Your summer holiday might be more expensive this year if you are planning on flying with some European companies.
09.02.2024 - 09:27 / euronews.com / European Commission / Rebecca Ann Hughes
The European Commission has submitted a proposal to increase the basic fee for a Schengen visa in 2024.
If it gets the green light, the cost will rise by 12 per cent from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children.
The EU is also planning to raise the fee even more for countries showing “insufficient cooperation on readmission,” which refers to accepting the re-entry of individuals expelled from member states.
Schengen visas are required for citizens from non-EU countries that do not benefit from the EU and Schengen area's 90-day visa-free rule.
These include nationals of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China.
If the proposal becomes policy, the price increase could come in the next few months.
The European Commission presented a draft of the Schengen visa fee increase on 2 February after a meeting in December during which experts from member states supported the revision with an “overwhelming majority.”
The initiative will be open for feedback until 1 March. During this time, EU citizens can express their opinions on the matter and communicate if they support the proposal or not.
After this, the EU can implement the changes which then come into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Commission has emphasised that the proposed price hike has been caused by the rising inflation rate in the EU. The body undertakes a revision of the Schengen visa fee every three years.
If it goes ahead, it will see visa costs rise from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children.
For countries which have not demonstrated cooperation in citizen readmission, the cost will increase from €120 to €135 and from €160 to €180.
Additionally, the Commission has proposed to let external providers of Schengen visas increase their fees in line with the revision.
The maximum amount that external providers, such as visa agencies, that collect Schengen visa applications on behalf of the member states can charge is usually half the standard fee.
The Commission proposes raising this from €40 to €45.
In contrast, the fee for a Schengen visa extension will remain fixed at €30.
The EU has also announced plans to bring in a digital-only Schengen visa, which was discussed in 2022.
Travellers will be able to apply online regardless of the country they plan on visiting. The digital version will replace the current system of stickers in passports.
The European Commission says it hopes to introduce the digital platform by 2028.
The Schengen visa is required for citizens of non-EU countries who do not benefit from the 90-day rule.
Nationals of countries including South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China require the Schengen visa, which permits stay in 28 European
Your summer holiday might be more expensive this year if you are planning on flying with some European companies.
Historically, Disney World ticket price increases have been fairly predictable. Whether we wanted it to or not, about once a year, Disney would announce an incremental price increase that typically went into effect soon after the announcement. However, Disney has not raised ticket prices since 2022, when it announced two increases in the same year.
Ever wonder how much someone's vacation really costs?
At the Skift Global Forum last year, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicted hotel rates would rise in New York City as a result of Local Law 18 – which Airbnb has called a “de facto ban” on short-term rentals.
On April 8, the moon will pass directly before the sun, darkening the afternoon sky with a rare, total solar eclipse. For those along the path of totality, the solar eclipse will last around four minutes. With so many people clamoring to see this rare celestial spectacle, you'll need a plan if you want to be among them.
Once you’ve seen London’s highlights, i.e. Big Ben, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the many amazing museums, take a break from the capital and make your way to Oxford. Less than one hour away from central London by train, Oxford is arguably the most beautiful university city in the world, with 43 independent colleges that rival each other in their jaw-dropping architecture, dreamy bookshops, quaint pubs, majestic libraries and theaters, and plenty of great places to enjoy a traditional and indulgent afternoon tea. Things to do in Oxford abound, but because it is a compact little city, even if you only have two days you can cover a lot of ground.
When it comes to luxury travel, there are an unlimited number of possibilities — but that might just be the problem.
When celebrating some of the best hotels in Italy, DUCO selects their annual winners as part of their highly curated initiative to showcase the best of the country. Unlike most prestigious travel events that focus on the global travel industry, DUCO is dedicated to promoting Italy as a single destination. Its primary objective is to bring the world to Italy and provide an extraordinary experience of Italian hospitality. DUCO's focus is on the destination itself, providing an immersive experience of Italy and serving as an important reference point for the high-end travel community.
The notoriously choppy two-day crossing of the Drake Passage is often described as a rite of passage to visiting Antarctica.
As incredible as viewing a total solar eclipse from Earth is, imagine seeing it from the sky. Well, Delta Air Lines is giving a set of lucky customers the chance to do just that on April 8, 2024, when the next solar eclipse will stretch across North America.
Not many countries have the sights-to-size ratio of South Korea. You can get from one corner of the country to the other in just two and a half hours, and in between you’ll find mountain trails leading to Buddhist hermitages, super-spectacle K-Pop concerts, back-alley pubs serving craft rice wines, enchanting bamboo forests and much more.
Forget Paris in spring: Rome is both warmer and cooler in the first few months of the year. The locals are in their winter black rollneck jumpers, accessorised with equally noir-ish sunglasses. With an average of 17C by March, it’s warm enough to sit outside cafés and bars, but not hot enough to fall foul of the “no shorts” rule enforced in Rome’s oldest churches.