If you are planning a short trip to Europe, specifically in the Schengen Zone countries, your visit is going to cost you more as the European Commission has announced a global increase in visa (type C) fees by 12% for the area, effective from June 11, 2024, ANI reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, the new visa fee structure will raise the cost for adult applicants from €80 to €90, while the fee for children aged six to twelve will increase from €40 to €45.
“The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 per cent. The increase will apply worldwide as of 11 June 2024,” the Slovenian government said.
“New Schengen visa fees will be 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged 6 to below 12 years of age,” it added.
The European Commission said the move aims to align with the increasing costs of processing visas and maintaining the security of the Schengen area.
Justifying the latest hike, the European Commission attributed the hike to inflation and the need to cover administrative costs associated with the visa process, which includes background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems.
Schengen visas are required for citizens of non-European countries such as South Africa, China, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while nationals of Britain, Canada, America, and Australia do not need to apply for the same.
Under the EU Visa Code, countries in Schengen can review visa fees every three years. In 2020, the Schengen visa cost was increased from €60 to €80. The hike in June 2024 will see the fee rise to €90 (approximately ₹8,200)
Schengen countries
It is important to know that the Schengen area covers 29 countries, including 25 European countries. The countries that are part of the Schengen area are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Luxembourg, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
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As per the visa rules, the citizens from these member countries can travel anywhere in the Schengen area without a visa, under the 90-day-visa-free rule.
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Published: 21 May 2024, 07:17 PM IST
