Planning a holiday in Europe in the Schengen visa regions? Here's some not so great news. Your European vacation will cost more as the European Commission has announced a 12 per cent global increase in type C visa fees for the area, effective from June 11, 2024. The government of Slovenia, a member of the EU bloc, has confirmed the increase in the Schengen visa fee. A statement issued on May 20 by Slovenian authorities said, "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 European Commission has stated that the increase in visa fees is intended to align with the rising costs associated with processing visas and maintaining security in the Schengen area. The Commission justifies the fee hike by citing inflation and the need to cover administrative costs related to the visa process, including background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems.
This move means that the current visa application fee for adult travelers, which is currently set at €80 (INR 7,242), will be raised to €90 (INR 8,149). For children aged 6 to below 12 years of age, the fee will also see an increase from €40 (INR 3,622) to €45 (INR 4,074).
Under the EU Visa Code, countries in the Schengen area are authorized to modify visa fees every three years. In 2020, the price of a Schengen visa was increased from €60 to €80. Additionally, in June 2024, the fee is expected to rise to €90 (approximately INR 8,200).
Schengen visas allow the holder to travel freely within the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. These visas are not tied to any specific purpose, but they do not grant the right to work. Travelling across Europe on a single continent-wide visa is a seamless way for tourists to hop from one destination to the next without the hassle of multiple visas.
In April 2024, it was announced that two more countries have joined the Schengen area. Romania and Bulgaria began issuing Schengen C visas to foreign travellers from April 1, 2024. Their addition to the Schengen area takes the total number of countries that have a common visa policy for international travellers to 29. The countries included under the Schengen area are Norway, Czech Republic, Belgium, Iceland, Greece, Estonia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, Croatia, Poland, Netherlands, Malta, Bulgaria, and Liechtenstein.
Meanwhile, the number of Indian travellers making holiday plans in Europe is increasing, leading to greater difficulty in obtaining a Schengen visa due to the high demand in 2024. Reports indicate that the next available appointment slot for Germany and Italy is in July 2024. That's quite a long wait and will scupper many plans. The shortage of available visa interview slots has caused many a travel plan to be cancelled. Read more about it here.