The cost of Schengen for residents of Russia will increase
The Schengen visa for Russians will become more expensive. The Council of the European Union approved amendments to the visa code.
The European Legislature is modernising the EU’s visa policy to improve security and enhance the tools available to address migration challenges.
The increase in the price of a Schengen visa will be one of the measures. The base price will increase from 60 to 80 euros. Russia and the EU have signed an agreement to simplify the visa regime, so for Russians the visa fee will cost from 30 to 40 euros.
Every three years, the EU intends to revise the amount of the fee, but it is not yet known about the specific time of entry into force of the changes. Innovations must be agreed with the European Parliament.
The updated EU visa policy implies other changes. Applications for the document can be submitted no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the start of the trip. The possibility of applying electronically and purchasing multiple entry documents for regular tourists with a positive history with an increase in the validity time of up to 5 years is considered.
Innovations in the visa code will help to simplify the process of obtaining Schengen visas and effectively find violators of the visa regime.