Schengen Visa Fees will increase by 12 percent according to a statement from the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
For adults, the visa fee will increase from €80 to €90 starting 11th June 2024. Children aged between six and 12 years old will also see an increase in visa fees from €40 to €45 for short-term visa applications.
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.
a statement by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia read.
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While the European Union’s Commission has not officially announced the date of the increase, it is expected to do so imminently. This decision follows the most recent review of EU visa fees in December 2023, which occurs every three years as per the Schengen Visa Code. The increase has been aligned with inflation rates and the salaries of civil servants in the Member States.
The last adjustment to visa fees occurred in February 2020 when application costs rose from €60 to €80. Figures published by the European Commission indicate that EU consulates and Schengen-associated countries received over 10.3 million applications for short-stay visas in 2023, marking a 37% increase compared to 2022 but still lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, which saw 17 million applications.
Despite the surge in applications, the number of visas issued in 2023 remained below 2019 levels, although it did show an improvement compared to 2022. Nearly 8.5 million visas were issued in 2023, compared to 5.9 million in 2022 and 15 million in 2019.
Featured image by Travel Trade Journal
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