EU updates visa policy to improve travel conditions

The European Union passed a regulation on Thursday on the visa code regulation to improve conditions for legitimate travelers, as well as increase the tools available to respond to the challenges posed by illegal migration.

The new regulation include allowing for applications to be lodged up to 6 months, and no later than 15 days, before the trip, providing for the possibility of the application form to be filled in and signed electronically, and introducing a harmonized approach to the issuing of multiple entry visas to regular travelers with a positive visa history for a period which increases gradually from 1 to 5 years, European Council said in a written statement.

The regulation also increased the costs of visa processing from €60 to €80.

The regulation also aims to contribute to improving cooperation with third countries on readmission by introducing a new mechanism for using visa policy as leverage.

"Where a country is not cooperating, the Commission will propose that the Council adopt an implementing decision applying specific restrictive visa measures related to visa processing and, eventually, to the visa fee," the statement said, adding that a cooperating country may have a reduction in the visa fee, a reduction in the time to decide on visa applications, or an increase in the period of validity of multiple entry visas.