The European Commission has started working on a proposal to update the costs associated with Schengen visas. The Commission recommends raising the application fee for a Schengen visa from €40 to €45 for children and from €80 to €90 for adults, as per the proposal that was presented.

In addition, the proposal calls for raising the Schengen visa cost for nations who refuse to assist in the readmission of their citizens who enter the EU without the required papers. According to the draft, the recommended rise for these countries is from €120 to €135 and from €160 to €180.Furthermore, the EU suggests that external Schengen visa service providers charge a premium in accordance with the amendment.

According to the proposal, these service providers may charge up to half of the normal visa fee for processing Schengen visa applications on behalf of member states. This suggests that their services will now cost €45 instead of €40.The draft document from the Commission suggests that the cost of extending a Schengen visa stay at €30. It is stressed that the modification will not affect the cost of visas for nations that currently have agreements in place to facilitate travel.

In December of the previous year, the Commission convened a conference with experts from Schengen member states to deliberate on the draft amendment regarding the visa fee.Furthermore, underlining that the planned rise in visa fees is attributable to the rate of inflation in the European Union, the Commission has launched an initiative for public feedback until March 1, 2024.

EU nationals are welcome to express their views on whether they agree with the rise in the Schengen visa charge.Feedback from a German citizen indicated that they believed the EU had enough money. They highlighted the fact that foreigners applying for Schengen permits also experience the worst effects of inflation and expressed concern about the possibility of middle class discrimination.