Individuals must apply for visas for each country they intend to visit, however in Europe, a Schengen visa is all that is needed to travel to any of the member states. Unfortunately, the application process is time-consuming because it necessitates multiple trips to the consulate for the verification of paperwork and other requirements. The mandate from the council to digitise the process has now been taken into consideration by the EU member states.
In-depth details about the introduction of the digital Schengen visa will simplify travel to Europe
The proposal, as stated in the press release released by the Council of the European Union, calls for the digital replacement of the current visa stickers. They emphasise that the mandate’s fundamental motivation was to improve the effectiveness of the overall process. According to Maria Malmer Stenegard, the Swedish Minister for Migration, “A digital Schengen visa will make it easier for genuine travellers to apply while also contributing to the safety of the Schengen area.” Travelers will make fewer journeys to the consulate thanks to online applications, and national administrations will experience a faster application procedure. The possibility of visa sticker theft and forgery will also be eliminated with the digital visa.
The approach is the same as with any online application. The council wants to develop a single website and platform for Schengen visa applications that will link to the permitted national system. The travellers can electronically submit all the necessary paperwork, pay the fees, and then receive notification of the decision.
According to the rules, candidates who are applying for the first time or whose biometric information has expired from the system must attend in person. Also, visitors to the consulate will be required to bring new documents for submission.
The website will automatically select which nation is in charge of reviewing the process for users who want to go to numerous nations. The length of the stay is the main variable that will influence the choice. However, applicants will have the choice of processing their applications in one member state over another.
The possibility of stolen visa stickers will be reduced because the digital visas will be provided with a 2D barcode and a cryptographic signature.
