Travellers planning trips to Europe’s Schengen Area will face slightly higher costs starting today, June 11, 2024.
The European Commission has announced a 12% increase in visa application fees for short-stay Schengen visas (type C). The European Commission says the increase is down to “general Union-wide inflation rate and the weighted average of the salaries of Member States’ civil servants between 1 July 2020 and 1 July 2023”.
The new standard fee for adults is now €90, up from €80 previously. Children aged 6 to 12 will also see a slight rise, with their fees going from €40 to €45. Thankfully, visas for children under 6 remain free of charge.
As a reminder, a Schengen visa allows non-European Union citizens to visit any member country within the Schengen zone for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. This visa facilitates travel across all Schengen countries during its validity but doesn’t permit stays exceeding 90 days or employment/business activities within the zone.
The Schengen Area comprises 26 European countries that have abolished internal border controls. These include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. These nations maintain a unified visa policy for short stays.
The need for a Schengen visa applies to non-EU citizens seeking temporary entry of up to 90 days (in any 180-day period) to any Schengen member country.
The revision of Schengen visa fees occurs every three years, taking into account “objective criteria” such as inflation rates and average civil servant salaries within the EU. This February, the European Commission proposed the fee increase, which was subsequently approved by a majority vote of member states.
While the standard visa fee has increased, there’s some flexibility for external service providers. Visa agencies and travel companies can raise their service charges from €40 to €45 to handle Schengen visa applications. It’s important to note that the cost of extending a Schengen visa remains unchanged at €30.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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