
Country / Territory
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
By: Nikhil Bande
The European Union (EU) has laid out new regulations for short-term travelers effective 2 February 2020. This move has been in discussion with the European Parliament since June 2019 and it essentially encourages more travelers to visit the region, which will help to support the EU economy.
In this blog, I will examine the new visa rules, their scope and impact on the mobility of short-term travelers in the EU.
The changes apply to travelers who need visas to travel to the EU from their home countries. No visa policy changes will be applied to travelers from countries benefitting from visa-free travel to the EU, as the new rules do not apply to citizens of those countries.
The new rules cover short-stay visas for the 22 EU countries that are part of the regionβAustria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Swedenβas well as for four associated countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. A uniform short-stay visa issued by one of these countries covers travel throughout the 26 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
Under the new rules, travelers can now enjoy a simpler and more user-friendly visa application process, where:
- Visa applications can be submitted up to six months prior to the intended date of travel (nine months for seafarers), instead of three months previously, enabling travelers to better plan their trips
- Multiple-entry visas with a long validity from one to five years are now easier to obtain, saving money and efforts of those who travel frequently
- Frequent travelers with an uneventful visa history (without incidences of overstays, fines, etc.) can be granted multiple-entry visas with a gradually increasing validity period from one year to a maximum of five years
- Applicants may only need to appear in person when fingerprints are to be collected (i.e., once every 59 months)
Country / Territory
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Explore more at Fragomen

Blog post
Director Johannes Tiba explores the proposal to grant automatic employment authorization to spouses of work visa holders in South Africa.

Media mentions
UK: Partner Haider Hussain clarifies that UAE Golden Visa applications must go through official government channels, warning against unauthorised fees and misinformation.

Media mentions
Director Laurence Keir-Thomas outlines how recent changes to UK immigration and industrial policy may affect talent planning and hiring across the games sector.

Video
In this Mobility Minute, Senior Consultant Ada Plant discusses how Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) no longer accepts incomplete temporary residence applications.

Awards
Partner Julia Onslow-Cole is named to the prestigious Citywealth Leaders List 2025, which recognises leading professionals in wealth management and private client services.

Media mentions
Partner Γngel Bello CortΓ©s discusses how Irelandβs Department of Justice is rolling out AI tools to reduce fraud risks in the immigration process.

Media mentions
Partner Isha Atassi discusses the impact of immigration policy changes on financial firmsβ global mobility and workforce planning.

Blog post
Director Laxmi Limbani discusses strategies for securing talent in the UK space sector amid recent immigration reforms.

Blog post
This blog highlights the most significant immigration trends across both Europe and Asia Pacific (APAC) in 2025.

Video
In this video, Partner Jack Kim explains how Canadaβs Express Entry system works.

Awards
Fragomen and Partner Julia Onslow-Cole are shortlisted for the FT Innovative Lawyers Europe 2025 Awards.

Media mentions
Associate Aisha Shahid highlights how upcoming UK immigration reforms may impact key sectors and urges businesses to prepare.

Blog post
Director Johannes Tiba explores the proposal to grant automatic employment authorization to spouses of work visa holders in South Africa.

Media mentions
UK: Partner Haider Hussain clarifies that UAE Golden Visa applications must go through official government channels, warning against unauthorised fees and misinformation.

Media mentions
Director Laurence Keir-Thomas outlines how recent changes to UK immigration and industrial policy may affect talent planning and hiring across the games sector.

Video
In this Mobility Minute, Senior Consultant Ada Plant discusses how Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) no longer accepts incomplete temporary residence applications.

Awards
Partner Julia Onslow-Cole is named to the prestigious Citywealth Leaders List 2025, which recognises leading professionals in wealth management and private client services.

Media mentions
Partner Γngel Bello CortΓ©s discusses how Irelandβs Department of Justice is rolling out AI tools to reduce fraud risks in the immigration process.

Media mentions
Partner Isha Atassi discusses the impact of immigration policy changes on financial firmsβ global mobility and workforce planning.

Blog post
Director Laxmi Limbani discusses strategies for securing talent in the UK space sector amid recent immigration reforms.

Blog post
This blog highlights the most significant immigration trends across both Europe and Asia Pacific (APAC) in 2025.

Video
In this video, Partner Jack Kim explains how Canadaβs Express Entry system works.

Awards
Fragomen and Partner Julia Onslow-Cole are shortlisted for the FT Innovative Lawyers Europe 2025 Awards.

Media mentions
Associate Aisha Shahid highlights how upcoming UK immigration reforms may impact key sectors and urges businesses to prepare.