The Schengen visa fee hike applies to visa applications submitted worldwide, impacting travellers across the globe who are planning to visit Europe.
Schengen Visa: Planning a trip to Europe in the near future? Well, we got some bad news for travellers as the European Commission has announced a hike in the short-stay Schengen visa fees, making a trip to Europe more expensive.
The European Commission has announced a global increase in fee structure of Schengen visas (visa type C) fees by as much as 12 percent. The new fee structure will come into effect from June 11.
Schengen visa fee hike structure
- As per the new fee structure, the cost for adult applicants will be Euro 90, a hike of Euro 10 from the current Euro 80.
- For children aged 6 to below 12 years, the fee will increase from Euro 40 to Euro 45.
Does Schengen visa fee hike apply to all applicants?
The Schengen visa fee hike applies to visa applications submitted worldwide, impacting travellers across the globe.
The Schengen visa permits travel across 27 European countries, including popular tourist destinations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
European Commission justifies Schengen visa hike
As per European Commission, the fee adjustment aims to align with the increasing costs of processing visas and maintaining the security of the Schengen area. The Commission has justified the latest hike citing inflation and the need to cover administrative costs associated with the visa process, which includes background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems.
These increases are part of a broader effort to ensure that the costs of visa processing and security measures are adequately covered, it said
Applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus will pay Euro 35, and applicants from Cabo Verde will pay Euro 60.
Notably, the last fee update was implemented in February 2020, when the adult visa fee was increased to Euro 80 from Euro 60.
(With ANI inputs)