If you are planning a trip to Europe then be aware of the upcoming hike in Schengen visa costs. From June 11, 2024, the European Commission plans to increase Schengen visa fees. The move has been confirmed by Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
“The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short-stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12%. The increase will apply worldwide as of 11 June 2024,” a Slovenian Government statement said.
Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said visa fees for adults will rise from €80 to €90, and for children aged six to 12, from €40 to €45. Moreover, countries not cooperating with the readmission of their irregularly staying citizens in the European Union may see visa fees increase to €135 or €180.
There are 25 countries in Schengen area, including 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.
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This decision comes after the European Union’s routine review of visa fees in December 2023, mandated to be held by the Schengen Visa Code after every three years.
The EU has attributed the visa fee increase to inflation and rising civil servant salaries. Previously, fees increased from €60 to €80 in February 2020.
The announcement has sparked discontent, particularly among Turkish citizens awaiting a visa-free agreement with the EU. In 2023, the Schengen Area received over 10.3 million short-stay visa applications, marking a 37% increase from 2022 but still below the peak of 17 million applications in 2019.
The increased visa is likely to impact Indians too. Data shows more Indian citizens are willing to explore Europe, as evident in the 43% jump in Schengen visa applications in 2023 compared to previous year.
Also Read: World’s Best Airports List 2024: Where do Indian airports – Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru – stand?
India’s Ranking for Visa Applications
India secured the third position in visa applications, tallying a total of 966,687 submissions. Chinese nationals took the top spot with 1.1 million applications, marking their return to the leading position since 2018.
According to SchengenVisaInfo, Chinese nationals accounted for over 10% of total applications in 2023, followed by Turkish and Indian citizens.
To make travel easier for Indian citizens, the European Commission has introduced a new visa “cascade” system. This simplifies getting multiple entry visas with longer validity periods.
Indian citizens living in India who have legally used two visas in the last three years can now get a two-year multi-entry visa. Afterward, they can apply for a five-year visa, allowing them to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
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