EU to eliminate Schengen visa...

A proposal to digitise visa procedures has been approved by MEPs

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have approved a proposal to digitise visa procedures in the Schengen area.

A total of 34 MEPs voted in favour of the proposal, while five members opposed, and 20 others abstained.

The move aims to lower the costs and efforts required to make a visa application and speed up the processing of travel entry permits and promote security.

Matjaž Nemec, a member of the EU Parliament, said the proposed changes, which will simplify the visa process, will eventually replace the Schengen sticker with a digital visa.

Nemec said: “We want to deliver a modern, user-friendly digital solution for EU visa applications, along with simplified application procedures. Replacing the visa sticker with a digital visa would also reduce security risks posed by physical stickers, and a unified system would help people see the EU as a single geographical entity.”

Once implemented, visa applications from travellers wishing to visit any Schengen country will be processed on a single online platform and applicants who are visiting multiple countries will be advised which country will receive their application.

More than 8.8 million Schengen visa applications were submitted by travellers around the world in 2021, according to digital platform SchengenVisaInfo.

For more information, visit www.schengenvisainfo.com