If you had been planning to travel to a Schengen country during the upcoming summer holidays in the UAE and hadn’t applied for the visa yet, the delay is now set to cost you a little more.
Effective June 11, a revised Schengen visa fee structure has come into effect globally.
Henceforth, the visa fee for adults will rise from 80 euros to 90 euros, and to 45 euros from 40 euros for children aged six and under 12.
The revised fees will be applicable to all visa applications on or after June 11, the European Commission said.
The decision to hike the fees by 12.5 percent was announced by the European Commission in March this year.
Read | New Schengen visa rules: 10 things travellers need to know
Why is the fees going up?
The European Commission has attributed the fee hike to both rising inflation and growing civil worker wages.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is an entry permit for certain non-EU nationals to make a short, temporary visit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period to a country in the Schengen area. The visa comes in three types: single-entry visa, which allows the visa holder to enter the Schengen area once; multiple-entry visa, which allows the visa holder several visits to the Schengen area for as long as the visa is valid; airport transit visa, which allows you to connect through the international transit area of an airport in the Schengen area during a stopover or a change of flights. It does not allow the visa holder to leave the international transit area.
It is important to note that the Schengen visa is a short-stay visa, valid for tourism, business, or family visits.
If you plan to stay in the Schengen region for longer periods, such as for work or study, you may need a different type of visa or residence permit.
Which countries come under the Schengen area?
The Schengen area encompasses most EU countries, except for Cyprus and Ireland. Bulgaria and Romania became the newest member states to join the Schengen area as of March 31, 2024.
Here’s the list of all countries that come under the Schengen area: Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
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