British tourists hit by EU warning over little known £76 cost from June
The European Commission has blamed the price hike on inflation in member states.
British tourists travelling to Europe have been issued a little-known warning as the cost of a Schengen visa is going up from this month. The European Commission has confirmed that the cost of the visa will increase by 12 percent.
The European Commission has blamed the price hike on inflation in member states.
The basic fee for a Schengen visa is going to rise from €80 (£68) to €90 (£76) for adults and from €40 (£34) to €45 (£38) for children.
The Commission said the fees are still “relatively low” compared to the cost of a visa in other countries.
The UK, for example, starts at €134 (£114), the US around €185 (£157) and Australia €117 (£99).
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.
Schengen visas are required for non-EU citizens who do not benefit from the EU/Schengen Area’s 90-day rule.
This includes citizens of countries such as South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and China, among others.
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These visas are necessary for tourism or family visits but cannot be used for work in 28 European countries.
With a Schengen visa, you can visit for up to 90 days within any six months.
Citizens from countries like the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia do not need to apply for a Schengen visa for short visits, as they are entitled to 90 days of visa-free travel out of every 180 days.
Anyone wishing to stay longer or work will need to apply for a different visa from the country they plan 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.
In contrast, the fee for a Schengen visa extension will remain fixed at €30.
