Bona fide travellers will be able to obtain Schengen short stay visas in simplified way

The EU Council adopted amendments to reform the current visa procedures for those, who intend to travel to the EU for touristic purposes. New rules will also contribute to the fight against illegal migration.

New rules will allow for faster and easier procedures for those traveling legally. In particular, the visa application can now be submitted six months (instead of the current three months) prior travelling  and no later than 15 days before the start date of the trip. It will also be possible to fill out and sign the application in electronic format. In addition, frequent travellers with positive visa history should get multy-entry visas valid for longer with a gradually increasing validity period from 1 year to a maximum of 5 years. Under the new rules, the cost of the consular fee is increasing from 60 to 80 euros.