New facilities for obtaining a Schengen visa starting from February 2020

Zahraa Magdy

The Schengen visa is one of the most famous visas in the world, and it gives its holder the right to travel to 26 European countries, 22 of which are from the European Union: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden, leaving the four countries of the Union as follows: Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

The Schengen visa is often taken difficult to obtain, yet the European Union is now changing the Schengen visa law that regulates the issuance of visas and benefits, in an effort to facilitate procedures for travelers.

This change came in the wake of the increase in the number of Schengen visa applicants every year since 2014, as travelers from 104 countries need to obtain a visa to enter the European Union for a stay of up to three months. Among the most important changes:

1- As of February 2, 2020, all Schengen visa applicants will be subject to the new visa law, which includes a 33.3% fee increase for all European Union member states and affiliated countries that participate in the Schengen Agreement.

Thus, the traveler will pay 80 Euros instead of 60 Euros for adults, 40 Euros for a child between 6-12 years after the fees are 35 Euros, and children between 1 and 6 years are exempt from visa fees as before.

This is done with the possibility of raising the value of the fees every three years, to ensure that the costs of obtaining visas are better covered by European Union member states, and to facilitate consular staff.

2- One of the advantages offered by the new law for visa applicants is that it extends the period during which the application can be submitted, from a maximum of three months to six months, and a minimum of 15 days before the trip. The period required to respond to visa requests remains 15 days, starting from the date the application was submitted.

3- The possibility of filling out the Schengen visa application form and electronically signing it will be provided at most official websites of the embassies of the Schengen countries, starting from the first day to implement the new law. In addition to this service, work will continue through the consulate directly, and the appointment service online will be posted on the embassies website: French, German, Austrian, Swiss, Italian and Dutch, before heading to the embassy or through the website of the unified office (Vfsglobal).

In both cases, you will have to present a passport or any travel document issued during the last ten years, provided that it contains at least two blank pages, and that the document is valid for three months after the end date of the trip in the Schengen area.

4- The list of general applications is still fixed, and it includes: airline reservations, hotel reservations, and an identification sheet from the work translated into the embassy (or a copy of the work permit for the self-employed, or the school or university enrollment guide for students, or a pension statement for the last six months for retirees) , Two photos against a white background, a photo of a credit card or statement of account, and a Schengen visa application form that can be obtained from the embassy or downloaded and filled out electronically.

5- Travel insurance remains mandatory for Schengen visa applicants, despite attempts to make it optional. In fact, the new law highlights the importance of having Schengen insurance when applying for a visa. For travelers who apply for a multiple-entry visa, they will have to prove that they have adequate and travel-friendly medical insurance covering the period of their first visit.

It is also necessary to warn that the new visa application form developed by the European Union will include an item in the end stating that "I am aware of the need to obtain adequate medical travel insurance for my first stay and any subsequent visits to a country (...)", and you can travel insurance Through airlines and tour operators.

6- The new amendments offer a coordinated approach by the European Union, to issue multi-entry visas for regular travelers who have a positive visa record before that, and this means that they have used their previous visas legally, have good economic status in their country, and have a real intention to leave the territories of member states before the expiration of The validity of the visa they requested, so that the entry visa period gradually increases from one to five years.

7- If you want to visit more than one country in the Schengen area, you will have to submit your application to the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country linked to the main purpose of travel, such as working or studying in one country and shopping and tourism in two other countries. If the main purpose of travel is the same in more than one country, such as tourism, for example, send the visa application to the embassy or consulate of the country in which you plan to stay longer.

If you are planning to spend equal time in each Schengen country, you must submit the visa application to the embassy or consulate of the country that you intend to visit first.

The countries of the European Union differ in their requirements. Some people may not be satisfied with the conditions of the union and ask for additional documents. Therefore, you should contact the embassy of the country concerned or review the required documents on its official website.