Schengen Visa Goes Digital: Good News for Students and Travellers

In recent EU visa news, the Schengen visa application form has been announced to go digital soon, a source of great happiness for many travellers and university hopefuls all over the world. This Schengen visa news signals the evolution from the pen-and-paper era, where visa applicants had to make constant to-and-fro trips to their respective consulates to apply for visas. 

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The Council of the European Union approved the digitalisation of the Schengen visa application procedure last Monday, 13 November 2023, and one more regulation. EU parliament members, joyous with the approval of the regulation, had this to say, “Visa applications would be processed on a single online platform that would also tell applicants which country will receive their application (in the case of multi-country trips). The new system is also designed to work harmoniously with the EU’s ecosystem of border management systems and databases.”

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To clarify, this Schengen news applies to 23 of the 27 EU members as well as 4 non-EU members. The nationals comprise together as Schengen regions, which are visa-free zones that can be freely travelled to (if you have a Schengen visa). These 23 countries include France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and more.

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If one takes the pre-pandemic levels of application into consideration for this Schengen visa news, by the time this regulation comes into force, 18 - 20 million visa applications from all over the world will be processed through this online system. This will help applicants save their time and money as well as help member states save millions of euros of staff employment and resources. Those applying to Schengen visa applications would just need to upload all their necessary documents with biometric information and pay application fees online.

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Once this digital application gets approved, applicants will receive a cryptographically signed barcode as proof of their approval, which they must store carefully. However, those who are new visa applicants or those who have newly made passports might still need to adhere to in-person appointments. While it is still unclear when this digital application process will begin, what we do know is that it will inevitably be put into motion. This change in the Schengen visa application procedure is a great initiative which will make it easier for travellers and students alike.

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