Generally speaking, the Schengen visa is meant for short stays or transits across the Schengen areas of a duration that doesn’t exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. Recently, the Schengen states have increased their visa prices for all travelers, and there will be a 33% increase in visa fees for adults, according to the Schengen Visa Info. Starting from the 2nd of February 2020, there will be a few changes to the Schengen visa rules that all of us need to be aware of, so scroll down to check out the important visa updates.
According to Al Ahram, “The European Union argues that the fee increase is in line with the general EU-wide inflation rate and that the visa fees had not been adjusted for inflation since 2006.” The current rules require all Egyptian citizens to pay a fee of €80 if they’re adults, instead of the previous €60, and €35 for children, instead of the previous €40, when applying for a Schengen visa.
Also, the applications can now be submitted six months in advance, meaning that travelers used to only book their appointments three months prior to their travel dates, but now they can book it six months in advance which could make their travel plans a whole lot easier.
Most countries that require a Schengen visa will highly benefit from the new rules as the updated visa code will allow travelers to use an electronic application where they can sign and fill it out online to facilitate the visa process as a whole.
There will also be no more sending out passports to neighboring countries for visa approval; every Schengen country is now required to find a representative in each country in order to process visa applications on their behalf even if the country doesn’t have an embassy.
And finally, if travelers have a positive visa history they will be granted not only the visa approval but also the benefit of getting a multiple-entry visa that’s valid for up to five years!