Schengen visas get costlier by 12% after European Union hikes fee
European Commission is set to increase Schengen visa fees from June 11, 2024. Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs confirmed that while visa fees for adults will increase from €80 to €90 for adult applicants beginning, visas for children aged six to twelve will also increase, from €40 to €45. Furthermore, countries not cooperating with the readmission of their irregularly staying citizens in the EU may face visa fees rising to €135 or €180.
«The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 per cent. The increase will apply worldwide as of 11 June 2024,» the Slovenian government said in a statement.
The fee increase follows a review of EU visa fees in December 2023, which occurs every three years as mandated by the Schengen Visa Code. The EU cites inflation and civil servants' salaries as reasons for the hike. The last increase was in February 2020 when fees rose from €60 to €80.
The decision has sparked dissatisfaction, notably among Turkish citizens awaiting a visa-free agreement with the EU. In 2023, the Schengen Area received over 10.3 million short-stay visa applications, a 37% increase from 2022 but still below the 2019 peak of 17 million applications.
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The Schengen area includes 29 European countries, with 25 being EU states. The countries part of the Schengen area are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France,
