On 13 June, Council of the European Union and the European Parliament provisionally agreed on rules for the digitalisation of visa procedures.
The regulation introduces the possibility to apply for a visa online and replaces the current visa sticker with a digital visa. It will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed.
“The digital visa will make the application process easier for travellers, simplifies the administrative procedure and increases the security of the Schengen area by for example reducing the risk of falsification and theft of the visa sticker,” said Maria Malmer Stenergard, Swedish Minister for Migration.
The agreement still needs to be approved by member states before the adoption process in the Council and the European Parliament can start.
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The rules – when finally adopted – will create an EU visa application platform. With a few exceptions, applications for Schengen visas will be made through this platform, a single website, which will forward them to the relevant national visa systems.
On this platform, visa applicants will be able to introduce all relevant data, upload electronic copies of their travel and supporting documents, and pay their visa fees. They will also be notified of the decision concerning the visa.
In-person appearance at the consulate will in principle only be necessary for first-time applicants, persons whose biometric data are no longer valid and those with a new travel document.
