (in any 180-day period). The visas are not purpose-bound but do not grant holders the right to work. The Schengen area includes 29 European countries wherein 25 are EU states.

• The countries part of the Schengen area include Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Indian travellers showing a preference for Europe

 

• As per a recent study, around 82 percent of Indian travellers are showing a preference for destinations in Europe like France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain in the upcoming season. Indians showed a growing interest in Europe wherein a 43 percent increase was witnessed in Schengen visa applications in 2023 compared to 2022. India ranked third in visa applications, with 966,687 filings.
• The EU recently launched a new visa scheme, called ‘cascade,’ for Indian citizens applying for Schengen visas. This recent step by the EU showed a shift from the traditional visa code regulations for Indian nationals. According to the new Schengen visa rules, Indian passport holders can now get long-term multiple-entry Schengen visas for two or five years, especially if they’ve previously travelled on a Schengen visa.