Baku, Azerbaijan, June 20
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Schengen visa will rise in price to 80 euros, a message posted June 20 on the website of the EU Council says.
On June 19, EU ambassadors endorsed, on behalf of the Council, a mandate for negotiations on a proposal amending the visa code.
The updated regulation will modernize the EU visa policy, allow improved security and increase the available tools to respond to migration challenges, the message says.
It will provide faster and more clear procedures for legitimate travelers, notably by allowing for the lodging of applications up to 6 months and no later than 15 days before the trip, providing for the possibility of filling in and signing the application form electronically, and introducing a harmonized approach to issuing multiple entry visas to regular travelers with a positive visa history, reads the message.
The period for which the European authorities issue a Schengen visa can gradually increase from one to five years.
"To ensure member states can better cover costs of visa processing without representing a deterrent for visa applicants, the visa fee will be increased to 80 euros. The regulation also introduces a mechanism to assess every three years the need to revise the amount of the visa fee," the message says.
Currently, the cost of a Schengen visa is 60 euros.
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