EU Approves Digital Schengen Visa Application to Streamline Travel

The European Council has given the green light for people traveling to the Schengen area to apply online for visas. The landmark decision will digitize and modernize the application process for the 26 European countries of the Schengen zone.

Acting Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez hailed the reform as greatly improving experiences for travelers and easing administrative burdens. Online applications will simplify and expedite the process while enabling national authorities to respond more quickly.

The Council approved two key regulations to digitize Schengen visa procedures.

First, an EU visa application platform will be created for electronic submission of nearly all Schengen visa requests. Applicants can input data, upload documents, and pay fees through the centralized system.

Read more: Council gives green light to the digitalisation of the visa procedure

Second, mandatory in-person appearances at consulates will be largely eliminated. Only first-time applicants, those requiring new biometric data, and people with a renewed travel document will need to appear for interviews.

The visa sticker will also be replaced with a cryptographically signed barcode linked to the applicant’s data, doing away with physical documents.

The Schengen Area consists of 22 EU members and 4 non-EU countries that have abolished border controls. Travelers can freely move between these countries with a single visa. With over 16 million Schengen visas issued annually, digitization promises major efficiency gains.

The European Commission first proposed the e-visa policy in 2018 to enhance security, reduce costs and delays, and provide a better user experience. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine added further impetus to secure approval.

EU officials tout the upcoming launch of the digital system as a milestone for Schengen integration and travel freedom. The regulations put comprehensive safeguards in place to protect applicants’ data and prevent discrimination or abuse.

With application hurdles streamlined for the world’s largest visa-free zone, tourism and business travel to Europe can get an added boost as demand recovers post-pandemic. The EU’s embrace of e-visas cements Schengen’s role as a pioneering mobility area for the digital age.