The objective to fully digitalize visa procedures has been set and it will be by 2025.
What Will Change For The Applicants
The Commission is proposing to replace the visa sticker and introduce the possibility to submit visa applications online through the European online visa platform.
Why The Change Is Being Made
By making this change, it will be reducing the costs and the burden on the Member States as well as the applicants. This will also help to improve the security of the Schengen area.
Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: “Today we are bringing the EU’s visa policy into the digital age. With some Member States already switching to digital, it is vital the Schengen area now moves forward as one. We are proposing a fully digitalized visa application to help both travelers and Member States ensure a smother and more secure application process.”
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson said: “A modern visa process is crucial to make travel to the EU easier for tourism and business. Half of those coming to the EU with a Schengen visa consider the visa application burdensome, and one-third have to travel a long distance to ask for a visa. It is high time that the EU provides a quick, safe, and web-based EU visa application platform for the citizens of the 102 third countries that require short-term visas to travel to the EU.”
Source: An official website of the European Union