The European Union (EU) has decided to introduce a digital Schengen visa to replace the current visa sticker with a digital format. This decision was taken after discussions with EU member states, and the ambassadors of these states have agreed to the Council’s negotiating mandate for the proposal to digitize the visa process. The new rule aims to make the visa application procedure more efficient in the Schengen area, which comprises 27 European countries that have officially abolished all types of border control at their mutual borders.
A digital Schengen visa will create a visa application platform that will enable all applicants to apply for visas from one single platform. This will forward them to the relevant national visa systems. This will help in reducing the number of trips to the consulate for travelers and make the process smoother for national administrations. The visa platforms will be able to upload electronic copies of their travel and all supporting documents and pay their visa fees over this platform. They will also be notified of the decision concerning their visas.
The digitized Schengen visa will also put an end to the risk of falsification and theft of visa stickers, which have been prevalent issues in the current visa system. Only in-person appearance will be required for the first-time consulate or for applicants whose biometric data is invalid. The visas will also be issued in digital format, with a 2D barcode that is cryptographically signed.
The new digital Schengen visa system will also help make the Schengen area safer, according to Sweden’s Minister for Migration, Maria Malmer Stenergarz. Recent migration and security challenges have significantly transformed the context of the EU’s visa policy. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic slowed down visa operations and created the need for more digital procedures. The Commission submitted a legislative proposal on April 27 last year, aimed at digitizing the visa procedure, which EU members have now agreed upon. The Council presidency will start negotiations with the European Parliament to agree on the final wording.
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