Schengen visa to go online, no need for in-person appearance at consulate

Soon, individuals applying for visas to visit Europe's Schengen area will have the convenience of an online application process. On Tuesday, the European Council approved new regulations that permit travellers intending to visit the Schengen area to apply for their visas through an online platform. 

The Schengen area, encompassing 23 of the 27 EU members, has eliminated various internal border controls to facilitate travel across its member states. 

The latest move aims to "render in-person appearances at the consulate redundant," said the Council in a statement. The rule has been adopted after months of the legislative process and will take effect three weeks after it is published in the EU's administrative gazette. 

“Recent migration and security challenges have significantly transformed the context of the EU’s visa policy. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic considerably slowed down visa operations and created the need for more digital procedures,” said the EU, explaining the rationale behind the move.

What is a Schengen Visa?

Schengen visa is an authorisation for non-Europeans intending to travel across the 27 countries within the Schengen Area. Today, 23 of the 27 EU countries issue Schengen visas. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland also allow entry with a Schengen visa. 

There are various types of Schengen visas, including the Airport Transit Visa (Type A) for non-Schengen citizens transiting through Schengen airports, the short-stay visa (Type C) for stays of less than 90 days, and the long-stay visa (Type D) for those wishing to study, work, or reside in a Schengen country for over 90 days. 

What will change with the latest system? 

According to the European Council's statement, a new platform will be created for EU visa applications. On the platform, visa applicants will be able to enter all the relevant data, upload electronic copies of their travel documents and supporting documents, and pay their visa fees.

“With a few exceptions, applications for Schengen visas will be made through that platform,” said the Council. 

The latest move will render in-person appearance at the consulates redundant. In principle, in-person appearance will only be necessary for first-time applicants, people whose biometric data are no longer valid and people with a new travel document. 

It will also replace the current visa sticker with a cryptographically signed barcode. 

“Under the proposed new rules, visas will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed. This will reduce security risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa stickers,” said the Council. 

Notably, with the new system in place, when a person intends to visit several Schengen countries, the platform will automatically determine which one of them is responsible for examining the application based on the duration of stay. However, the applicant will also be able to indicate whether the application needs to be processed by a specific member state according to the purpose of travel.

Several countries, including Australia, have already implemented comparable systems, linking online visas directly to individuals' passports. In most instances, citizens from over 60 countries worldwide, such as Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, are exempt from applying for Schengen visas for short visits. However, they will now need to apply online for pre-screened entry through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), resembling the ESTA system utilised by the United States.

All European Union visitors will undergo processing through the automated EU Entry/Exit System (EES). This computerised system records individuals' details, biometric data, and entry and exit dates, aiding in monitoring overstays and refused entries.