Travelling to 27 EU countries become easier as the process becomes online for UAE residents and they no longer have to involve agencies or get appointments
The EU member states‘ ambassadors on Wednesday agreed the Council’s negotiating mandate for a proposal to digitalise the visa procedure. It introduces the possibility to apply for a visa online and replaces the current visa sticker with a digital visa. It aims to make the visa application procedure more efficient and to improve the security of the Schengen area.
Consequently, UAE residents wishing to travel to Schengen countries would not have to wait for appointments, stand in a queue or submit their passports to process their visas as the EU moves a step closer to making the permit procedure digital.
In-person appearance at the consulate will only be necessary for first-time applicants, persons whose biometric data are no longer valid and those with a new travel document.
When a person intends to visit several Schengen countries, the platform will automatically determine which one of them is responsible for examining the application based on the duration of stay. However, the applicant will also have the possibility to indicate whether the application needs to be processed by a specific member state according to the purpose of travel.
Under the proposed new rules, visas will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed. This will reduce security risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa stickers.
