Appointments for submitting Schengen C visa applications are limited amid increased application numbers during the peak travel season of May to August. Travelers should plan as much in advance as possible for upcoming travel to the Schengen Area. It is also recommended that businesses and business travelers remain flexible to ensure sufficient time for obtaining the appropriate visa prior to travel to the Schengen Area. The European Union is currently pushing towards digital transition of the Schengen visa application process by 2028, with digital visas to be issued with encrypted barcodes. These changes are expected to streamline the Schengen country visa application process (as well as provide improved security features) over the coming years. In the interim, there will be a phase-in period, during which digital and paper processes will be blended.
Travelers should also plan ahead for potential delays at airports across the Schengen area due to the recent completion of the roll out of the Entry Exit System (EES) and the temporary reintroduction of internal border checks by some Schengen countries including Austria, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, France, Germany, Norway, Poland and Sweden.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
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