The European Commission recommends stricter rules for visa-free travel to the EU.
'European Commission wants to simplify and digitize a Schengen visa application in 2026'
The European Commission already made a proposal in April 2022 to digitize and simplify the process of applying for a Schengen visa, which should be completed in 2026.
Residents of Kosovo will be able to enter Schengen countries visa-free from 2024
From 1 January 2024, Kosovars will no longer need a Schengen visa to travel to the European Union. The EU countries and the European Commission agree on this. Only the European Parliament still has to agree, but that will not be a problem.
EU wants to digitize Schengen visa application
The European Commission is working on the possibility of applying for a Schengen visa online and replacing the visa sticker. This digitization should put an end to the bureaucratic and cumbersome method that is currently used. The aim is to fully digitize visa procedures by mid-2025.
EU: Schengen must be stronger, safer and more resilient
The European Commission has presented a new strategy to make the largest area of free travel in the world – the Schengen area – stronger, safer and more resilient.
Schengen entry ban gradually lifted as of 1 July
The European Commission has asked the Schengen member states to start admitting third-country nationals again from 1 July. This will then concern countries outside Europe where the epidemiological situation is comparable to the countries in Europe or countries where the corona outbreak is under control.