European Commission Proposes Simplifying Visa Processes for Schengen Area

After recently announcing Europe’s immigration priorities for the coming years, the European Commission (EC) this week released two formal proposals to simplify visa processing for short-term travelers to the Schengen Area. The proposals advance the Commission’s new immigration priorities to facilitate the short-term stay and mobility of highly-skilled professionals supplying services within the European Union by reducing the bureaucracy for short-term visa applicants and facilitating the entry of tourists and business visitors to stimulate member state economies and create jobs in various industries. 

The first proposal would create a new Touring Visa that would enable both visa-exempt and visa-subject non-EU nationals to travel throughout the Schengen Area for up to one year, with stays in any individual member state limited to 90 days within any 180-day period. Touring Visa holders would be able to extend their stays for a total period of up to two years. 

The other proposal includes a number of changes to the Schengen Visa Code, including: 

• Reducing standard visa processing times across the region to 10 days, down from 15 days; 
• Allowing visa applicants to apply as far as six months before planned travel (up from the current three months) to avoid peak application periods and the associated processing delays; 
• Allowing short-term visa applicants to file visa applications with the consular posts of other Schengen countries, if the responsible member state has no presence or representation in the foreign national’s home country; 
• Creating new benefits for frequent travelers, such as multiple-entry visas valid for three or five years for travelers who register in the upcoming Visa Information System (expected to be released in 2015); 
• Standardizing the list of visa application document requirements to be used in all Schengen countries; simplifying application forms; and adding online visa application processes; 
• Potentially permitting member states to grant visas on arrival for stays of up to 15 days in the issuing state; and 
• Potentially permitting member states to ease visa requirements for attendees of major events.

The EC’s other priorities related to business immigration include: 

• Facilitating the short-term stay and mobility of highly-skilled professionals supplying services within the EU; 
• Attracting and retaining international students and researchers; 
• Establishing Schengen Visa Centers to increase the presence of member states in third countries for visa processing and consular cooperation; 
• Increasing compliance actions against employers of unauthorized workers; and 
• Engaging in dialogues with member states and businesses about their labor immigration and trade mobility needs.

What This Means for Employers 

The EC’s announcements will not have an immediate impact. The European Parliament and Council of the EU must first approve the proposals, which will not happen until at least 2015. Details might also change during the review and debate process preceding the vote. 

However, if adopted, the new visa regulations will streamline business visa processing for non-EU nationals, enabling them to enter the Schengen Area more quickly and easily, travel within the Area more freely, and stay for longer periods. Businesses can expect to see the introduction of further proposals in line with the EC’s new immigration priorities, including measures that aim to facilitate the entry and mobility of business visitors and highly-skilled workers across the region. 

The Touring Visa would especially benefit artists and business visitors who frequently need to travel to and through the Schengen Area for more than 90 days at a time, but who do not wish or qualify to take up residency or employment in a member state. There is currently no visa program or accommodation for this category of travelers. 

How Fragomen Can Assist 

Fragomen is in regular dialogue with EU decision makers and will be actively engaged in pre-vote talks related to the new visa proposals and will notify clients of any resulting changes in regulation, procedure and policy. If the regulations are adopted, Fragomen can assist clients in identifying employees who may benefit from the changes and in modifying corporate internal policies and procedures, if necessary. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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