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EU set to shift to digital visas for Schengen area: Details here
Schengen Visa: The Schengen area comprises 23 of the 27 EU member countries plus associated neighbours Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
People applying for visas to visit Europe's Schengen area will soon do so via an online platform. The shift towards digitalisation of the process will also do away with the need for applicants to get a sticker in their passport. This means there will be no need for more appointments at consulates or service providers' offices. The change has been unveiled after a months-long legislative process which will take effect three weeks after it is published in the EU's administrative gazette.
The Schengen area comprises 23 of the 27 EU member countries plus associated neighbours Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
What is the online visa system?
The online visa system "will simplify the application process for travellers", Spain's interior minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said.
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People applying for short stays in the Schengen area will now need to upload documents, data and electronic copies of their travel documents with biometric information, and pay fees, all through an online platform.
If approved after database cross-checks, the applicants will receive a cryptographically signed barcode to print off or store in a device.
Although some first-time applicants or those with a new passport or changed biometric data may still need to attend an in-person appointment.
Some countries, such as Australia, already have similar systems in place, where the online visa is linked to a person's passport. In most cases, citizens from more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, do not need to apply for Schengen visas for short visits. They will also be required to apply online for pre-screened entry under a much-delayed European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), similar to the ESTA system employed by the United States.
What else will change?
All visitors entering the European Union will go through an automated EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The computerised EES will record a person's details and biometric data along with their date of entry and exit. This will help in keeping track of overstays and refused entries.
