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The EU digitizes visas for the Schengen area

2023-11-13 17:12:08, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EU digitizes visas for the Schengen area

People who want to apply for visas to visit Schengen countries will soon have to do so through an online platform. This change was approved on Monday by the foreign ministers of the European Union (EU).

Kosovar citizens are expected to travel visa-free in the Schengen area from January 1, 2024, after the European Parliament approved the lifting of the visa regime for Kosovo earlier this year.

The Schengen area consists of 23 of the 27 EU member states, but also of countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Today's EU change, following a lengthy legislative process, will come into force once the technical work, which takes several months, is completed and it is published in the EU's official journal.

The decision to digitize the visa process is also related to the abolition of the decision to put a sticker on applicants' passports, which means that it is no longer necessary to schedule appointments at embassies or offices that offer these services.

"The online visa system will simplify the application process for travelers," said Spain's Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska.

Once operational, people applying for short stays in the Schengen area will upload documents, data and electronic copies of their travel documents with biometric data, then make a payment - all through the online platform.

If their request is accepted, then they will receive a cryptographically signed barcode to print or store on their devices.

But those who apply for the first time, or those with new passports or with changed biometric data, may still be forced to set the appointment physically./ REL





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