Global Entry isn't the only way international travelers can skip long lines at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
11.06.2024 - 07:53 / euronews.com
The cost of a Schengen visa is going up this June, the European Commission has confirmed.
It is increasing in price by 12 per cent. The basic fee for a Schengen visa is going to rise from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children. The Commission has blamed the price hike on inflation in member states.
It says fees are still “relatively low” compared to the cost of a visa in other countries. The UK, for example, starts at €134, the US around €185 and Australia €117.
Schengen countries include EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus as well as Romania and Bulgaria for land borders. Though they aren’t EU members, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland are also part of the Schengen Convention.
The fee for Schengen visas will increase from 11 June this year.
Schengen visas are needed for non-EU citizens who don’t benefit from the EU/Schengen Area’s 90-day rule. That includes South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China, among others.
They are needed for tourism or visits to family but can’t be used for work in 28 European countries. With a Schengen visa, you can visit for up to 90 days in any six month period.
People from countries including the US, Canada, the UK and Australia who are visiting for short periods of time don’t need to apply for a Schengen visa. This is because they are entitled to 90 days of visa-free travel out of every 180.
Anyone who wants to stay longer or to stay for work would need to apply for a different visa from the country they want to visit.
Every three years the Commission assesses these fees and can increase them based on a list of “objective criteria”. This includes inflation rates and the average salary of a civil servant in member states.
It proposed the price hike on 2 February after a meeting in December where member states supported the revision with an “overwhelming majority”.
The Commission has also 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 which collect Schengen visa applications on behalf of the member states, can charge is usually half the standard fee. It has proposed raising this from €40 to €45.
In contrast, the fee for a Schengen visa extension will remain fixed at €30.
The EU is also considering increasing fees even further for countries that show “insufficient cooperation on readmission” - accepting the re-entry of individuals expelled from member states.
For countries that have not demonstrated cooperation in citizen readmission, the cost could increase from €120 to €135 and from €160 to €180.
Global Entry isn't the only way international travelers can skip long lines at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Finnair is showing off its new Schengen Lounge at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) that's slated to open on July 9. The lounge will primarily serve customers traveling on short-haul flights within Europe and passengers connecting in Helsinki from the U.S. and traveling onward to Finland's Lapland and the wider Nordic and Baltic regions.
Requesting an Uber or Lyft out of New York's John F. Kennedy Airport this summer may be a little less seamless due to a new protocol.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, June 25, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Americans are heading to New York City for the Fourth of July weekend, but they’re not booking short-term rentals as much as last year.
Are you waiting for a Global Entry interview — or simply don't want to pay the $100 application fee? There's another option that can help you save nearly as much time at customs. Plus, it's completely free.
Thailand is inviting remote workers and digital nomads to not only visit, but to stay a while with its new extended visa program.
The UK's Birmingham Airport saw major delays this weekend amid confusion over new rules about liquids in hand luggage.
The brand new Lufthansa City Airlines will take its first flight on 26 June, bringing new short- and medium-haul connections to Germany.
Frontier Airlines is showing no signs of letting up on the network shake-up that's helped define the carrier in 2024.
I've been going to Las Vegas regularly since the early 2000s and have adopted a firm policy to never stay more than two nights.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, June 13, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.