In an exclusive interview, Anitta Hipper, Spokesperson for the European Commission (home affairs) elaborates upon the reasons for delays, what the European Commission is doing to resolve the issue and the much-awaited digitisation of the Schengen visa

Since the resumption of international travel post Covid-19, long wait to get a visa appointment & delay in processing of Schengen visas has irked travellers worldwide 

Since the resumption of international travel post Covid-19, long wait to get a visa appointment & delay in processing of Schengen visas has irked travellers worldwide. In an exclusive interview, Anitta Hipper, Spokesperson for the European Commission (home affairs) elaborates upon the reasons for delays, what the European Commission is doing to resolve the issue and the much-awaited digitisation of the Schengen visa which will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed.

Worldwide, travellers are unhappy with the delay in Schengen visa processing times that is impacting their personal and professional travel plans. What’s the big reason for this delay?  In India, people are complaining that scheduling an appointment ‘takes forever’. How can this be expedited? 

This is not a specific situation to India. The European Commission has received numerous reports from visa applicants who, in various geographical locations, have difficulties obtaining an appointment for the submission of a visa application at Member States` consular offices.

Travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have forced some Member States to reduce the number of staff engaged in consular offices or have had to cancel their contractual arrangements with external service providers. In a context of resumption of international travel and increase in visa applications, the pressure in some places creates difficulties for service providers and consulates in processing an increasing number of visa applications in a timely manner.

In addition, intermediaries use sophisticated IT tools to book appointments on behalf of visa applicants as soon as they are released, making extremely difficult for applicants not using their services to book an appointment on their own.

The Commission regularly calls on the Member States` visa authorities to improve their operational capacities and address this issue by releasing more appointments. As for the decisions on visa application, the decisions in this matter are the exclusive competence of Member States.

According to a few news reports, in 2022, India was the second country with the highest rejection rates; nearly 18% of total Schengen visa applications submitted by Indians were rejected. What is the big reason? Financial stability? Background check?  

This is not factually correct. The refusal rate for visas applied in Member States consulates corresponds to the refusal rate global average. There are almost 60 visa-required third countries who have worse refusal rate (almost up to 50% for few of them).

The main reason for rejection is the documentation justifying the purpose and conditions of the intended stay. In particular, the use of forged or fake documents has been identified by Member States as an issue (this is not specific to India).

Are there accelerated visa processing options?

There is no accelerated/emergency procedure which can be invoked for tourism-related travels. Member States are making efforts to increase their processing capacity to deal with the increase in visa applications.

In June this year, the Parliament and the Council of the European Union agreed on rules to digitalise the procedure for Schengen visas. What`s the current status of the proposal?  When will digitisation be fully adopted? 

Once the European Parliament and the Council adopt the initiative, work will start on the implementation of the regulation. After the start of operation of the common application platform and the introduction of the digital visa (not before 2028), Member States will have then seven years to switch to the common online visa platform.

Will the digitised visa be a 2D barcode cryptographically signed?  Will it be a single-window platform for all Member states? 

The Regulation proposed by the Commission aims to modernise the visa procedure by introducing two key changes: digitalisation of the visa sticker and digitalization of the visa application.

This will be achieved through the establishment of an European Union (EU) online Visa application platform, where applicants can apply online for a Schengen visa, regardless of the country they wish to visit and make the visa fee payment. The platform will offer a secure account for applicants to apply and receive the decision on their application. It will also provide up-to-date information on visa requirements, procedures, and a chatbot for user queries.

Additionally, under the proposed rules, visas will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed. This will reduce security risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa.