Increase in Schengen visa fees: This is how much traveling to Europe may set you back

Increase in Schengen visa fees: This is how much traveling to Europe may set you back

Increase in Schengen visa fees: This is how much traveling to Europe may set you back

The European Commission has suggested raising the cost of Schengen visas starting in 2024, therefore it is anticipated that they would become more costly.

The Schengen visa is expected to cost more under the European Commission's proposed price rise of 12.5%.

When the cost of obtaining a Schengen visa rises, travelers who want to visit the Schengen region can anticipate a large increase in their travel expenses.

A proposal by the European Commission calling for an increase in the baseline charge for a Schengen visa in 2024 indicates that the cost of a Schengen visa will likely rise over the coming months. Moreover, nations that exhibit "insufficient cooperation on re-entry" would pay an even greater cost every three years, according to the group that modifies Schengen visa regulations. These nations are those that let expelled citizens of member states to be readmitted.

nations both within and outside the Schengen Area

The Schengen Area is made up of 27 member nations in Europe that have a single visa requirement for travel abroad. There is a 90-day visa-free period that allows citizens of certain member nations to travel inside the Schengen Area without a visa.

To enter the Schengen region, nationals of non-EU member states—such as those of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and China—need a Schengen visa. Furthermore, there is no need for nationals of the US, Australia, Canada, or the UK to apply for a Schengen visa.

What would a 2024 Schengen Visa cost?

According to Euronews, if the plan is approved, the price of a Schengen visa will rise by 12.5%, to between €40 and €45 for adults and between €80 and €90 for minors.

According to Euronews, visa costs for nations that have not complied with citizen readmission would rise from €120 to €135 for minors and from €160 to €180 for adults.

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The European Commission presented a draft of the Schengen visa costs on February 2 and is accepting comments until March 1. In a meeting with member states earlier in December 2023, the European Commission received approval for the change from their experts. the "overwhelming majority" of the visa charge.

Why is the cost of a Schengen visa increasing?

The European Commission argued that growing EU inflation rates were the cause of the proposed price hike. The plan states that outside companies who provide Schengen visas will be permitted to raise their prices in accordance with the modification.

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The plan states that external providers, such visa companies, would now be allowed to charge up to half of the regular price, or a maximum of €45, instead of the previous ceiling of €40. The cost of an extended Schengen visa, however, will stay at €30.